MY dogs killed a cat...

Question
I don't know what to do. Tonight they got out and killed a very old cat, there was no blood, no "guts" or anything of that sort. They have never acted like this in their whole lives, they are inside dogs that have been around my children all the time. I know dogs act on impulse and its not really my fault. I just need some advice on how to handle the whole situation. Thank you for listening.

Answer
Hi Sabrina,

I really feel for you and wish I had something more insightful to say.  Dogs, even the ones which live in our  homes are animals, no matter how much we treat them like members of the family. It sounds like your two dogs have (or during the moment of the attack, had) a pack mentality.

You didn't say if your dogs have been spayed or neutered. If they aren't then you should neuter and spay your dogs as soon as possible to eliminate a lot of their aggressive and dominant behavior.

I would assume not to trust your dogs with other pets unsupervised from here on out. You have cause to be very concerned that this kind of predatory behavior could conceivably be turned on a neighborhood child. Children don't smell like adult humans, and they don't act like adult humans. They often act, to a dog, like prey. You should contact a reputable dog behaviorist, because there's no reason to believe that this can't happen again.

I think you'll just have to watch your dogs very carefully, and provide absolutely secure separate quarters for the cats when you can't be there. I'm very sorry for your loss. It must have been horrifying.

-Patti