Dog Killing Wildlife

GonzoAston

This afternoon I let my Patterdale out into the Garden. Heard a commotion so went outside. 2 parent birds were swiping at him and squealing. I went over to see what was happening only to find my boy looking over 3 dead chicks, which he had deffinatley just killed as fresh blood on them and him and feathers around his mouth. He never ate them, just killed them.

I feel so bad about it, I know its nature but still feel bad. I brought him in and have since only been taking him out on his lead incase any more chicks around, as the parents are still gathering worms and look like they may have more babies.

I left the chicks were they were as im sure some other wildlife would benefit from them.

Is it normal to feel bad about it? Am I just too soft? Dont know if there is anything I can do to deter him from doing this other than monitor him in the garden until most chicks have fledged the nest?

gettingready

Oh dear

Was the nest up a tree? How did the dog get to them?

My Teddy (cat not dog) brought me a dead baby bird once - called him back home and he appeared with that freshly killed baby bird and very proud of himself, I was heartbroken for the bird to be honest - despite knowing that is what cats do.. sigh....

It only happened once and I hope it will never hapen again

GonzoAston

I dont know if they have fallen out of a tree, or they are ground nesting birds. The parents are dark and brown with an orangey coloured beak if that helps.

Luckily he didnt want to bring them inside. But I did get the look of "See what I just did, arent you proud of me" sigh lol

I dont know if I would be less unhappy if he killed it for food, not just killed it for the sake of killing it.....if that makes any sense.

elsien

He may not have killed them for the sake of it. Just that any chick being trampled by a nosy dog is unlikely to survive the experience even if they don't mean any harm in the first place.

skintandscared_2

Our pup did exactly the same thing yesterday. I saw him playing in the garden and I thought it was a leaf he was tossing about.

Person_one

You can't feel too bad about it. He's a dog, he was just doing what his instincts told him to, there's no malice or cruelty.

If they had fallen from a tree, or the nest was close to the ground and easily accessible by your dog, they most likely had no chance of survival anyway, there are plenty of other predators who would have done the same. Owls, foxes, cats etc.

venetianlagoon

Yes, peeps it is survival of the fittest at work. Basic instinct.

Slinky

Sounds like blackbirds.

zaksmum

I hated my dog killing wildlife. He's done a few rabbits in, and a grey squirrel, and some rats.

All considered pests, I know, but they had as much right to live as my dog does and I was horrified.

He's a sighthound type and a whippet/labrador cross, so I was asking for trouble I suppose. His dad, the whippet, was kept on a farm to cull the rabbits that were eating all the crops and stupidly I never even considered that the cute puppy in my arms might have inherited a prey drive!

The first time he bounded over to me all delighted with himself - with a newly dead rabbit in his mouth - I was appalled.

Now I try to scan the horizon before letting him offlead or walk him in rabbit free areas. Not much else I can do really.

jacko74

It's a shame it happened, but as a dog owner I wouldn't beat yourself up too much over it... cat owners on the other hand who allow there little darlings to kill wildlife on a daily basis and just treat as a joke and refuse to do anything at all to try and prevent it, well they're a different matter.

GonzoAston

Well, I dont want to start that debate about Cats etc.

I havent got cats, never had one since I was about 8ish. I dont see there is alot that an owner can do about cats killing wildlife, infact, I would say that its easier to prevent a Dog doing it than a cat.

Some owners put bells on their cats, but these can easily come off and some cats are that good at hunting that they can stil catch prey with it on.

So, even though im a dog owner, I have to stick up for cats on this issue lol