Hi, Bailey is 4 1/2 months old and is starting to show and interest in chasing towards birds, rabbits and squirrels when she’s off lead. Obviously the birds evac as soon as she breaks in to a run but I’m concerned that she’ll manage to get hold of a rabbit or squirrel. She’s so loving that she might just wash it with kisses BUT I’m not sure I want to find out!! She managed to get very close to 3 squirrels today that I couldn’t see in amongst the trees until the last minute. Has anyone got any experience of this with young pups and what did you do about it?
I never let them chase them ever. If I saw one I would distract them with a better game after asking them to leave it. I never raised my voice or even showed much interest in them. squirrels are boring who would want to chase one of them when I've got this squeaky ball or extra nice treat. I did it since they were tiny, squirrels are rubbish we see them everyday they are boring. I walk by a squirrel and if Rory shows any interest I just go pa squirrels are for losers and he focuses back on me. He thinks Squirrels are pants and I have no interest in them so why would he. He gets a treat or a game for moving away from them. The trick is to start young and never let them learn chasing them is fun. I don't let them chase them because the squirrels don't deserve it the dogs can get injured and I don't like my dogs galloping about and not listening to me it's gets them in trouble. It doesn't mean they won't so I never let my guard down. Neither Moo it Rory chase squirrels. We see lots if squirrels everyday so it's easy to teach them squirrels are not worth their time.other dog walkers think I'm a bit weird but I know what my dogs are doing on the park.
Bailey only started to show interest in her first rabbit yesterday and gave up pretty much straight away when she knew she wouldn’t catch it (she was with hubby) and only saw the squirrels today but she was much closer to them I think. This obviously isn’t a habit at the moment and she’s obviously keen to explore her surroundings. I will be on high alert regarding small furries from now on. I guess they can be considered a threat even at this young age.
Finn chases birds too! I don’t want him to do this. So a lot of lat...When we have a cat in our garden he goes ballistic. I don’t want him to, he just have to accept this. There is a difference in barking. When he sees a squirrel he barks loud and want to go after it. When he sees a cat, he is out of his mind, wants to chase it and takes a long time before it is out of his system...And why, I really don’t know....
I do it with cats too and hes slowly getting better. The problem I have the cats round here us they attack.
