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Location: UK
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 7,369
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Originally Posted by
Lucky Star
It just got worse - today he has been charging around the garden, chasing bees and barking at them.
haha...I know when it is spring time here as last year and this year Takoda lets me know when he see's the first bee's of the year
My boy wont bark at people hanging around outside but gives the bee's a proper telling off
Both he and Keena smack them with their paws before squishing it then biting it and I really don't know how they haven't been stung - maybe they have but didn't thankfully react.
Anyway! No they don't grow out of it - the prey instinct! Mine both have very high prey instinct if they arn't play hunting something they are mock hunting each other.
But your ability to control the situations gets better.
Never would I let them chase domestic animals but I have to admit I do let them chase rabbits and like you if they catch one it'll be dinner later (so long as it's not mixy and off putting it doesn't go to waste) It's not ideal, I love the rabbits but then they are considered a pest and contracting mixy as a method of control is a much worse way to go. They chase the deer too (never near roads, wide open spaces only) - it's probably wrong but they look amazing flat out running so fast so I stand and watch several seconds before reeling them back in - they are more willing to stop a chase on deer as they arn't chasing them to catch them - but for the chase only I know this after observing many times - i'm sure if they had gone hungry long enough they would soon become more serious...The dogs are used to me hiding when they start the chase, that way they know if they chase for any length of time they have lost me and this works with them and keeps the chase to a minimum. But with the rabbits they can't resist to mouth them as they are so erratic and the dogs become fixated and even if killing them is not something they think about it happens by accident in their big mouths! Both dogs have caught rabbits and both will let go when told, most rabbits were mixy and lived and I wished I hadn't got the dogs to give them up (poor things) and the last rabbit Keena got that she dropped as soon as told unfortunatly had been clamped to hard and had died, it was healthy and was dinner some weeks later.
Saying that it makes them sound totally out of control but at the same time both dogs travelled in the truck with the poor injured deer we tried to save and left her alone because I said so. When we first discovered her Takoda as some will remember did try to make a meal out of her it seemed
but as soon as I said leave he backed right off on the first command. I know I have control of them and if in doubt I don't give them the chance in the first place.