Dog Trouble

Trouble...

 With feral cats hanging out in the fenced yard where our dogs are allowed to wander, I've been concerned about the safety of the cats. Our older dogs are good with our house cats and raised them from the time they were kittens, but we adopted  pit-mix, Brad, from the street in April and he is still learning how to behave in our community.

A week ago while I was in the yard Brad started barking frantically. I ran over to see what was happening. He had 'Handsome Dan' cornered. They were both bloody. I grabbed Brad as he lunged at Dan and held him down. I held Brad down with one and and kept the other hand near Dan to make sure he didn't run away to die. My wife came out and took Brad while I put Dan in a box and went to the vet. Dan was in shock, and didn't resist. His breathing was weak and raspy. I arrived at the vet just before closing. He said that he'd keep him overnight and to check back in the morning. Dan had fluid in his lungs, probably some broken ribs, and some cuts. I didn't expect him to survive the night, but he did.

 A few days later Dan wad recovered enough to go home. Not the outdoors wild home, but  the safety of a large dog crate in a room where the dogs don't go. The crate is set up with a cardboard litter box at the back and a box on it's side to give him a place to hide and retreat to along with a cat bed and food/water bowls at the front. He seems content in there so far. Most of the time he lays in the cat bed. When I open the crate he does not try to 'escape'. He gets up and stretches, then takes a few steps outside before walking back in. I do guard him to make sure that he doesn't run off and hide, but so far that has not been a problem. 

I don't want to talk about it, but it did happen again with another cat the same day that Dan came home. I was in the upper back yard walking with Brad nearby off the leash. He suddenly bolted and jumped down a 4' retaining wall after a cat. The cat, Sally, was dead almost instantly. We are working to modify Brad's behavior. He is smart, attentive and very responsive, but overcoming behavior from life on the street and the scars of his past will take time. I have divided the yard further with a fence and walk Brad on a leash in the yard now until I have made sure there are no cats.