S**T. Bloody dog jumped into a garden and caught a duck

[whatwasthatagain]

Have a bit of an unruly spaniel and I only let him off the lead when I know that there are no ducks/hens/sheep around. Walking down a disused railway track which I use frequently and he bounded up the banking and stood looking over a garden fence - I knew straight away that something was wrong and started to shout him - but once he has duck in his sights there is no talking to him. He jumped the fence (which was about 2'6") and I heard the distinctive yipping he makes and the quacking of the ducks. I shouted and shouted but to no avail, then heard a man shouting so I climbed the banking (with some difficulty) and saw the man who said that the dog had got one of his ducks. The dog then returned to me (without the duck), I started to apologise to the man, asked if the duck was OK and if there was anything I could do, when a woman appeared through the next door fence and screamed "You could sue her!" pointing at me and then they both disappeared through the fencing and left me still apologising and asking what I could do.

I do not know which house it was as it is a long path. I don't know if the duck survived the attack or not.

Of course I am responsible because my dog should come when he is called, but should people with ducks/hens provide better protection for them when backing onto a public right of way.

And anyone got any advice on how to get my springer to listen to me even when there are ducks/hens around. (Incidentally he has caught them before in the wild.)

He is well behaved the rest of the time - honest.

A fish and a snake - wow - we have only managed ducks and geese. We have hens at the stables and he has to be tied up (there are also sheep). He never takes his eyes off them and lunges at them if they come too close. He is my first dog. I often think if I ever get another it would not be a springer - but then again ..........

Hmmm... he needs to meet geese.

Whilst on-lead.

Seriously, repeated on-lead introductions and being told no when he makes a move towards a creature, just as I do with foster and rescue dogs, might do the trick.

Oooh geese - there are 2 geese in a garden we regularily walk past. He gives them a veeeery wide berth as they are wings raised and sssssssssssss. However, despite this, for some totally unknown reason, one day, he took it upon himself to leap the wire fence into the garden - no doubt he just thought it would be funny. I was not amused and I have never, ever seen him re-jump a fence so fast - he was like a gazelle!

As yet he hasn't gone for a duck - it's only a matter of time!

He is not one yet! and he is my first dog too. Do you know, wouldn't swap him for the world .

He's had quite a serious accident which has resulted in him losing 3 toes and his centre pad so he will have lost quite alot of his spring. Having been confined for best part of 6 weeks to date when he is allowed out again he may not be as pully and definately won't be as jumpy. We may not need the on-lead introductions but it is definately going to be tried if needs be so thanks for that Vallhala.

We springer owners could write a book couldn't we?