My dog is still afraid of the cats?

I've had Cricket, my daschund, for about 5 years now. I got my kitties over the summer. Cricket had never been around cats before. I was really cautious when I introduced them because my dad's dog, the same breed, had killed a kitten before. Now, the cats are nearly the same size as the dog and they have been allowed to interact freely for a while now. When Cricket is the one to approach them to investigate he's fine. When one of the cats approach him however, particularly if he's lying down, that's a whole other story. He will snarl at them, and sometimes nip. They aren't doing anything to him, not even swiping at him, they're just curious.

So I guess what I'm wondering is if they will ever get along, or should I resign myself to always supervising their interactions? Should I just let it play out when they approach him, instead of interfering when I'm worried he's getting to aggressive? A large part of why I was concerned before was because they were so small, but they're nearly the same size as him now.

As of now, Cricket sleeps with me while the door is closed so the cats can't get in, and when I'm gone or at work Cricket stays with my parents. They're never alone together.

I almost forgot, there was some progress the other day! I was in the kitchen, and Cricket got tired of trailing behind me. He went to the living room and hopped into the recliner Zelda was already in. There was as much space bettween then as possible, and he moved when Freya came running over, but I'm counting it as progress.

It's vital that Cricket learns that snarling or snapping at the cats is NOT acceptable - just as the cats would have to learn that going after Cricket isn't acceptable if the situations were reversed.

You could try creating positive associations with the cats approaching him. It sounds to me as though he's simply being possessive of his bed, but that really isn't an excuse If you teach him to 'leave' (or whatever word you like) when the cats approach, and every time he ignores them he gets a treat/reward (ideally something extra yummy that he ONLY gets in this specific situation), then it shouldn't be too long before he's practically begging the cats to come say 'Hi' :lol3:

Start with an achievable distance, and gradually let the cats get closer and closer before he gets his reward. Clicker training could really help with the timing here, but isn't essential.

I've had cats and dogs live peacefully together for years, so it definitely can be done

Typically, he likes to lay on or near me. I've worked out a bit of a system with him- if he is too stressed out, he noses underneath a blanket. If he can't see them, it seems to freak him out a lot less. I'll definitely try to start clicker training with him.

Definitely sounds like there's a guarding/protective element to this behaviour :nod: I'm not disputing that he's nervy too, but I do find that understanding every aspect of a dog's motivation really helpful when trying to change a behaviour.

Stay consistent and you'll get there You might find that D.A.P diffusers/spray help your boy to relax a bit. It's the canine version of Feliway, and is well worth a go.