Holy Cat War batman!

[boxer pal]

WHAT do I do to teach Malibu to chill out when she sees a cat!   She goes absolutely ballistic every time she catches sight of one!  I have barely seen Angus since Sunday afternoon and Ernie is becoming more and more scarce too!   I have a baby gate up in our basement stairwell to keep Malibu out, but she already jumped it once and I know, if left to her own devices she'd jump it again. I have to take it down every time I go down there to do laundry, feed the cats, etc. and she'll fly down those steps in a heartbeat if she sees a cat!  She's getting better about not following me down there after repeated scoldings and lots of 'NO' hand signals.  I've started crating training but we are up to only 5 minutes or so in the crate. 
Right now, the only 'free time' the cats get is at night when we shut the bedroom door and both dogs are asleep on their dog bed in our room.
This little white stinker has a HIGH prey drive it seems!  She attacks ANYTHING that moves when we are outside too.  And I haven't even let her off leash yet!  What's she going to do the first time she sees a rabbit?
Anyone got any advise on how to 'desensitize' her to our cats?

[whitepupzoe]

We had the same problem with Abby when we brought her home. She chased those poor cats 24/7.  She was especially interested in my siamese...I think it's because she was smaller and would run around more then the other 2 cats. 

Do the cats have a "safe place" where they can escape to? We had baby gates up so the cats could run upstairs or downstairs to get away from Abby. She has gotten better in the almost 3 yrs that we've had her, but she will still chase them and corner then occassionally. 

I wonder if you crate her and then bring the cats in the same room if that would help her get used to them? Just thinking outloud...don't know if that would help or not. 

[BoxerPerson]

And then some cats never learn! I had one that never liked the kitties.

[BranwenBoxers]

With her being deaf her praydrive is going to be through the roof .    I would step in front of her if you see her eyeballing the cats .  Tell her no ( hand signal ) and make her back up and sit/ stay or leave it  .

  Or you could  put a real long leash on her like 15  feet long or more  and keep it attached to her .  So when she goes for the cats you can  give a tug on the leash  , tell her no or leave it signal  .   I have never worked with a deaf dog before but I think with you having the leash on her you can make her look at you so you can give her some direction on what to do   .       

[boxer pal]

I've done the leash direction when I've had her leashed to me and she knows I was unhappy with her.  She knows a 'bad dog' sign but I'm not using that, I just use the sign for 'NO'. 
It always happens when she's off leash, just chilling and a cat will sneak through and into her line of vision.  She's off like a rocket before I even know the cat is around!  So I go chasing after her all the while the cat is hissing and knocking stuff over - I'm sure we look like a bad action/comedy movie in the making!
We worked on her recall this morning and it's getting better and better.  I have to remember she's only 7 or 8 months so we'll be working at this for a long while! 

[BoxerWB]

I have to remember she's only 7 or 8 months so we'll be working at this for a long while! 

Sounds like someone's starting to make up their mind! 

I wonder if working to relax her around the cats would work, using massage? It'd be something you'd have to start when you knew the cats were around, but could help change her reaction when the cats sneak into view later. I think I described what I was doing with Dash somewhere, I'll have to look for that.

[boxer pal]

I managed to catch a couple of opportunites to do just that, Julia!  Once when I saw Ernie on the stairs before Malibu did.  I was able to sit on the floor and hold her while I stroked her and gave her her 'good dog' sign!  (thumbs up)  Then, later, she saw Ernie on the deck outside and jumped at the door.  I sat on the floor with her and got her to relax while watching the cat.  But those opportunites are so few and far between I don't know if it's sinking in. 
We made lots of progress with crating today.  She enjoyed a bully stick in it while I sat by the open door.  Now, she goes in there each time I come in here to use the computer.  I consider that major progress!   

[BoxerWB]

I think it's slowed progress if the chances are few and far between, but I think the message does sink in. We worked with Dash about relaxing around my in-laws for basically a year - they only visited maybe 6-8 times. The last 2 times my MIL came and visited Aaron, Dash only jumped on her once each. Not perfect, but darned better than the spaz attacks he used to have!

By the sounds of the moment you mentioned w/Dave and Ernie in another thread (can't remember which one now), it sounds like the idea is already starting to trickle into place. 

[boxer pal]

We had another good training opportunity this morning when Dave had Ernie on his lap and then left him in the chair when he got up to go to work.  I had Malibu with me on the couch and made her sit quietly.  She did and eventually relaxed and laid her head on my knee to keep an eye on Ernie. She tensed up when Ernie hopped down, but stayed with me and didn't try to bolt!    But, later, when I had let her off leash for short while she did catch sight of Ernie sitting in the garage looking through the cat door to the inside.  She shot off and stuck her head through the door before I could get to her.  Patience, patience, vigilance and patience is my new mantra.