My dog just killed a bird and I'm devastated (TW)

[ScrappyAndHungry]

I have a 5 year old cocker spaniel. His recall his excellent and although he will attempt to run after a pigeon if it lands near him he's never even come close before, and he always comes back when I call him.

However today we were walking through the woods and a crow basically just dropped down in front of him (almost like it fell) and before I could react he just grabbed it. I couldn't get the poor thing off him, he just shook it and ripped it apart in front of my eyes. Then he took it off somewhere and came back and allowed himself to be put on the lead where he stayed for the rest of the walk.

I'm so upset. I've always thought myself a good, responsible dog owner and now I just feel like one of those idiots who let's their dog go around mauling wildlife.

Does he need to stay on his lead now he has a taste for it? I just feel nervous and upset with him even though I know it's not his fault, it's his breed. He's my lovely boy and to see him be so vicious broke my heart

It's part of animal ownership to an extent. You aren't irresponsible, it was an accident an happened in seconds.

My dog swallowed a newborn kitten. Now that was traumatising.

@ShouldhavebeencalledAppollo - I've worked spaniels for years, I've never had a problem with a well trained dog pegging birds. I wasn't disputing the fact that an untrained spaniel will kill a bird, I was disputing the fact that is what they are bred to do! We don't breed them for the purpose of killing birds, that isn't their job. I think we're coming from the same point on this, just perhaps a bit clumsily wording on my part while I was cooking dinner!

Oh blimey that must've been upsetting. I had a lovely retired greyhound who killed my cat. He'd passed every cat test going and had lived with her for 6 months - fine indoors and we were assured by the rescue he would be fine but one day she ran across the lawn... I was only 16, it was pretty awful.

I can understand why you found it upsetting, but really, he's just doing what spaniels have been bred to do for generations.

My beagle once caught and ate a rabbit.

I really wouldn’t be too upset over it, your dog doesn’t know he can “kill” toys but not living things. My dog used to kill squirrels for fun it’s not nice to watch but it’s natural behaviour.

You have my complete sympathy. Hope you're okay 💐

My 9 month old labrador stalks and chases every bird and rabbit. He's lightening fast, pigeons are painfully slow at taking off, I live in constant fear of him catching one. If he sees a moth at night he stares at it with murderous intent and after a brief intense stalk, lanches himself at it regardless of what's in his way, snaps and usually catches it.
I had a cat for years and was determined not to get a dog with prey drive. But despite my best efforts, looks like I couldn't avoid it. I've always lulled myself into false sense of security thinking he wouldn't catch a bird or harm one if he did, but reading your post I realise he likely could and would. And I would feel exactly same as you. It must have been so horrible :-(
It sounds like it was very bad luck but a one off. I don't think you need to keep your dog on lead any more than you already do. There was nothing you could have done.

Having read this is a wake up call for me with my dog though. I'm going to try to train/divert my dogs prey/chase instinct towards balls, toys and food toys more and try to train hom to stop chasing everything living.
I know it'll feel impossible but the best advice I've had when I've felt emotionsllt haunted by something like you've experienced is to try your best to put it out of your mind. It will take a while but in time it'll be something at back of your mind and I hope you get there soon.
It could just as easily have been me and if my dog keeps chasing at this rate it soon will be :-(
Your dog's still same gentle soul with people, dogs etc. I guess it was just a momentary instinct of 'running with the wolves'.
Take care x

Cat is mostly an indoor cat for this reason- lots of birds in our garden during the day and we’ve rescued two from her and she’s killed too many mice (people who joke about kids being mousers haven’t seen how cats terrorise them first!!!!)

No, he's not.
Spaniels have been bred to quarter and flush; some of them will retrieve. They've not been specifically bred to catch, kill and eat birds.

BUT dogs are predators and many of them will kill and often eat what they can catch. I have trained mine to leave wildlife alone as much as possible, and it's been bloody hard work - but if a fledgling dropped out of the sky directly in front of one of them, there is a good chance that she'd kill it unless I got there very fast.

OP, this was probably unavoidable. One the plus side, it was a quick end for the bird, and if it was a crow, rook or jackdaw, at least none of those species is endangered.

I wouldn’t suggest you get a cat!

There was a fascinating thread on here a few months ago about the memories of crows as a previous poster mentioned - do not go back to those wood!!

Our dog caught a tiny bird mid flight once and killed it. I have no idea how she managed it, she was lightening fast and SO pleased with herself.
My kids were devastated but accepted it's part of a dogs nature. We still call her "Luna, killer of birds". These days I check the garden before Iet her out to make sure there are no birds hanging about on the lawn!!

I understand why you’re upset but he’s just an animal and doesn’t feel any sentimental way towards birds like we do. He didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. He was just following his instincts. Last year my dog went through a weird phase of finding half dead or dead birds under bushes while on walks and presenting them to me proudly. He’s a golden retriever so that’s what they’re supposed to do I guess, but I hated it. I have no idea why the birds were there either, there must have been some illness going around or something. He hasn’t done it for ages but I don’t let him go near bushes anymore just in case.

Seeing a crow being pulled apart is traumatic. They're intelligent creatures and it's so upsetting.

I have a cat who brings in birds and it makes no difference that it's instinct.. I'm devestated every time. My cat cannot leave our garden and I'm always keeping an eye on him but he's so bloody quick.

I saw a spaniel with a rabbit in its mouth a while back, the owner couldn't get the dog to drop it.

My working cocker spaniel has brought baby birds into the house before. It upsets me but I have to tell myself they have already fallen from the nest and it's unfortunate he has found them before me. I think spaniels do generally tend to pick up birds gently as they are meant to bring pheasants etc back intact ? He walks past swans etc though on a daily basis and goes nowhere near them. We had a terrible incident a couple of weeks ago where a pigeon fell down our chimney into our bedroom. Fortunately the adult kids were home and kept the dog from the bedroom but I dread to think of the havoc that might have ensued if he had been home alone !

My friends spaniel cross caught a squirrel on the park and he could not get it off his dog either.

It's an animal, and many of them kill other animals if they get the chance. Why don't you take responsibility by keeping it on a lead? There are many ground nesting birds and other small animals killed by off the lead dogs. The owners are to blame.

My super-gentle spaniel scooped four newly hatched fledglings out of a nest that had been built too low down in our garden hedge last week, and dropped them on the lawn. DH and I tried to rescue them and put them back, but there was nothing we could do, the poor little things were dead within seconds, as was the one left in the nest. I was distraught. I could hardly look at the dog for two days. It was in my large, fully enclosed garden and if I'd known there was a nest I could've kept him away, but I didn't think a nest would be so low down

Yes, totally agree, I was just about to post exactly the same thing.

I have a cat and working terrier so this is par for the course really.

We minimise as best we can but it is just what they do. My terrier will literally put her head into a hedge and pull out a mouse (she ignores birds). So far she doesn't bite down or shake but she may do with maturity. Her mum is rodent control on a small holding.

This happened to me today. Springer spaniel. I’ve worked so hard on him ignoring birds since a pup with success. This was my garden Robin. Mommy yesterday. And her hubby was distraught since. Agonising barking noises. It just made my spaniel even more interested. I was shocked how he defied me and didn’t drop it.
on lead today in garden but then someone didn’t hold on it and he ran to bottom of garden. Next minute the other robin.

I was distraught. I buried them together in my eye glass case.
and kept him on lead rest of day.
truly shocked.

I now am worried about ducklings etc next year around the lake we walk. I noted to today a sudden interest in ducks in the pond.

hes on lead now but it only takes 3 seconds to kill a bird.

ive had labs all my life that would never do this.

what the hell is wrong with Spaniels.

the vet wouldn’t neuter him as there was no reason she said.

well I’ve just found one.
disobedient & Strong drive to hunt and take off to kill!!

very upsetting.

all that training for nothing.

There is nothing wrong with spaniels. They are bred to flush and retrieve birds, so he is following his instincts. Killing the robins is unfortunate, but all part of nature.
I had blackbirds nesting in my garden. The neighbour's cat got their first batch of chicks. My puppy got two of the second lot. It's a shame, but it happens. 🤷‍♀️
You should be keeping him on lead around ground nesting birds anyway, so he shouldn't be allowed access to the ducklings.
And neutering won't make any difference to his hunting instincts.

I have a cat who often brings into the kitchen dead birds and half dead butterflies/flies and other insects...

I always try to rescue and release but sometimes I am too late.

It is their instinct to do that so don't blame yourself.

If the bird just dropped down in front of your dog it was likely to be injured/unwell already and the dog put an end to its misery.

I saw a spaniel with a rabbit in its mouth once, the owner said it’s always catching them 😳

If it was a regular thing you could muzzle train I suppose.