# Today I got hit in the face with a raccoon



## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

I just recently adopted a 2 year old GSD, named Tonks, from a shelter. The shelter I volunteer at is currently helping to rehabilitate a raccoon that was orphaned when it was still young. The raccoon is almost ready to be set free and is full grown now. The raccoon was nearby while I was sitting on the walkway right after coming back from a walk with my dog. I was talking to the other volunteers when all of a sudden, I was hit in the face with the raccoon as my dog was shaking it. He didn't puncture the skin since we got the raccoon away from him in time, but this was definitely a 'for the kill' type thing. 
What's worse is that he lunged at a cat 5 minutes later. I'm pretty sure he got high off of adrenaline from catching the raccoon, but this raises some pretty serious questions for me since I own a cat myself. To be fair, I was really tense for a little while before he went after the raccoon, but I am usually really good at paying attention to my emotions and regulating them.

I just don't understand why this happened or where to go from here... Tonks has never gone after another animal to my knowledge, but it seems that my boy has a very strong prey drive. Due to circumstances prior to this event, I am boarding Tonks at the shelter until I can move because my landlord doesn't allow dogs, but now I am worried about the safety of my cat when he finally does move in. Needless to say, he will be supervised when he is around my cat, but what do I do with a dog with a high prey drive? 

We need your help.











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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Was he ever cat tested prior to being made available for adoption? That's always something I require when I'm considering adopting an adult dog. They MUST be cat tested. Management and training and always making sure your cat has a safe place to escape to that the dog can never go/get to is a good idea. Have your dog cat tested.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

KZoppa said:


> Was he ever cat tested prior to being made available for adoption? That's always something I require when I'm considering adopting an adult dog. They MUST be cat tested. Management and training and always making sure your cat has a safe place to escape to that the dog can never go/get to is a good idea. Have your dog cat tested.


I've seen him interact with cats before, even up close and personal and he has never acted like this. He has also met my cat, and there have been no instances of wanting to kill it... But he does have that severe interest and will chase and herd as is expected of his breed... I've even seen him run after chickens without lunging like he did. I'm not entirely sure where this behavior came from or how to proceed with it, but he's a part of our family now. The question isn't so much whether or not he was tested for being cat friendly prior to adoption, it is how do you train a dog that has a high prey drive so that it won't go after other animals.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

KZoppa said:


> Was he ever cat tested prior to being made available for adoption? That's always something I require when I'm considering adopting an adult dog. They MUST be cat tested. Management and training and always making sure your cat has a safe place to escape to that the dog can never go/get to is a good idea. Have your dog cat tested.


Great idea about having the cat have an escape route. I will surely invest in a tall cat tree. Thanks for the advice. 


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

can your dog knock the cat tree down?



Grittlebone said:


> Great idea about having the cat have an escape route. I will surely invest in a tall cat tree. Thanks for the advice.
> 
> 
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## erfunhouse (Jun 8, 2013)

Cat trees get knocked down a lot here. A good baby gate to a "cat only" room. 


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

A raccoon that is not a member of your household is a lot different than your personal pet cat. Nothing wrong with having an escape route for the cat, but it is a different story than expecting your dog to not respond to a critter that is a member of the bear family, when it is up close and personal. 

As a new dog owner, you need to keep your eyes open for those things your dog might react to and ensure the leash length is sufficient to keep him safe.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

doggiedad said:


> can your dog knock the cat tree down?


Well I haven't even purchased one yet, but I was planning on getting a thick sturdy one. Maybe I could put it in the corner of a room where it could be supported by two walls... Do you think that might hold an 82 pound dog? I'm honestly not sure since it's my first time owning a GSD. Regardless of this setback, I really want to work with him. I want to make sure I am meeting his needs and the needs of my cat. I've had trouble training Tonks since he is not very food or toy oriented... Is there a way I can turn the prey drive around and use it as a tool to train him?


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Oh, and your dog has been vaccinated for rabies. Chances are you haven't. If a wild raccoon, coyote, fox, or squirrel gets close enough for your dog to attack it, probably you should be happy he is with you and willing to engage.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Gee, and I only got hit in the face with a Jolly ball.
Now I feel boring.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

selzer said:


> Oh, and your dog has been vaccinated for rabies. Chances are you haven't. If a wild raccoon, coyote, fox, or squirrel gets close enough for your dog to attack it, probably you should be happy he is with you and willing to engage.


Valid point. Luckily, this particular raccoon has been vaccinated for rabies, so I don't have to worry about that. I did get a scratch in my face from it though. It shook me up a bit for sure, but I guess it's good he will protect me from a wild animal like that.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

Sunflowers said:


> Gee, and I only got hit in the face with a Jolly ball.
> Now I feel boring.


Lmao!!!!! My friend was having a bad day, so I told her about my eventful evening and said "well at least you didn't get hit in the face with a raccoon"  


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Just because Tonks went after a raccoon (and thanks for one of the best thread subject lines EVER!), but has previously been good with cats, chances are he will be good with the cats. My shelter dog was a stray, and one main consideraton in adopting was that any dog coming into my house had to be good with cats. So we did test her with cats and kittens at the shelter, and she was sweet and appropriately playful with them, and hasn't bee a problem in the last 8 years since I have had her. 

Yet she will chase rabbits, unknown cats, moose, deer, squirrel, and probably a lot of other creatures if she picks up on their scent, including porcupine. 

I think you are right about Tonks going after the cat immediately after the raccoon incident because of the adrenalin/prey aggression hormone releases still affecting his brain. When Keeta went after the porcupine, she got quilled across the face, nose and chest, yet she was so hyped up, I don't think she noticed any of it, nor did she notice me pulling them out by the handful - she just wanted to go after that porcupine, who by now had found refuge up in a tree. 

I'd say wait a couple of days, and test Tonks again with cats, I bet he will be fine. When you take him home, make sure you cats have a safe place to go where Tonks can't get at them for their own peace and safety, and for your own peace of mind.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

Castlemaid said:


> (and thanks for one of the best thread subject lines EVER!),
> 
> I'd say wait a couple of days, and test Tonks again with cats, I bet he will be fine. When you take him home, make sure you cats have a safe place to go where Tonks can't get at them for their own peace and safety, and for your own peace of mind.


I am so happy to hear this. I'm glad that Tonks isn't the only one and that you think it will be very manageable. For the most part, he's medium level energy and. Is pretty easy going.

I hope your dog didn't get too hurt with the porcupine. And you're welcome!!! XD 


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

My dog would love to kill a raccoon (if we had them here)
He has killed rabbits, rats and has come close to getting a wild cat but he loves our cats.......sometimes he herds them but that's it.......I'm with castlemaid.......he will probably be fine given the right introductions and all.......good luck


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## TAR HEEL MOM (Mar 22, 2013)

I used to have a JRT that lived to kill baby rabbits and squirrels. But he wasthe best dog ever around people and cats. Good luck with Tonks and thanks for rescuing!


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I would get a tall baby gate that also has the small pet pass through in the bottom so your kitty has two options to get away quickly if needed (over the gate or through it). Put it across a bedroom/bathroom/SOME door so they have a place to relax without hairy eyeballs on them.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

My dogs go batcrap crazy when they see a squirrel outside, and also when neighbor cats are hanging out in the yard. But both of them are fine with our indoor cats. I don't leave them home alone together when we're gone, and I do have a cat room with a baby gate so the kitties can use their litter box in peace, and the dogs can't eat their food (or poop!), and there's a big cat tree where they can hang out and nap. They don't need to be constantly supervised when we're here though, the cats know how to get around without being accosted by dogs, and if they do get caught out, at the worst they may get slimed. uke: But the prudent thing to do is to take it slow to make sure that your cats are always safe.

Have your cats ever been around a dog? I've found that the attitude of the cat/s makes a big difference in how well everything goes. My dogs are more likely to chase Emmy because she's more likely to run. Elvis will stand his ground, and you can't chase a cat that won't run!


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## vickip9 (Mar 28, 2012)

I would also HIGHLY recommend the 2 week shutdown for Tonks when you do bring him home. And then immediately start practicing the NILIF model. The 2 week shutdown (lots of valuable info about it on this forum and the web) will give him a time to just observe the household and all of it's members. This includes keeping him crated much of the time while he's in the house and anytime he's not in the crate, keep him leashed to you. All of his meals should be fed to him by hand, by you. In fact, EVERYTHING comes from you. No toys left out for him to access on his own. All play time and toys come from you too. No intense training during this initial 2 weeks either. It's too stressful. Keep training fun and playful and simple. 

By keeping him crated for the first 2 weeks, it will be much less stressful for him as he will have the opportunity to observe and start to understand his surroundings instead of just being thrown into them to try and figure out his "rank" in it all. This will help introduce him to the cat being in the house as well, which should help in the long run.


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## Grittlebone (Sep 1, 2013)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> Have your cats ever been around a dog? I've found that the attitude of the cat/s makes a big difference in how well everything goes. My dogs are more likely to chase Emmy because she's more likely to run. Elvis will stand his ground, and you can't chase a cat that won't run!


My cat Venom has lived with dogs all his life, so he knows not to run. He is not too pleased when I bring Tonks home, but I think the slow introduction is good with him coming and then going home. It'll give Venom a chance to get used to him before Tonks comes home as well. We all took a nap on my bed together today and Venom even gave Tonks a head bump today which I thought was good progress. You all have really satiated my fears. Tonks and Venom will be fine, I am sure and I will surely read up more about the NiLiF method. Might be like a boot camp for him. 


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

my dog has killed a few ***** in my yard, one was big male. She would kill a cat but the cats are smart enough to not go into her territory. I have or had a few birds back there and sometimes the ***** would try to eat them. LIke roosters and stuff. My dog had her own doggy door. Usually I would just find the **** chewed up. 

my dog ADORES my cat they sit together every day and my dog has never showed one sign of aggression to my cat. She probably thinks my cat is another kind of strange animal that does not exist anywhere else.


My other more poorly bred gsd killed a fox that tried to get in the bird house even. This gsd was not brave at all but killed the fox before I could stop it.


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