Maddy ate a bird....

A few weeks ago Maddy caught a baby blackie I called her in (was in the garden) but on her way in she shook it and when I took it off her it was dead. There were no teeth marks or broken skin or anything.

Anyway just tonight she got another, I have been being so careful lately too and checking for them before I let the dogs out, but unfortunately it chose to flop out of the nest and Maddy was just there waiting. I tired to call her back in, I didn't run out as I didn't want to make her think it was a game, but just as I thought she picked it up, shook it and then swallowed it whole.

I didn't expect her to eat it but I guess she remembered how I took the last one off her.

Oh that must of been a shock,my dog Zanta who I had to return to Breeder and has now been rehomed killed one of her Daughters pigeons,she didn't eat it though,I think birds die quite quickly of shock.They would do this in the wild,I think we just don't like to think our dogs are capable of these things.

Problem is-no matter how we think of our dogs Random-they are still animals driven by instinct so this bird was simply food to her.

Most dogs are opportunists and scavengers so Maddy aint no different!

aww random what a shock for you and poor bird cheyanneanne goes dippy over the birds in the garden he tries every way possible to get them but hes got no chance of catching any but my cat brings me them instead well half a bird and i have to keep putting them in the garden with all the other ones

I know it's just natural instinct, and I feel she's probably even more driven being a gundog, it's in her genes, but not nice, especially as they were only babies.

Only one of my cats goes outside, and she is always bringing in birds and mice, but I feel a little less upset when it's from her for some reason. And she is typically more cruel with them before she kills them too.

I just felt gutted i'd been watching out for them for weeks after the first one she got.

Exactly, this is the girl that curls up with me on the sofa, my little girl, and she's a baby bird killer

aww bless you its not nice to see i dont like to see birds killed

This is so true Steve.

Random: not nice to witness I know; how can are cute furry friends really be killer wolves in disguise! I always see mine as real life teddies (of course I know in my heart they are indeed predators waiting to pounce!)

Aw Kel! This is exactly how I felt when Takara swallowed that rabbit

As much as it's horrible, I'm more used to seeing dead birds and mice because of our killer cats but my little girl ate a baby bunny!

I know what you mean about it seeming more acceptable from the cats. I never like it when my cat does it, but it seems that they're more wild somehow (probably because they're not cuddly like my puppy). And yet, Smudge would play with them for ages before killing the poor things.

It's a sign summer's on the way we've had 3 dead mice in 2 days. The cats are going to have to be grounded at this rate!

Takara never catches anything, the baby rabbit she ate was dying anyway after being caught by something else. Takara does run at birds but only so she can watch them fly because she finds it fascinating
I think it must be the gundog instinct in her and try to look at it this way: she's doing her job well!

I know just how you feel Kel, downright disappointed in your precious girl. My old lass, Cassie, long departed and sadly missed Dobe, was a devil for the baby blackies. The fledglings would just flutter down and there she would be - waiting. Problem is - you never know when they are going to drop down and you can't keep the dogs indoors forever.