Prey drive cessation in a German Shepherd

by Denise
(Atlanta, GA)

I just got a GSD from the county pound. She is about 2-3 yrs old and obedience trained. Our biggest problem with her is her prey drive.

We have two cats which she tracks all over the yard and the house and has attempted to kill twice. I want to break her of that. She is so obsessed with them, that when she senses they are around she does not listen to any commands and climbs our backyard fence to get to them.

The cats have not been in the house since we got the dog for fear of their lives, and it's been very cold here at night. How can we break her of this behavior and show her the cats are part of the pack?

We have tried reward for good behavior around them. It didn't work. We have tried the citronella spray collar. It didn't work. We have tried coins in the can noisemaker. it didn't work. She is so focused on them nothing interferes with her drive.

We have other problems with her but this is the only one or which we might rehome her.