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Original poster

To think you should not allow your dog to chase squirrels?

208 replies

lillypond75 · 01/04/2021 20:38

Because it causes distress to a wild animal! I said to my friend to put their dog on a lead and she looked at me like I was mad. Apparently it's fine as their dog is unlikely to catch it, but that's hardly the point imo.

OP posts:
Snugglepiggy · 02/04/2021 13:09

It's all getting a bit bonkers out there with the anti dog brigade now.Our have great recall.But are never allowed of lead anywhere near livestock.However in the depths of woods yes they do go off lead.And occasionally get excited and dash after a grey squirrel.Fat chance of ever catching one though .They are generally far to quick and wily.
However I can guarentee there are thousands more dead squirells as a result of cars.Every single day I drive past roadkill on my way to favourite dog walks.Squashed squirrels,flattened badgers,eviscerated hedgehogs.Carnage caused by humans and their cars.That sickens me far more tbh.

LibertyMole · 02/04/2021 13:12

Most people don’t live in the countryside and exercise their dogs in parks or similar. All this ground nesting birds stuff is not relevant to most dog owners because they don’t go to those places.

Part of what dogs do is catch vermin. If I owned a terrier, part of the point would be to catch vermin. All the people objecting to it, would you just let mice or rats live in your house?

Alsohuman · 02/04/2021 13:13

@MissyB1

Dogs will be dogs. My dog like most has zero chance of catching one. I’m not keeping her on the lead all the time just in case she sees a squirrel.
Same. She hasn’t got a hope in hell of catching one and the squirrel isn’t too traumatised to sit up a tree thumbing its nose at her.
sunflowersandbuttercups · 02/04/2021 13:15

However I can guarentee there are thousands more dead squirells as a result of cars.Every single day I drive past roadkill on my way to favourite dog walks.Squashed squirrels,flattened badgers,eviscerated hedgehogs.Carnage caused by humans and their cars

Well, exactly. This morning my beagle didn't kill anything, but I live rurally and can't go a day without seeing a squashed squirrel, fox, rabbit, badger, pheasant, bird or deer on the roads.

Humans do FAR more damage than any dog will ever do.

Susie477 · 02/04/2021 13:20

Grey squirrels are absolutely fair game. They are an invasive species which have displaced native red squirrels. Our ex-lurcher used to love chasing the little buggers. He didn’t catch many, as he never quite mastered climbing trees, bless him. Grin

XenoBitch · 02/04/2021 13:24

My greyhound has caught two squirrels in her almost 11 years, but I don't encourage it. I can only think that they were old/poorly for a dog to catch them.

MaryLennoxsScowl · 02/04/2021 13:44

I used to have a dog that killed crows and rats but not sheep, chickens or cats, so the idea that a dog that chases squirrels is a danger to all livestock is just wrong. If that dog can tell the difference between a crow and a chicken then any dog can tell the difference between a squirrel and a sheep. And, despite what some particularly hysterical posters on the thread about the seal were arguing, none of them confuse squirrels/seals with children either.

Babyroobs · 02/04/2021 13:49

The thing is they appear from no-where and the dog starts chasing them. You can't keep a dog on the lead all the time just in case a squirrel appears surely ?

sunflowersandbuttercups · 02/04/2021 14:11

@Babyroobs

The thing is they appear from no-where and the dog starts chasing them. You can't keep a dog on the lead all the time just in case a squirrel appears surely ?
Some posters on here think dogs should be kept on short leads and be muzzled at all times in public...
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 02/04/2021 14:12

My DM has maintained for years the squirrels are up to something....the older I get the more I think she may be onto somethinggrin sinister furry beggers.

They ARE.

otterbaby · 02/04/2021 14:14

I was at a park while heavily pregnant last year and a bunch of 12 year olds were setting their dog on the squirrels. It finally caught one and literally tore it to shreds, shaking it around. Park was busy with small children and everyone was hugely distressed but nobody said anything. Blame it on the hormones but I went off on one, ended up calling them weird little freaks and that they're going to grow up to be serial killers 😬 they picked it up when it was dead and bloody and were carrying it by its tail through the park and shaking it at people. Awful.

Stellaris22 · 02/04/2021 14:19

That's a very extreme behaviour from those children and absolutely not the same as the odd chase. I agree that would be very distressing to witness, but it's the same as people who think that dogs who chase squirrels are in the same category as those that attack livestock.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 02/04/2021 14:40

@otterbaby

I was at a park while heavily pregnant last year and a bunch of 12 year olds were setting their dog on the squirrels. It finally caught one and literally tore it to shreds, shaking it around. Park was busy with small children and everyone was hugely distressed but nobody said anything. Blame it on the hormones but I went off on one, ended up calling them weird little freaks and that they're going to grow up to be serial killers 😬 they picked it up when it was dead and bloody and were carrying it by its tail through the park and shaking it at people. Awful.
You're right, that is awful - but it's not remotely comparable to dogs playing in the woods/fields and chasing a squirrel they spot out of the corner of their eye.
friendlyflicka · 02/04/2021 14:43

I care about wild birds, because species are becoming endangered. So I have house cats. I don't care about squirrels and my dog chases them. And not letting children chase pigeons that can fly away perfectly well and am a complete pest. I am not going to stop them having some very harmless fun.

otterbaby · 02/04/2021 14:47

@sunflowersandbuttercups no, definitely much different! I didn't mean to compare the two, obviously what I witnessed was purposeful and they were very much trying to torment the little critters.

Alsohuman · 02/04/2021 14:48

There was an entire thread a while ago about children chasing pigeons. The increasing histrionics about the poor traumatised winged vermin was very amusing.

Anordinarymum · 02/04/2021 14:56

I hate cruelty in any form. There is no need for it. Dogs are not hungry when they chase squirrels and humans who seem to think it is fun/sport/whatever are weird IMHO.

If you can hurt/condone hurt to an animal you can do the same to a child. Get a grip

WhoWants2Know · 02/04/2021 15:09

I think that people should keep their dogs under control at all times, or not have dogs.

friendlyflicka · 02/04/2021 15:34

@Anordinarymum

I hate cruelty in any form. There is no need for it. Dogs are not hungry when they chase squirrels and humans who seem to think it is fun/sport/whatever are weird IMHO.

If you can hurt/condone hurt to an animal you can do the same to a child. Get a grip

how does this equate? It doesn't in my mind at all.
christinarossetti19 · 02/04/2021 15:41

I can appreciate that dogs will instinctively chase squirrels (and as pp say, they are generally more than capable of looking after themselves), but I hate seeing owners watch their dog bark itself senseless at a squirrel in a tree.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 02/04/2021 15:51

@christinarossetti19

I can appreciate that dogs will instinctively chase squirrels (and as pp say, they are generally more than capable of looking after themselves), but I hate seeing owners watch their dog bark itself senseless at a squirrel in a tree.
I agree they should go and grab their dogs and pop them on leads if they're just stood in one spot.

But a big part of the problem is, once your dog is in that "zone" they're so transfixed/focused that they often don't hear you (or anything else, for that matter). Mine did it this morning - he was on a lead but no amount of whistling, shouting and tempting him would break his stare - he didn't even turn to look at me.

If I'd had him off-lead, he'd have shot off like a rocket.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 02/04/2021 15:52

@Anordinarymum

I hate cruelty in any form. There is no need for it. Dogs are not hungry when they chase squirrels and humans who seem to think it is fun/sport/whatever are weird IMHO.

If you can hurt/condone hurt to an animal you can do the same to a child. Get a grip

Are you really comparing vermin (which is what grey squirrels are) to children?
Stellaris22 · 02/04/2021 16:12

Mine is a basset who were bred to find prey and then use their voice to alert humans to its presence.

Once mine has sensed a squirrel and located it, it's near impossible to get her attention away from it. When on a lead I literally have to drag her.

To her, her barking is something she's been bred to do and it's entirely natural behaviour for her breed.

novaissuper · 02/04/2021 16:38

@sunflowersandbuttercups
Or perhaps she's simply highlighting that both are equal in their ability to suffer...

OhShitShit · 02/04/2021 16:44

I once saw a man walking down the street I. seven sisters carrying a live squirrel upside down by its tail/feet.

It wasn’t even the weirdest thing that happened to me that day, but I digress).

(Have a lurcher that chases squirrels. He’s bloody fast but he’s never caught one. Afraid I can’t get worked up about it).

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