Its an inbred instinct that can't be totally surpressed IMO - thats what their teeth are designed for !

Better hope you don't get caught and prosecuted for hunting with dogs

When we first got Maggie and realised she was a hunter it terrified me because her recall disappears and she goes deaf. She hasn't actually caught anything yet. She did find an already dead baby rabbit (or maybe it died of shock) and very proudly brought it out to us and was ever so gentle with it. Was a shock though never having had a dog with such a strong prey drive before.

I generally let her off the lead where I know there are not likely to be lots of rabbits/squirrels etc to chase and try and get her chasing a ball instead or find other dogs to play with. I just worry about her recall in other places and cos we live very near the A1 I just don't want to take the risk. We're lucky that our local playing field is (so far) dog friendly and she gets a good run there but I have to keep my eyes skinned or she'll be off.
The other day we took her to the beach and she took off after 2 low flying ducks and vanished into the horizon. We honestly thought that was it and we'd lost her. Then we see a dot far off slowly getting bigger and bigger as she ran full pelt back.......at least she knew to come back eventually. But my heart was in my mouth for a few minutes there!

Anyway. I think dogs will be dogs and lots love to chase and hunt. I honestly don't know how to train it out of her so I just manage it instead and try not to get worked up about it.

I've waffled on enough...soz.

If you just happen to be out with your dog and it catches a rabbit or whatever, this doesn't mean you are hunting - my dog chases all the time, rabbits, birds, squirrels and last week she very nearly caught a hare - i haven't trained her to be like that she does it through instinct - if she catches it so be it. There is a big difference between actually training a dog to hunt and to use it for that than a dog that just happens to chase and occasionally catch prey imo.

I do know someone that goes rabbiting with their JRT - he hasn't been trained he does it through instinct, he catches quite a few apparently and they are cooked and eaten not wasted. If its on common ground i don't see how you could be prosecuted.

Well the law states that unless you are on private land with the owners permission you can be prosecuted .This is whether or not you intended your dog to catch the rabbits .
My whippets did catch the occasional rabbit 14 years ago when they were young but that was before the law changed . I never encouraged them and I was ashamed of their actions . They would certainly not have been allowed to eat them as I would think this would encourage them to do it even more .

Ashamed of a dogs natural instincts ??? why ? -its normal , not sure about the law, how would they police that then ? unless they patro and actually see it happen. As i said i do not go out intending my dog to catch anything but if she does well not much i can do about it.

Can't see what difference letting the dog eat its prey would make personally - what about raw feeding, you could say that might encourage it as well then as its raw meat

I must admit there is somthing amazing about seeing my otherwise lazy and a bit dim lurcher turn into a hunter. Its like watching a different dog when she is working on the rabbits. And for me its the best most natural way to control rabbits, better then gas, snares or mixi. Just because they are cute and fluffy makes then no less of a pest then a rat. I wonder how many people would be outraged by people hunting rats with dogs??

It may be natural but I do not like my dogs to kill defensless animals .
Raw feeding may well encourage them but it's not something I would ever feed my dogs

I would be outraged at people hunting rats or any other living creature with dogs

I think the Law only applies if you go out with your dogs *intending* to hunt and kill something. If you are out walking your dogs and they catch and kill a rabbit, it is highly unlikely you would be prosecuted. Let's face it, organised fox hunts don't get prosecuted when they blatantly flout the law, so Joe Public walking his dog is hardly likely to attract much attention.