'Prettiness' advice needed please

[kimble]

The Chihuahua!

Bad little things - definitely will keep the garden cat free if you encourage it. That one was called 'Little Dog' was a very grumpy thing - to cut his toenails you had to put two socks over his head or get bitten in the process. He passed on due to getting into something best left alone - but was quite old and had had a good life, he was one of those ones where an old lady dies and leaves a not very pleasant animal behind and he ended up at my place. Here he became a grumpy follower where he fallowed you all over but was not really friendly, for 5 years. I think he liked us, and we grew to like his surly ways.

Then I ended up with my current two Chihuahuas - ! One was removed from a puppy mill, one was walking down the road as a puppy after a hurricane; on a road of destroyed houses - he has bad separation issues if not allowed to come in the truck with us - the puppy mill one is fine with everything, she was not abused, just kept in a small cage her whole life and is happy no matter what, a remarkably well adjusted dog. Both would keep cats off if instructed, but the laid back one would not put much effort in.

4 dogs! 3 rescued and then the lab is brain damaged and has a load of quirky issues but is very lovable. But look at that collective intelligence; it shines out. They love to go in the truck and mostly get to ride along - I have had a dog at work with me for 30 years.



Cat problem solved. Although they would not hurt a cat, they would put it up a tree or over a fence.

[veggiechicken]

4 dogs here too. 2 from rescue and one of those had 5 pups not long afterwards so I kept 2! No cat problem here either!

[Bigmallly]

to cut his toenails you had to put two socks over his head or get bitten in the process. He passed on due to getting into something best left alone

Hope he didn't suffocate in the socks.....................

[Jungle Jane]

A muzzle would make it impossible for a dog to bite & be less stressful than a sock over the head,it sounds a bit scary for the dog which would make their aggression worse. If you have an aggressive dog you can use a muzzle for 10 minutes or whatever it's fine for the dog.

[ancee]

I suppose it depends on if it will let you near it to get the muzzle on in the first place.
We have a dog. Last week I thought it would be good if I made a loud noise then sent him out to scare the cat. (Who has now taken to eating the bird food I put out!) I don't want him to catch it, just deter it. So the cat heard the noise and looked up, the dog, Bane, got very excited and rushed out. Cat scarpers through gap in fence.... Bane runs down the garden and tries to get through gap too! He weighs 9 stone, he practically demolished a magnolia bush, ripped a trellis complete with clematis apart. Then wedged himself in the small gap, which is now a large gap squashed a load of plants pulling himself backwards and out. Not a successful day. Cat was back later on. We now have three visiting the garden. I'm thinking of getting another cat... He's not called Bane for nothing that dog.