Distressing Topic RE: My Stafford Marley

My Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Marley, killed a tiny rabbit this evening while I was walking her.

Thankfully, the rabbit fitted and died instantly after the incident, I would have not had it suffering.

I am an animal lover and very upset about seeing a defenceless rabbit die - he/she was probably relaxing eating dinner and died of no fault of it's own

Marley instantly got told off, is this a suitable punishment? She lives in a road with plenty of cats and if she ever got hold if one of those I know something similar would occur.

Best,
Hayley

Again not the best one to help, Moo has a double figure squirrel count - tries with rabbits/deers but not quick enough. I love watching her hunt in our woods. In any area where a domestic animal ie cat would be she is on lead as her prey drive is high. You can train them out of it but I enjoy watching mine work, dog being a dog Xx oh my mother hates it and screams when she gets a squirrel, makes it worse as she never fully kills it then.

Sorry waffling - its in there instincts - by all means use a long line if you don't want it and keep at the no.

Well, it's true that it's in their nature, but there's precious little of the dog's true inner nature that they can safely express in our society where so much is mapped out and off limits and 'owned' by others. It's kind of tough on them but, on the other hand, they are geniuses at being adaptable - which is how come they can live quite happily with a range of people in a wide range of disparate circumstances and can still have a good time in their own unique doggy way.

My dog would like to rip the throat out of every rabbit/squirrel/cat that he sees. But I would not like it to happen and, since I am boss, I take steps to ensure it does not occur (which includes distracting him with alternative things that he really likes or just by taking alternative routes that avoid temptation). Despite best efforts, I realise he may sneak a kill one day. If/when it happens, I would feel same as you - upset and sorry for the rabbit (though, personally, I think it's pointless telling him off as he would never understand. Or if he did, there would be no chance of him modifying behaviour in the future). Cats are in a different league though - as well as the upset, they will be someone else's beloved pet. So in that situation, for my dog anyway, the inner drive to chase and kill cats has absolutely to be managed.

Flo will chase squirrels till the cows come home. She hasn't caught one yet but has come very close to and even then she just sneaked up on it until it saw her and ran up a tree. She always gives chase to them but for some reason hasn't figured out that they go UP the tree and not 50 yards beyond it !

As previous posts have said, I would never allow Flo to get into the position to be able to get to a cat. As for the rabbit situation, it is upsetting, however, this is what happens in the animal world and try as you will, I don't think you could eliminate this behaviour. All you can do is manage the situation around live stock and domestic animals.

nailsbyhayylz
you clearly find it distressing so it wasn't intentional, our dogs needs to learn control so maybe work on their leave it command.
I find this appalling to be honest, as if we don't desecrate our wild life and nature enough some even let their dogs/cats roam to kill anything in sight, its disgusting and really upsetting ( it is not part of their nature, especially if they don't even kill it, wild dogs/stray dogs wouldn't waste energy on play when it could eat a kill).
This is the reason so many ground dwelling birds and animals are going through difficultly and have to be fenced off from dog owners who don't care.
Every dog i have ever owned has the strong leave it command the least i can do i try not let them kill anything they want.
my three have never, ever tried to even chase something twice after being told to leave the first time, their very socialized dogs and i wouldn't have it any other way.

Hiya! Oh no, can imagine that it was upsetting for you! My girl has a very high prey drive and is constantly tracking on walks, I don't allow her to chase other animals personally, but it IS very much a part of their natural instinct. How anybody could claim that it isn't it beyond me!!

Have a read of these;
https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/chase-this-not-that

http://www.dogpartnership.co.uk/livestock.htm

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/dogs/The-Predator-Inside-Controlling-Your-Dogs-Natural-Prey-Drive.html

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/dogs/The-Predator-Inside-Controlling-Your-Dogs-Natural-Prey-Drive.html

Personally, I use a long line to exercise Biscuit on. It's 50ft and attaches to her harness, if she is tracking in the woods (which I do allow her to do) and looks like she's going to bolt, I command a strong "stay" and then redirect her onto a game of chase with a squeaky toy instead. There are occasions when her drive takes over and I can stop her by holding onto the long line and calling her back to me. Chase/retrieve games are a good way to use the prey drive in a dog.

I also teach very strong impulse control using a flirt pole/rope toy, I get her very excited and then give her a command when she's in her most excited state.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2W1_NFduPo

Also, long distance sit/stays.. commands from afar etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbfW3ejKVpM

Chase is a very self rewarding behaviour, it makes them feel good! To reign this in, you need to make them feel better when they're with you!

It is quite natural behaviour for a dog to hunt a rabbit, unfortunatley it's not always what we would like to see but that's nature you either have to accept it all or not.

Do you know what happened to the rabbit when you left it ?, my hubby would have bought it home for Rockys dinner.

Rocky has a high prey drive but is always on a lead of some kind and has so far not been able to get hold of anything.

Thanks for the replies, very much agree with you, like you said, it's totally natural for them to prey on other wildlife, I did not tell her off any more, just tried to forget it.

She is trained not to go near cats down our road and although she cries and huffs when she sees a cat, she never approaches them now. I'll keep a close eye on walks in the woods now, usually squirrels/rabbits are far too quick for her! This one must not have heard her sneak up

How could I be annoyed for long with this beautiful doggy?