My golden is attacking my cats

Question
Hi, I have a female golden retriever who will be 2 years old in March, we have 3 cats have had 2 of them since we brought her home, and took in my parents cat about a year ago. Within the past 3-4 weeks she has started attacking the cats, we cannot figure out why, I'm wondering if it could have anything to do with her being in heat she just came out of her cycle. Could you please give me any insight you may have on this manner, we are afraid one of the cats is going to get hurt. Thank you so very much.

Answer
Her personality is still maturing.  Add to that the behavioral disturbances of her cycle, and you can expect such a problem.  Best thing would be to get her spayed as soon as the vet will do it.  There is really no good reason not to.  We certainly don't need her as breeding stock.  We are already producing more dogs than we can ever find homes for.  Check for Golden Retrievers at www.petfinders.org.  

Watch her carefully.  The moment you see her focusing on a cat, give her a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and offer her a chew toy.  When you can't watch her, crate her.  

It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first.  What the puppy
wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the
household, and any other pets.  In our modern society, even if we are home,
other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have.   The
only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around.  The dog may be
happier in its den than loose in the house.  It relaxes, it feels safe in its
den.  It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
its self.  Dogs that have been crated all along do very well.  Many of them
will rest in their crates even when the door is open.  I think the plastic
ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling.  Metal ones can be put
in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew.  Select
a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys.  Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter.  Don't leave
anything in the crate the dog might chew up.  It will do fine without even any
bedding.  You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work.
Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate.  Praise it for going
in.  Feed it in the crate.  This is also an easy way to maintain order at
feeding time for more than one dog.