Introducing a Finnish Spitz with a Cat

Despite the mistaken belief, a lot of dogs and cats can live together comfortably. Follow these easy to follow actions to know how to best introduce your Finnish Spitz with a feline.

1. Ensure your Finnish Spitz understands standard commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘down’ before meeting.
2. Make a safe area for both your Finnish Spitz and feline, where the other pet can not get in.
3. Keep them separated initially, for the very first couple of days. Ensure both Finnish Spitz and cat have had the required shots.
4. Feed your Finnish Spitz and your cat on opposite sides of a closed door. This helps make them affiliate each other’s existence with enjoyable things.
5. Once they both can eat calmly next to the door, start having meet and greets in a common area of your house. Keep the very first couple of sessions short and calm with your Finnish Spitz on a leash. Treat both pets for great behaviour.
6. Carry on these face to face sessions daily. Ensure to save your animals’ preferred treats for these sessions. If your feline wants to leave, let them, but make certain your Finnish Spitz does not chase. Attempt ending the sessions before any animal reveals signs of stress or aggression.
7. When they appear like they’re getting a long well, allow them to hang around in the room with each other. If any tension erupts, return back to the previous actions and redo them.

Why do Finnish Spitzs Hate Cats?

Not all Finnish Spitzs detest cats, some get along with them. When Finnish Spitzs do dislike cats, of the most common factor is quite simple. Like all dogs, Finnish Spitzs still keep a few of the hunting instincts that they were initially bred for. This is why Finnish Spitzs like going after all moving things, whether it’s a toy, mouse, or a feline.

Since a lot of felines will escape when they come across, it’s simple to see why they are known for not being friendly with each other. Finnish Spitzs actually enjoy chasing after felines not due to the fact that they dislike them, however mainly since a fast running animal sets off a strong, natural impulse to chase overcomes any training or socialisation.

How to Stop Finnish Spitzs Chasing Cats?

Teaching your Finnish Spitz to quit going after felines takes some time, practice and consistency, but the reward of not having to fret about them constantly chasing is well worth it. Here are the actions of how to stop your Finnish Spitz from chasing felines.

1. Keep your Finnish Spitz on a leash while loose when your feline remains in the same room.
2. Whenever your feline is nearby to your Finnish Spitz, stop what you are doing and get your Finnish Spitz’s attention. If he pays attention, provide him a reward!
3. Keep awarding your Finnish Spitz till the feline disappears. If the cat sticks around give your Finnish Spitz a chew reward or toy so they stay focused on their treat.
4. Regularly repeat the above actions and you’ll see your Finnish Spitz instinctively sit and look up to you when they see the cat. Do not forget to keep rewarding them!
5. If they are now automatically looking at you each time the cat is in the room, they’re prepared to be using a longer leash. If they still try to chase after the feline at this moment reel them in and go back to step 2.
6. Last but not least, take the long leash off and allow your Finnish Spitz and feline in the same area. At this moment your Finnish Spitz need to understand not to go after the cat, however if they do return to step 5.

How to Stop Finnish Spitzs Killing Cats?

The best approach to ensure your Finnish Spitz would never kill a cat is to raise them with felines when they’re a puppy before 3 months old. At this age, they will typically wish to play with the cats and won’t see them as prey.

If your Finnish Spitz has actually killed a feline previously, its best if you keep them in an open, fenced off area. When taking them for walks try to stop going after dusk and before dawn because that’s when cats are most active and most likely to be roaming the streets.