[wmcelesta]

My oh-so-sweet Kally has found a new hobby. In the past two months she has eaten a whole family of cottontails, including two babies and apparently their parents. She eats them completely, from head to tail. I can't control the rabbits getting into my yard. What's an appalled caregiver to do?

[wmtravelservice]

Supervise the dog when she's outside if you don't want her killing/eating wild animals.

[wmcelesta]

Great answer, but then she will have no freedom.

[wmtravelservice]

Why? She can only have freedom when you're not paying attention to her?

---------- Post added at 10:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:57 PM ----------

Put her on a chain spot or tether so the rabbits can escape, if you don't want to stand outside with her.

[jokilewqs]

Yea chain the thing on a proper chain spot, and then she wont be able to get the rabbits. Problem solved.

[wmcelesta]

I've had such incredible wonderful experiences with this dog with cats and a golden retriever in the past three years. The rabbit fiasco just occurred this summer. I have never tethered any of my dogs nor did I cage Kally despite much advice given on this forum. My preference is to inhibit the rabbits in some fashion, not the dogs. I would have to chain the dog any time she went outside because these are wild rabbits that come and go.

[lidersontop]

No rabbits in our yard or at least not when the dogs are out. Now squirrels, that's another story. They haven't caught one ... yet, but they sure as hell try.
There's one that has a death wish ... it teases them mercilessly. Just a matter of time, I think ... I could be wrong. LOL

[wmtravelservice]

Improve your fencing? Obviously the rabbits are getting in so you would need to figure out your parameter weaknesses and address them accordingly.

[jokilewqs]

Okay?? Your not going to stop the rabbits getting into the yard unless you kill them all, or put a rabbit proof fence in that goes far under ground, its easier to chain the dog and keep it from the rabbit than the other way around.

[wmcelesta]

You know, that may be the only answer. The price would be outrageous, though, because the yard is very large. And everything is a trade-off. The dogs love their neighbor dogs on all sides, and thus walling them in would not be a good option either. I farm and have many gardens in the space. Kally does not typically walk inside any of the eight gardens. She walks along the borders of all of them. This is one very smart dog. I would love to train her not to chase prey as I have trained her not to walk inside the gardens.

[suingincentix]

There is NOTHING wrong with properly chaining your dog, EACH and EVERY time she goes outside. In fact, it's responsible.

However - I don't see a single problem with her killing rabbits. AND she is eating them? Natural supplements! Your dog is a terrier - prey drive is natural.

[bellson]

Think of it as a favor to the rabbit gene pool. Any rabbits stupid enough to come into a yard with a dog and who get caught and killed by said dog don't need to pass on the faulty genes. It's the circle of life. Predator and prey.

[lidersontop]

I can't imagine you can train a dog not to chase something when you're not there.

[NerbuitW]

Congratulations, you own a terrier.
If it really bothers you that bad, get better fencing.
But honestly. I would probably praise my dog (RIP) if he ever caught and killed anything.

[Edisesyethisp]

Nope, I brought my dogs out back to use the bathroom before bed and Onyx is sniffing in a patch of grass and tail going 90 MPH. So I walk over to see what she is sniffing and found a littler of rabbits.

[dyestymum]

Dogs = carnivores.

[jokilewqs]

I can't imagine you can train a dog not to chase something when you're not there.

Right that made me LOL

I also agree with MJJean, thinning the herd. If you really dont want the dog to chase rabbits just chain the dog.

[favwebbb]

There is NOTHING wrong with properly chaining your dog, EACH and EVERY time she goes outside. In fact, it's responsible.However - I don't see a single problem with her killing rabbits. AND she is eating them? Natural supplements! Your dog is a terrier - prey drive is natural.

This.

[Tusanoc]

Mine kills all kinds of stuff. Last summer she got the ground hog who was eating my garden, and she was heavily praised and rewarded. I wish we had rabbits around here for her to catch.

She's a dog, it's what they do. You don't try to stop cats from killing mice do you? If anything, it means you don't have to feed the dog that day.

[lammaredder]

Shit happens. What are ya gonna do? Tether her up or supervise her. That's your 2 options if you don't want to fortify your fence or have her kill more rabbits.