My Gracie was raised with cats. They were here before she was. She always felt it was her duty to tell the cats that she is in charge. When she was a puppy she would try to chase the cats and be a bully. If she got to rough I would tell her no. She was not allowed to be aggressive with them. Now as a grown up dog she is still a bit bossy and does not want the cats (or anyone else) near her toys. I know terriers were at one time bred to be killers of rodents but I don't think that is a reason to allow them to be aggressive. My Gracie is a wonderful loving dog but I did have to train her from a puppy not to be aggressive with other animals. Really I was thinking more of her than anything else at the time because I knew she was going to be a small dog and I did not want her picking fights with other animals of any kind. Little dog syndrome can be a big problem later in life for the dog and for it's humans. Gracie has found that cats can be very helpful creatures when she is cold and cannot find a lap to curl up in. She can often be found curled up next to a cat for warmth on cooler days. |