My Shiba Inu --> has recently found a fetish with chasing and catching baby bunnies. I am a supporter of bunny life (lol I no but they're cute and remind me of Thumper in Bambie) and want to know if anyone can give me tips on how to stop her. BTW: Random fact about Shiba Inus... they were raised in Japan to hunt Squirrels and other small rodents.... Gracias juniofegalon
I contemplated that one but I live on a farm and I'm not home most of the time... Thanks though :redface:
Whenever the dog brings a bunny home, hit it. Once, on the nose. Just enough to let it know you aren't happy. Eventually your dog will either stop hunting rabbits, or at least stop bringing them home to you.
No, do not hit your dog. Shiba Inus have a very high prey drive, what she's doing is instinctive. You can't punish a dog for doing some natural - well, you can try but the dog will have no idea what she's done wrong. There's really not much you can do to stop it, as I said they have very high prey drives and you can't get rid of that. You could try introducing her to a cat, through a screen door on a lead, and graduate up from that, but the prey drive's always going to be there. You'd just have to keep a closer eye on her, or you could set up a long tether for her to be on in your backyard so that she can't reach them. ETA: To validate my post, I've spent my whole life around dogs, have a certificate in dog behaviour and training and dedicate a lot of my life to learning more about them, so I didn't just pull this out of my butt ETA 2: Also, there are a huge amount of nerves in a dog's nose meaning it's very painful for them to be hit there, a more ideal spot if you do believe in smacking as a form of punishment is the top of the head.
I agree with ILTBY because your dog will not know what she is being punished for. I have two dogs myself (9 year old Cocker spaniel, 1.5 year old Jack russell) My jack russell chases birds, rabbits, anything he spots... but this is just because that is what he was bred to do, he is a hunter. You can't change nature. However I do understand how you feel. At the horse yard I go to there are several dogs and alot of rabbits, most of the dogs chace rabbits and when caught kill them. x
Thanks ILTBY, I dont believe in smacking my dogs so I appreciate the advice to the contrary... I will try the cat thing, she chases cats too so who knows... It may just work! Thanks everyone!!
I've recently had a big drama with one of my Huskies killing some rabbits, too, so I understand the feeling. The Spitz breeds, which include Shibas, are reknowned for having a very high prey drive so really the best thing you can do is just keep them away from things they view as prey - i.e: cats, rabbits, fowl, etc - though it is possible to adjust them to cats, just very hard.
why not do what's done with cats?... belling is effective to keep cats from catching other living things, so why not put a bell on the dog's collar, to warn the bunnies that he's on the prowl?
You can distract the dog with something more tasty. It might work. I use to have a Husky and he got distracted when I brought something better along.
Dom you were never hit on the nose for bringing home bunnies. Why would you hit a small animal for doing what he was bred to do. Bad boy. you might try putting a bell on his collar it will warn the bunnies that something is not right and might give them a chance to get away. keep him in a run or on a rope when you are not around. My cats are only allowed out on ropes since they are great hunters of birds. One of them can catch humming birds.
I really enjoyed the bell idea and belive that I will try it... now to find a bell (lol jk ill find one) thx all!
