I think when letting a dog pursue an animal one must accept potential risks. My aunt and uncle have a variety of mutts (terrier mixes, a hound mix, apbt mix, and a border collie mix)who protect their chickens from raccoons and foxes, SO FAR the dogs have been lucky and nothing has happened to them...And you know what they are some really happy dogs, and if something did happen to them one day, at least they went down doing what they loved, while having a wonderful life, being dogs and doing a job.