Just a quick question for interest - if she is allowed to chase/kill mink, squirrels, rabbits, how have you trained her to ensure that she does not chase other small prey (cats, other small domestic pets, waterfowl etc)? Is it that you have trained her to chase only to a command? Would be great to know, thanks

I can take any of mine out and can stop them chasing anything, one dog the "leave" command is easy to teach, taking a "pack" out would be different. You cant "legally" use dogs to kill Squirrels, but they can "retrieve" them like mine do.

I know, but at least they belong here, unlike Mink. I personally welcome the return of any natural wildlife ... and condemn any attempt at culling. We have so little true natural wildlife left in GB. Just leave them be I say.

Thanks Border

Good post ! I agree with the "pack" issue ... we are currently fostering one of Hal's sons, and he and Tai have to be watched very closely indeed. They caught a young rabbit the other day between them, and given half a chance, I am sure would love to decimate the local hen population!

Mine will hunt squirrels, rabbits, hares, game birds but do not bother with wildfowl, deer, or livestock etc. For me, it's just a case of making it obvious that certain things are out of bounds by using "no", "leave" or blowing the stop whistle and encouraging them when they do pick up the right scent/sighting. Dogs arent stupid, they have far better senses than our own and use their noses to differentiate between different types of animals.

Some dogs of course will chase regardless because it's the movement which sparks them.

My dogs are rabbit friendly, They chase them but wouldnt hurt them (We have 8 bunnies) Ours tend to chase crows, which I think the farmers would be happy to know since he doesnt ahve a scarecrow in his cornfield Sadie our BC x JRT is so far from her instincts, we havent taught he rnot to but I have a photo of her with my hamster - the JRT in her should've wanted it in shreds.

One of my neighbours has hunting terriers and one of them got loose once and someone over the backs of our estate has chickens, which are a rats haven, the terrier dropped the dead rat in our jennel...thanks lol.

My friend has huskies and they're outdoor dogs and one of her indoor cats escaped, and it's not easy to do, they made sure of it and the dogs - well you can guess the rest. Instinct takes over I guess.

Your dog looks very proud of her self though, she's pretty too