Older hokkas + cats

okiron

Now, I know if you get them as a puppy, introducing dogs, even as wild as a hokka can be taught to respect at least the family cat. But I was wondering, how probable is the task of getting an older hokka, let's say 2-5 years old, to respect the family cat if they never had any real interactions with cats till that time? Is it a lost cause?

Leonberger

I don't know Hokkas much, but I'd say yes. Unless you get an atypical Hokka that will have close to zero prey drive. I mean even Kuma reacts differently to cats other than Nyx. It's like you can see the gears in his head going "do I chase it?" and he gets kind of tense like he's really trying to decide what to do.

okiron

Wait...yes to it being a lost cause? Or yes it's probable? *confused*

I wouldn't really mind them being reactive to outside cats as long as they're fine with the household cats.

Leonberger

Oops, sorry. Yes for the lost cause, maybe.
Probably a lot of work to get any kind of positive result. And, if I compare a Hokka to Kuma, Kuma has a way lower energy level and he still gets interested in chasing cats he doesn't know. So I'm guessing a fully grown Hokka will have more of that tendency in him.
But Sarako or Robert or Jamie will be much better at answering this than me.

JessicaRabbit

Miko and Moto are only tolerant of the cats in their house. They have gone ballistic when encountering cats other than theirs. I would only imagine it would be a thousand times worse with a dog even more primitive like a Hokkaido.

I am definitely interested what Ktrebor and the other long time Hokka owners have to say.

But honestly, I don't think that would be an easy if even possible transition....

Are you thinking about getting a Hokka?

Sarako

I don't have cats at home (mine is by my parents... and don't like dogs...)
But Niki loves hunting cats of ne neibourghood...

I think you must keep a room just for the cats, and introduice the hokka under carefull watching.
But I don't know if the hunting instinct will disappear...

Do you want to get an older Hokkaido ??? ^__^

okiron

Jessica - So not to bore you and everyone else with my life story, yes I am interested and been interested. It'll be another 3-5 years before we act on it though. Right now we're just doing all the research and debating any possible scenarios.

JessicaRabbit

I doubt anyone would be bored.

Out of curiosity, why/how an adult Hokka (they are so rare) and not a puppy?

okiron

If we do acquire a Hokka, it'll be as a pup. It's just the living arrangements might keep the dog separated from the cats and we're thinking of worst case scenarios and what would be the best course of action.

JessicaRabbit

Gotcha

Sarako

If you have your Hokkaido as a pup, it's better to habit's him to live with cats early.

ktrebor

I think that in case of adult hokkaido inu it is matter of his / her former experiences with other animals. Both Kiba and JaJa are getting crazy when spotting strange to them animal, they both ignore our household cats. Yet JaJa have some problems with them - for the first four months of her life she knows only other dogs, to cats she was introduced by us. She is still chasing them sometimes, but without grabbing or bitting. Kiba was introduced to cats in the age of two months, and is ignoring our household cats tottaly, even he sleeps with them or occasionaly licks them.

I do not have experience with introducing other new animal to our dogs, I have only introduced other dogs.

cas12

I had my staff put down 6 weeks ago due to old age she was sixteen, since then my cat has been grumpy, My two Akita pups now thirteen weeks old are trying to get to know the cat the are amazingly gently with her and do not jump on her at all. She is very small but she can pack a punch. She lunges at the dogs but never wwith her claws and npw she is refusing to come into the house whilst the pups are in.