Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The doghouse

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Help. My dog just ate a baby rabbit.

50 replies

littlewhitebag · 12/06/2013 14:49

My 13 mth old golden lab managed to catch a baby rabbit when we were out earlier. I think it died instantly and the dog was carrying it in her mouth. I tried to get her to 'leave it' and i offered treats but she would not give it up. She then proceeded to swallow it in a few gulps. She didn't maul it as there was no blood.

My questions are:

Is this likely to cause her any harm? Should i call the vet?

Is this in any way normal behaviour or is this a massive problem with my dog?

I am beyond traumatised by this and can hardly look at the dog now. I would be grateful for any advice about this.

OP posts:

Chazz88 · 12/06/2013 14:56

I have no advice but I would like to be picking that poo up.
I would maybe ring the vet but I think she will be fine try teaching her the leave it command

D0oinMeCleanin · 12/06/2013 14:58

This is totally normal behavior.

My terrier spent a whole ten minutes trying to squeeze through a metal fence last week, to catch a rabbit that slipped through the fence mid chase. He appeared to believe the reason he could not fit through it had something to do with which paw went in first and nothing to do with the fact that his head was bigger than the gap he was trying to fit through

Unlikely to cause any harm.

If it's any consolation unless you own sighthounds they can normally only catch sick rabbits who would've died slowly and painfully otherwise.

You can train them not to chase but as it's instinctual it's an uphill battle and there is always the chance they'll get lost moment and forget all the hard work you put in. I prefer to work with their instincts and use the chase instinct as a reward. Mine knows to check in with me before/mid way through a chase. This way I can call him off foxes and hares or away from a chase that might lead him into danger.

LaurieFairyCake · 12/06/2013 14:58

Oh god that's horrible.

The only thing I would be concerned about is that it's really difficult to catch a rabbit so I'd be watching the dog for signs of being unwell.

Are her jabs up to date?

Original poster

littlewhitebag · 12/06/2013 15:01

I can call her off when chasing as i do this regularly with deer and foxes. This was a baby in long grass by the side of a path - she just sniffed and pounced in a matter of seconds.

She does know the 'leave it' command but i think this was just too big a prize.

OP posts:

bubble2bubble · 12/06/2013 15:39

I am sure he will be fine, as doin says it is completely normal. I've seen that gulping thing done before with dead fish on the beach and it is pretty horrible.
I had similar this morning as Monster pup found a dead baby rabbit on the side of the path - looked like it had been dead for a while - and he was determined to have it. I finally managed to get him to drop it by scattering dried liver on the ground just far enough away to grab him and put him on the lead as he had no intention of leaving it on command, obviously much too tasty..
A passing walker helpfully said " you need a strong constitution to be a dog owner ". [ grin]

AdoraBell · 12/06/2013 15:40

Make sure her deworming is up to date, but other than that I agree with D0ingmecleaning, it's natural behaviour. Dogs are predators, but it's easy to forget that when looking at our gorgeous little pets.

SilverBellsandCockleShells · 12/06/2013 15:43

Our dog regularly hoovers up the grimmest bits of rabbits that our cats deign not to eat. Occasionally, if he overindulges, he'll be sick, but that's an end to it!

flowery · 12/06/2013 15:44

Our springer nearly bagsed himself a sleeping duck the other day, and created a whole lot of flapping in the process...

He did find a dead bird he proudly brought us in his mouth once as well, just to prove he is a gundog, although fortunately a) I wasn't there as I would have thrown up and b) he didn't attempt to eat it.

Branleuse · 12/06/2013 15:45

she will be fine. Probably healthier for her than a bowl of chum

EleanorFarjeon · 12/06/2013 15:48

I think that's very common with labs.

I often meet a lab owner on a local heath when I walk my dog and I have lost count of the times her lab has had a dead rabbit in his mouth which he won't relinquish. He always eats them eventually. I also saw him catch and eat a squirrel in the garden once. He seems to be a good hunter!

fanoftheinvisibleman · 12/06/2013 16:10

Not a palatable thought I admit and I'd be upset too but given that I feed my dog raw anyway there is no rational reason for it other than having to admit my cutesy puppy had it in him. And strangely the only thing that upset me when the cat did it was the mess so complete double standards.

LST · 12/06/2013 16:33

Totally normal. My collie ate a mouse in one swallow once. I looked at him and he just looked a bit bemused and didn't understand what he had done.

mignonette · 12/06/2013 16:40

Our Springer killed and ate half a nest of feral newborn kittens before we could get to him.

I couldn't look him in the eye for a couple of weeks afterwards.

But dogs are dogs-opportunist, scavenging hunters and a baby anything is easy catchable prey.

Original poster

littlewhitebag · 12/06/2013 16:40

Thank you everyone. I feel much more reassured now. She seems absolutely fine after her bunny feast and will probably need a much smaller dinner tonight!

OP posts:

curlew · 12/06/2013 16:45

Seriously? People are surprised that a carnivorous hunting animal killed and ate something made out of meat?

Vibbe · 12/06/2013 16:51

Completely normal :)

My FIL's dog once caught a squirrel.
Many friends have mentioned their dogs catching rats and birds.

My dog loves chasing pigeons - thankfully she hasn't caught any. Yet...

Original poster

littlewhitebag · 12/06/2013 16:52

TBH i am not really surprised - it just came as a shock and i wasn't prepared for it being eaten fur and all in a few gulps. Sometimes seeing nature in the raw can be brutal.

OP posts:

mignonette · 12/06/2013 17:02

It is a shock and nothing wrong with being surprised too. When you have hundreds of years of domestication and anthropomorphism it is understandable that we sometimes freak a bit.

EleanorFarjeon · 12/06/2013 17:06

My dog (a bit thick and not a hunter) had a lovely few minutes recently running around with a collared dove he'd caught (only because it had a broken wing).

DH got it off him but he'd ripped most of its skin off and dh had to hit it on the head with a hammer. With hindsight, he should've just left him to it.

ExcuseTypos · 12/06/2013 17:11

Our cat has caught and tried to eat baby rabbits and chicks.

Our dog has tried to catch ducks and ducklings. . This is in our garden. We have to be really careful at the moment as there are lots of ducklings about.

However, it's entirely normal behaviour. Nothing much you can do about it.

CinnamonAddict · 12/06/2013 17:12

Our previous terrier hunted and killed a pigeon once. Lots of shaking and flying feathers [boak]
I called the vet and asked if there was anything I had to do. He said just deworm in 5 days time and laughed a lot

Years later same dog killed a rat. I nearly fainted because I thought it was a stick until she was much closer to me. Good hunter that one. Current terrier is friendly with our rabbit, but rabbit is nearly as big as terrier

D0oinMeCleanin · 12/06/2013 17:16

My terrier almost caught a pheasant hiding in long grass the day before he met the rabbit who cheated

Luckily for the pheasant it can fly and the dog can't. Didn't stop him trying though He appeared to believe his lack of flying power was because he wasn't jumping high enough not because he has no wing. Still he got a good bit of excerise that day

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 12/06/2013 17:26

At least the rabbit was fresh. My dog seems to like them dried out and hard.

TheRealFellatio · 12/06/2013 17:41

My cat used to do this all the time - it's so traumatic to witness! Baby rabbits sort of go all limp and play dead, but the cat would put them down and watch them until they tried to limp away and then go for them again - I used to be a nervous wreck over it, but there was no point in trying to rescue them once they were injured - better to let nature take its course.

My dogs also caught a few rabbits, and yes, they are extremely reluctant to give them up! One of my dogs once carried a dead rabbit proudly all the way home from a walk and then took it to his bed where he proceeded to eat it. I tried to get it off him as I didn't want it dragged all over the house and it was the one and only time I have ever not fully trusted my dog not to try to bite me! He was determined he was keeping that rabbit.

We have also had our share of putrid, stinking rabbit parts dragged home as well....

My cat used to regularly leave the dead babies on the doorstep minus their heads as a present for me, and he had a little dead rabbit 'larder' going on under the bush by the front door, where he saved half eaten ones for later. My dogs used to raid the cat's larder with impunity.

Owning pets and living in the countryside is very stressful.

TheRealFellatio · 12/06/2013 17:44

But no, in answer to your question, small raw bones like that won't do him any harm at all, in fact they are extremely good for him. I feed mine raw chicken wings and raw meaty lamb bones almost daily.

It's always interesting picking up a dog's poo when it is full of lumps of rabbit fur though!

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread