A dogs predator instinct

[Keith]

Hi all

I returned home from work today to find out that Laika my sweet and not so innocent Dalmatian had been running riot at my friends house who watches her some afternoons. Turns out she caught a rabbit and decided that she was having it as an early dinner. She managed to eat half of it but she was described as possessed. Unfortunately it got a little worse as she has possibly broken a bone in her paw during the whole affair however the vet is optimistic and hopes that it is just damage to the nail or toe (do dogs have toes?).

The vet explained that it was all instinct and that she was taken over by her urge to hunt. We were however advised to be careful as now she has the taste for it she may do it again and that it is illegal for dogs to hunt rabbits. Hopefully she will be up and running as soon as possible but I doubt she will be at training this Sun which is a shame.

Anyway I didn't realise that a dogs instinct could be so strong. Everyday is a school day I suppose?

Keith

[kirsty]

Keith, Im no expert. I think there may be a difference between a domestic pet catching a rabbit and someone going out to actually hunt them. My dog Dodge used to catch rabbits regularly. He is muzzled now so cant get to them now. I don't know that they get a taste for it....I think if a dog has a high prey drive they will go after anything, particularly if its small and fast. Good luck with trying to stop your dog. Two labs went over the edge of croy quarry last year chasing rabbits. Dogs tend to disregard their safety when they are in chase mode.
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"In a perfect world, every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog."

[lesley]

Poor laika!!! Hope her foots back to normal soon!! (poor rabbit too but it's just nature, eh?)

[John Thomson]

I agree with Kirsty........when prey drive kicks in dogs have little regard for their own safety and because of the adrenaline surge they feel little pain at the time.
Some have far higher drive than others.......a dog with drive is a fantastic working/obedience dog if you can harness it.

john
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Gordon]

I agree. If you have a dog that has a high prey drive it makes a wonderful dog once you can harness it. Dalmations were working dogs originally.

My dog Clyde has the most drive I have had in a dog, but that has made him my best. It takes me a minute or two to get him to focus when we start to work, but then he is excellent. He is now starting to work sheep and I have to step up a gear to work him to his potential

Find out what drives your dog and that way you can use it to your advantage.

Hunting for rabbits is banned, but if your dog takes a rabbit while on a walk nothing can be done. Its nature. Different if you sent your dog to get the rabbit.

[Lisa/Colin]

Hektor is the same. I was quite shocked the first time his prey drive kicked in. Unfortunately he has returned sometimes with all sorts of scrapes and cuts from running through the woods, John is right, they dont feel the pain at the time.

Hope Laika heals soon

Lisa

[shirley c]

Hunting rabbits is not illegal in scotland, hare, fox and deer are illegal, but rabbit and rat are legal quarry

Its not nice to happen in front of you tho so thankfully you never got it happen that way, but still awful. Hope Laika's toe is ok
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lurchers Pixel and Zev and whippet, Fen
3 cats, Greebo, Yu and Lexx - 2 ferrets and Dales pony Jazz and adopted pony, April