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My dog hunts and kills.

18K views 67 replies 30 participants last post by  debbiebrown 
#1 ·
I have a 1 year old GSD mix. She has very high prey drive. She is fast and intense when it comes to little animals. Today when I was at work she killed a baby bunny that was under our deck. My husband is so up set with it and he feels that she is out to kill. He wants to get rid of her for it.

My husband took cookie out for a run. He let her off leash and she was not listening to him well. Well he does not do anything with her he NEVER does training with her. So why would she listen. She is good with me great off leash. I wish my husband would take the time to work with cookie I have asked him to do traning with me said that's your thing. Grrrrr.

What do you do with a dog that as my husband out it "has a taste for blood" I have been working a lot these past days and have not been working with her as much as I should. I feel that is part of the reson we are having issues. I will go back to running her everyday again.

What do you do when your dog is a killer. We have a 3 year old daughter and do not want her seeing cookie kill something. What can we do.
 
#2 ·
Doesn't sound like hubby understands the breed. My boys, especially Bailey, would totally go after a bunny. Or a squirrel. Or whatever animal that ventured into the yard. He just would. If it ran, he'd chase it. That's what he loves to do.

I wouldn't let hubby take dog offleash.

Explain to him as best you can that it isn't about a taste for blood so much as the desire to chase it down.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Prey drive is completely normal. It's too bad she killed a baby bunny, but that doesn't mean "she's out for blood". She's just doing what comes natural to her. I'm sure she's not going around chasing little kids and trying to kill them, right? It's a prey thing.

Does your husband know much about dogs? If he wants the dog to listen to him, he's going to have to form a bond with her. I wouldn't expect my dog to listen to every command she knows from just anyone, especially without any incentive, even if she's familiar with them. Training isn't just about training a dog that saying X means to do Y. It's about working as a team. If he really wants her to listen, he's going to have to put in some work too.

And a little off topic, but if your dog has prey drive, try building a flirt pole for her. It could help her let out some of that prey drive steam on something she can't actually kill. It might help tone things down a bit with her.
 
#4 ·
Besides German Shepherds, I also have done Weimaraners. Take my word for it----even the highest drive GSDs don't even come near a high drive, bred to field Weim.

Even the HIGHEST drive dogs can learn what and when to hunt. Training trumps. I don't know how many times I've had people tell me that you can't train out inherently genetic drives----when my dogs are right there doing it in front of them, even people who should know better. With the right training, you can call off a hunt in mid stride.

I could do it with any of my dogs----Weims included. But you MUST do the training. And you MUST use it, everyday. This will give you positive control, off leash, no matter what the situation.

------"
And a little off topic, but if your dog has prey drive, try building a flirt pole for her. It could help her let out some of that prey drive steam on something she can't actually kill. It might help tone things down a bit with her. "--------

Not a bad suggestion----however, she already knows HOW to hunt----you need to work with her on positive control over what and when she hunts.

Dogs are predators----you need to let them hunt---but you also need to have control over what and when they hunt. This is true of all breeds, hunting or not, from Chihuahua to Great Dane.

PM me if you want an outline of an obedience course that you can use to give you positive control in all situations. Both you and your husband need to do the course with your girl if you want results. There are no shortcuts.

I have a Weimaraner puppy coming in Sept.----but like all my dogs, the first thing he'll learn is that I call the shots about when and what he hunts. All working field dogs have to learn that----they are no use at all as a hunter if they ruin the hunts by bolting, not staying steady to shot, or failure to retrieve.
 
#5 ·
My husband does not understand dogs that well. He got his first dog a Pom mix when he was in his late 20s before I met him. His dog is far far from perfect. I have been working on fixing the problems he let build into issues. Like barking at every stranger he saw. Not letting people in the house. Running up to strangers barking and even nipping. He is much better now. But he still runs up to strange dogs barking like a little jerk that's why I always keep him on leash.

I try and tell my husband I need his help with training the dog. If we want her to be the perfect dog. He kind of gets it. I am going to start really tightening up on cookies training bring the bar up. I am going to really work on focus an no messing around. Good enough is not good enough. I am going to look for a trainer to work with too. My husband needs to be more involved in cookies training. I have seen improvement were he sees her getting worst. Well he has been doing less with her so it makes sense. We have only had cookie 9 months. She is still young a little over a year now. She is still learning what we want from her. I know it takes time.

We do lots of frisbee and that helps burn off a bit of the need to chase. She has become really good at frisbee. She jumps and catches it watches for it really focuses. She is fast becoming a great frisbee dog. I love it.

I am just stressed out because my husband is so upset over this animal killing thing. I tried to tell him that most dogs would have done what cookie did. He does no believe me.
 
#14 ·
I tried to tell him that most dogs would have done what cookie did. He does no believe me.
This very true. Most dogs, if given the chance, would have done exactly what your dog did. My golden killed a nest of baby bunnies once, and he and the mamma bunny had this weird thing going on for years where she would come into the yard, he would chase her until he tired out and then it would start over again the next day. Dogs chase things, and if they catch them sometimes they kill them. He wouldn't expect a cat not to try and catch mice, it's the same for dogs only they can get bigger prey sometimes.
 
#7 ·
She is not a "killer" at all. she would have treated the bunny just like any other fast moving toy. Run, grab, shake - unfortunately bunnies don't survive that kind of treatment.
She wasn't sitting there "plotting" to kill the bunny in a nasty vishous blood rage - dogs don't think that way.
 
#9 ·
I will say the first time you see your fur baby shake & kill a small animal it's kind of shocking. My boy also got ahold of a baby bunny.

But prey drive is higher in some...I can tell you my boy enjoyed the deed HOWEVER the neighborhood children & the raw food my neighbor throws on his grill are safe! lol

I certainly hope your husband sees the logic to this...they are animals. But also training a good leave it, out, stay, down is also important.
 
#15 ·
I will say the first time you see your fur baby shake & kill a small animal it's kind of shocking. My boy also got ahold of a baby bunny. ..................................

Ain't that the big truth!

Should have seen the first time our 2yo female GSD got into a tussle with an adult Racoon in the back yard in front of our 10yo son! There was a lot of noise and fur flying when they tangled.

My son later told me with a lot of awe in his voice - "Dad, Abby was like a wild animal!".

Fortunately no real harm was done to either animal - a little bit of blood (racoon) on our dog was all.

But I will say that he seemed to play with her more cautiosly for a few weeks afterward till he realized that she was still his loving, playful, friendly playmate!
 
#10 ·
I had this concern with mine in the beginning because of all the things I read. When mine was about 4 months I had to babysit my sisters rabbit and did so for about 3 months. I took that opportunity to train the puppy not to chase/hurt the rabbit. She was able to associate the inside rabbit with the outside rabbits rather quickly and now when we go outside, they can run right past her and she doesn't even look twice. I did this with a huge turtle I found crossing the road too, not that we should be seeing an abundance of turtles in the area any time soon:) I would think that maybe the best kind of training would be somewhere she can see these things, but can't get to them and is taught that its not allowed--a pet store maybe?
 
#11 ·
Try living with 3 terriers, they have off the chart prey drive and literally will kill anything they can catch, they even try to climb the tree trunks when the crows land in the trees, they're dogs and bred to hunt and kill, my terriers had a rat trapped behind a stall door and it bolted and almost got away except for the fact that it ran right into the path of my........CHIHUAHUA who promptly grabbed it shook it and killed it, I don't see how anyone would expect a dog to not kill a bunny in the yard, at my house they are simply snacks, I always laugh when people come to my house and say how my Shepherds are killers when in actuality the cute little shaggy faced ones are the actual death squad elite, they kill FAR more critters than them! I can't imagine any dog not killing bunnies in the yard, they would have to be the exception not the rule, God knows I've never owned one!
 
#12 ·
She is not a killer, she is doing what she is biologically driven to do. There is no reason to get rid of her, especially over that.
 
#13 ·
I personally do not understand the horror. We live on 5 acres and are overrun with bunnies and other small critters this year. They eat any garden stuffs we try to grow, the are munching on everything. Ugh! My 10 year old shepherd is too old to catch them anymore but he still half heartedly tries. My new puppy hasn't figured out how to catch them yet, but hopefully it won't be long. There was a news article in the local paper just yesterday saying how the abundance of small fuzzy critters is leading to a rise in rattlesnakes this year. I want the small furry critters gone. If anyone has dogs they want to train to kill these annoying pests they are more than welcome to come let them run in my yard. :D High prey drive is a plus in my book.
 
#16 ·
I personally do not understand the horror. We live on 5 acres and are overrun with bunnies and other small critters this year. They eat any garden stuffs we try to grow, the are munching on everything.
Because its a part of nature and nature is beautiful. Those small creatures lived here way before people did and we are in their space. They are only surviving on their instinct. I don't think that they are eating the stuff in your garden to get you mad...its what they do:) As part of nature there is also a food chain and everything takes care of itself. IMO instead of killing them people need to learn to live with them or move to the city. I would be horrified if any of my dogs tried to kill a bunny or squirrel. Last year my oldest dog led me to a hole with a bunch of baby bunnies that were drowning(it was raining very hard), she continued to paw one that wasn't breathing and it must have been in the right spot because it started to breathe. I am VERY proud that she chose to save them and not kill them.
 
#17 ·
Rayden will kill and eat a wild bunny in a heartbeat. He's getting too old to catch them, but does love him a good fresh bunny snack.
He's not out for blood, though. And he is very trustworthy around small animals he is introduced too.


Show this to your husband to prove that killing a wild bunny does NOT equal a bloodthirsty monster :)
 
#20 ·
gosh, where do people get these ideas...prey drive is instinct for pete's sake. cash went after a bunny the other day, caught it and brought it to mom with a look of expectation of praise on his face. laid it at my feet and looked up as if to say "mom, LOOK what i brought you". not a drop of blood or injury on it. apparently tho he just scared it to death, literally.

PLEASE don't allow your husband to guilt you into getting rid of your dog. your husband has a wrong idea in his head. for whatever reason he is really misinterpreting this issue.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Thanks guys. I am going to have him read some of this.

We had a gopher in the yard when cookie was 6 months I found her with it dead. I was shocked but not upset. I remember saying "oh my god" many times. I told cookie "leave it" then picked it up and threw it away. When I told my husband then that she got the annoying gopher he was happy. I think he might be more mad at cookie right now because she is not listening to him as well any more. He needs to start working with her.

Don't worry no way in **** I would rehome her because she killed a bunny.
 
#22 ·
I taught the old GSD I have to leave wildlife alone (and the one I had before him). Worst he does it chase deer out of the yard, then comes right back (doesn't pursue them into the woods). But I did have to teach him that critters were off-limits. Now my young one - she goes ballistic over every little critter. She bites bees, slobbers all over the windows when squirrels, rabbits, birds, you name it are in the yard. Almost drug me over the creek the other day over a squirrel. I live in the country so wildlife is virtually EVERYWHERE. "Leave it" and "stay" are becoming top priorities, but everything with the young dog is a lot of work. If your dog is otherwise stable, you should be able to train it to leave wildlife alone or ignore them.
 
#23 ·
On leash walks she will look at rabbits but no longer lunges or acts crazy. I say leave it and she knows to walk on by. It's off leash that we really need to work on not running after everything. I am going to work on a STOP command that I can use if I see her about to run I can yell STOP and she will stop. That would help.
 
#28 ·
As for wildlife living with it blah blah blah. Our neighborhood has become over run with rabbits. All the neighbors have said that the rabbit population is really high this year. I guess the coyotes are not doing there job so my dog is helping keep the population in check.

Anyways I thinking raising the bar on cookies training and getting my husband involved will help our problem. My daughter loves doing dog training with me. She is 3 and the dogs will listen to her. Not perfectly but pretty good for her only being 3.
 
#31 ·
I have the most loveable fluffball of a dog ever and he's *accidentally* killed multiple baby rabbits. Why the mother made a nest INside the fenced dog area of my yard I don't know but talk about a Darwin award!

Baby rabbits are like the perfect prey animal. They are slow, their moms apparently put them in harm's way, there are always hundreds of them around because they breed like, well, rabbits. I fail to see how your husband can blame this on the poor dog and be serious...
 
#32 ·
Thank you, That's what I am saying. The stupid rabbit should know not to have a family in a yard with 3 dogs that are around all the time.

I think my husband was really more upset over the fact the dog does not listen to him as well any more. She is focused on finding little animals when out in a meadow. So we need to do more training.

This morning cookie found another bunny but did not kill it. I even saw it move in the bush she could have got it. Then I saw the adult in the front yard.
 
#33 ·
I'm having the same problem right now. There are chipmunks that moved in underneath our shed and one of my dogs is obsessed with them. He can't get at them but will just stand there with his nose pointed at the shed and sometimes whine. I'd like to smoke or flood them out and close off their hole so they move somewhere else.
 
#38 ·
My 24 toed cat kills weasels and bring them to us whole. Lays them on the porch for us to see. He kills and eats anything he can catch, except the weasels. He just brings them home.
Bernese Mountain dogs are the most loveable sweet dogs, however, they will be glad to kill and pluck and eat a chicken in a few minutes. My best friends Berners will chase and kill her goats if they get a chance to get them. Yet, they will smooch the cats to death, and other dogs.
Its the "its running, I'm gonna chase it, grab it and play with it.".. Usually a quick snap and whatever is in their mouths is dead.
Your girl is doing nothing wrong, just being a typical dog.
Speaking of Wolves, there are family dogs being killed in their yards in Jackson Hole close to where I live. The wolves were down in the town during winter/spring and since they have killed most the elk/antelop/buffalo in Yellowstone, they are now killing dogs... Fish and Game are "watching" them closely.
Sure wish they would make is possible to shoot these nasty critters, they will be pulling down cattle and horses before long, we already have them in the valley and mountains by our house.
 
#40 ·
I wouldn't worry too much long as you set clear boundaries on what is not ok to chase. Freyja loves catching and eating small rodents. At 6 months she caught and killed a squirrel. Despite all this, she would carry my cat Panzer to me and ignores Bevin. She even layes down when the chickens wander around her. She has a high prey drive but respects the limits I set. Long as you set the limits and they are respected, I wouldn't worry too much.

I also had a collie which killed cats, snakes and rodents with lightening speed. Yet once we accepted an animal he knew he couldn't touch it. We even would let our rabbits and "Buddy" the squirrel, ride him with no problems.
 
#41 ·
I think people can sometimes forget that our dogs still have certain instincts. They can certainly be controlled,but never eliminated. Our Cattle Dog Saba has caught a few squirrels and doesn't hesitate to chase a rabbit if she's allowed.Looking at her though most people wouldn't think it. The perception most of the time is that a dog who is cute,can't possibly kill another animal.
 
#44 ·
Update:
Well today I call the bunny Massacre. The death toll is at 5 now. There was a whole family of bunnies under my deck. Stupid Rabits making a home in a yard where there are 3 dogs.

I get a call from my husband telling me 4 more bunnies were found dead. This is how it went down. My inlaws were baby sitting my daughter. My father inlaw goes out and finds Cookie with a baby bunny in her mouth. he said "drop it" she did. He took care of that. He goes back out and finds our old dog meatball with a bunny. Meat does not want to drop it. So my father inlaw had to open meatballs mouth and get it out. Then later my 3 year old daughter is holding a dead bunny. My father inlaw freaked out told her to drop it. My poor daughter started crying mostly because she got yelled at. And the 4th bunny was found just dead no dogs near it. I was at work this whole time.

My 3 year old has sadly already had to deal with the death of 2 pets. She has seen nature shows with me. She saw my pet bird dead. So at the young age of 3 she already kind of understands it. So I hope now we can all get back to our lives and try and forget about the bunny Massacre .

My husband now sees that this is what dogs do and has forgiven cookie. He talked to some friends that are dogs owners. Our friends told him about how Thier dogs kill birds in mid flight. Hd also agreed to joining me in training cookie more. Yes sadly 5 bunnies are dead but we as a family have worked threw it.

I hope this does not happen next spring.

Thank you for all the support.
 
#50 ·
Update:
Well today I call the bunny Massacre. The death toll is at 5 now. There was a whole family of bunnies under my deck. Stupid Rabits making a home in a yard where there are 3 dogs.

I get a call from my husband telling me 4 more bunnies were found dead. This is how it went down. My inlaws were baby sitting my daughter. My father inlaw goes out and finds Cookie with a baby bunny in her mouth. he said "drop it" she did. He took care of that. He goes back out and finds our old dog meatball with a bunny. Meat does not want to drop it. So my father inlaw had to open meatballs mouth and get it out. Then later my 3 year old daughter is holding a dead bunny. My father inlaw freaked out told her to drop it. My poor daughter started crying mostly because she got yelled at. And the 4th bunny was found just dead no dogs near it. I was at work this whole time.

My 3 year old has sadly already had to deal with the death of 2 pets. She has seen nature shows with me. She saw my pet bird dead. So at the young age of 3 she already kind of understands it. So I hope now we can all get back to our lives and try and forget about the bunny Massacre .

My husband now sees that this is what dogs do and has forgiven cookie. He talked to some friends that are dogs owners. Our friends told him about how Thier dogs kill birds in mid flight. Hd also agreed to joining me in training cookie more. Yes sadly 5 bunnies are dead but we as a family have worked threw it.

I hope this does not happen next spring.

Thank you for all the support.
It will happen next spring. And your daughter will be okay. Mine grew up in the country and saw the reality of nature and she's just fine. In fact, she's more realistic about it than the average kid that thinks ground beef was born in cellophane. ;)
 
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