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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

He has tasted blood.... Help :(

146 replies

WhyHavePets · 28/10/2010 20:37

Ok, this is very identifiable so I have namechanged, if any of you recognise me please don't out me. Bella, yes it is me.

My wonderful, bonkers, over-active dog was staying at a friends house today whilst I work, this happens quite regularly (well, it did), she is very experienced with dogs. They also have guinea-pigs....can you guess what comes next? I can't even bring myself to write it

Obviously I feel terrible. Friend is being fabulous, sad and upset but also realistic and reasonable. Sorry doesn't cover it, there is nothing I can say to make this ok.

The question I am hoping you can help with though is about my dog, he has always had a very high prey drive. He loves to chase small dogs, cats or anything else that moves, never aggressive but definitly focused...as he has now moved on from chasing and into catching do I assume that he will catch anything - including small dogs? Is my only option now to keep him on a lead or muzzled? Is this a behaviour that a behaviourist can help with or is it just too instinctive?

He is in no way aggressive and is simply hunting, I have no concerns about his character....just his ability to control himself around small fluffies. Oh, and to add to my concern we have a cat.

I would be grateful for any suggestions (ideally sensible ones, he is not going to eat my children and I am not going to have him PTS or rehomed - just to get that bit out of the way!)

OP posts:

Original poster

WhyHavePets · 28/10/2010 23:22

No WOWY, I am perfectly capable of being sad, scared, angry and a host of other things whilst also seeing the funny side of something someone says. It is amasing but us humans can feel more than one emotion at once.

Honestly, you seem a little overly involved in this, you don't know me but others here do, there is no way in hell I would allow a dog near my children if I felt it was a risk. I have, in the past, held a mush loved dog as it was PTS simply because it could not be truted around people. I, genuinly, will not put a dog over and above my children. It is up to you if you believe it or not but it really makes no difference. I know, for a fact, that I would not so I do not need to waste my energy convincing you of it.

I need constructive help not scaremongering, I have had enough of that for one day.

OP posts:

Bellaween · 28/10/2010 23:24

I'm sure you don't, but if you have a fur coat OP - don't wear it near the dog [hwink]

Original poster

WhyHavePets · 28/10/2010 23:25

Bella, you's baaaad!

OP posts:

Bellaween · 28/10/2010 23:26

Or at least stay very still...

withorwithoutyou · 28/10/2010 23:26

So the thread is just for you, and the people who know you and are going to treat you with kid gloves?

Then why have you posted it on an open forum under a namechange then?

But I seem a little over involved? I apologise for assuming you wanted the opinion of anyone other than your mates.

Do whatever the hell you like.

Bellaween · 28/10/2010 23:27

I fess up to being a mate of the OP, but afaik nobody else on here is...

Bellaween · 28/10/2010 23:29

...and I would have given exactly the same answer to anyone else.

Minus the fur coat joke. The Chinese Crested Dog would have stayed though. Ask Norbert. I like bald animals.

Actually - bald animals could be the way to go OP....

Right - really, really got to go to bed now [hwink]

Original poster

WhyHavePets · 28/10/2010 23:31

The people I know would not treat me with kid gloves! Far from it actually, my comment was not that it was a closed thread it was that some people here do already know that I would not put my dog over my dc and acknowledging that you don't.

I do want the opinion of others but constructive opinions are helpful, scaremongering is not. You seem determined to believe that I will put my dc at risk and I am not going to bend over backwards for you, I have stated clearly that I am not, you and other readers can either believe that or not, it is up to you.

OP posts:

DooinMeCleanin · 28/10/2010 23:33

I don't know who she normally is. But my advise would be the same even if I did. It's the same as it always is. If in doubt call in a trainer/behaviourist. Which reminds me I need to book another session with mine. Scruff is getting the hang of walking on his lead and passing other dogs clamly, so we are ready to move on.

Poppy seems to have no prey drive at all. My Dad laughed hysterically when we suggested he take her rabbitting with his friends dogs.

Bellaween · 28/10/2010 23:33

Is that fur-lined kid gloves????

I'm gone, I'm outta here [hsmile]

withorwithoutyou · 28/10/2010 23:33

Well you've had my opinion. Keep it on a lead or muzzled.

You clearly don't trust it, you've said as much by writing the OP.

ApocalypseCheese · 28/10/2010 23:36

Original poster

WhyHavePets · 28/10/2010 23:37

Dooin, thank you and good luck with the next step!

WOWY, again, thank you for your thoughts. I suspect one or the other will be the way to go when out and about, certainly for the foreseeable. I do trust my dog - but not with small furries and there are lots of those around here so an immediate solution is required as well as looking more long term.

Right, am off to bed now! Night all.

OP posts:

DefinitelyNotBella · 28/10/2010 23:43

oops

withorwithoutyou · 28/10/2010 23:44

Bella why are you being such a dick?

DooinMeCleanin · 28/10/2010 23:45

Original poster

WhyHavePets · 28/10/2010 23:45

It is a good job you are not bella, otherwise I would have to find her and give her a real life kick up the arse.

OP posts:

DefinitelyNotBella · 28/10/2010 23:46

wowy - I have a strange condition. It's called a sense of humour. Glad to see you are not affected [hwink]

withorwithoutyou · 28/10/2010 23:47

God, me too.

hmc · 28/10/2010 23:48

Read OP and nothing in between. My Bernese got into the back garden and ripped the head off my cockerel. She absolutely would devour our guinea pigs whole given half a chance. She has attacked pigs let out in the New Forest during pannage.

She is yet to attack another dog - although she had growled at a handful during her 5.5 years

She is soppy with my children. However - i was very peturbed just this week when a young boy (11/12) bounded towards her enthusiastically. She growled and her hackles were raised. She had never yet hurt or come close to hurting a person. A few months ago I would stake my life on the fact that she never would. Now- I am not so sure

Original poster

WhyHavePets · 29/10/2010 00:02

hmc

Sadly things do change, sometimes for no obvious reason. Aging can be a factor or something that has happened when you were not there - or possibly she just got a shock and reacted badly but would never do it again.

It is for this reason that, even with a well known and trusted dog, I would always advise caution around children. At the end of the day dogs are not rational beings, they do deserve an element of caution - judging how much/little is the hard part and - IMO - watching out for those little signs is part and parcel of responsible dog ownership as is reacting apporpriatly to them. Clearly you have!

OP posts:

DooinMeCleanin · 29/10/2010 00:02

Growling is good. Growling is warning. It's akin to me or you saying "I don't like the way you are bouncing. You might bounce on my foot"

But not staking your life on the fact your dog would never hurt anyone is also good. Because you never know. Given the right set of circumstances any dog can bite. It's upto to us responsible owners to ensure those circumstances never occur. I am not btw saying that all dogs are mindless killers, just waiting for their moment. Most dogs will never bite.

Joolyjoolyjoo · 29/10/2010 00:03

I honestly think that normal prey aggression is at all related to human aggression. For most dogs (esp sighthounds) the attraction of small furries is the speed they move and the way they look. I've seen a distraught client with the soppiest lurcher who killed their neighbour's yorkie when it took off at speed But that doesn't make it a bad dog, and is not something that can/ needs to be trained out of it.

"Taste of blood" means nothing either- plenty of dogs are fed on raw meat diets and don't savage other animals.

OP, I would say that if your dog is going to be off the lead in a park etc where there could be small dogs, I would muzzle just for your peace of mind. We have loads of greyhounds/ lurchers on our books and they nearly all wear basket muzzles when out and about.

cats kill mice and birds all the time, and afaik few go on to attack and kill human babies (although I'm sure someone will come on with a link to prove me wrong!)

I think the emphasis has to be on safety. If it were my dog, my biggest worry would be that children were playing with the small furries at the time and got hurt unintentionally, so obviously just keeping the dog away from similar situations is common sense, and you sound sensible enough!

But I don't think you necessarily need to worry that your dog's taste of moving prey will escalate or become uncontrollable

DooinMeCleanin · 29/10/2010 00:04

Also if it's an unusual behaviour for your dog and it continues pop to the vets just incase pooch is feeling a bit under the weather.

hmc · 29/10/2010 00:04

Yes I agree Dooin tis supposed to be good - which is why I didn't reprimand my dog. But I was mortified and the poor boy look shell shocked (he was expected a happy joyfull encounter)

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