My naughty hounds got a squirrel tonight ...

3063 Views 15 Replies 13 Participants Last post by lennon, May 4, 2007

faysie

Discussion Starter · Apr 26, 2007

I am so distraught. This was amost more than I could handle. One minute we were sitting in the living room, watching the dogs playing in the backyard through the glass doors ...and the next minute they were slinging around what we first thought was one of their squeaker toys. Because it was squeaking

Dixie was the worst. I have NEVER seen Belvedere do anything like what she did. I'll spare you ...but the squirrel is no more.

This was so traumatic and what makes it worse is that they are SO ON FIRE now! Prancing around ...I can't stand it. I closed the doggie door for the night. No more playing. No treats.

What makes them do this??!

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

murraysmom

· #2 · Apr 27, 2007

"Es steckt im Blut" (It's in their blood)

Dozer-Digger

· #3 · Apr 27, 2007

As another topic mentioned today, Bassets are hunting dogs.

AmyB

· #4 · Apr 27, 2007

Mine have never gotten a squirrel, but Sadie got several moles. Even tho moles are destructive, it still disturbed me when she caught them. She would parade around with it in her mouth, like she was very proud of herself!

Vision

· #5 · Apr 27, 2007

How can you get mad at them for doing what they were bred to do?

faysie

Discussion Starter · #6 · Apr 27, 2007

I know ...I know ...but it's still disturbing to see my little angels ...these precious, pampered little babies ...become hunter beasts

corvuss

· #7 · Apr 27, 2007

My Minnie is the most gentle dog I've ever had, with people.

BUT... She's a critter killer! Chipmunks, garter snakes, a bird, baby rabbit, those are the ones I know of. She has yet get a squirrell, but it's not for lack of trying. She almost got a neighbor's cat once too, thank goodness it barely escaped (stupid people, letting their deaf cat out to roam). All of this has taken place in my 1/3rd acre backyard.

My wife gets disturbed by the killing too, it doesn't bother me as much.

clarejon

· #8 · Apr 27, 2007

eeeewwwww! but everyone is right - it's what they are bred to do. they didnt try and bring it in the house did they!?!

Snoops likes to chase flys around the house, she caught one the other day and ate it - yum!

mgbrown66

· #9 · Apr 27, 2007

It's instinctual.

2hounds

· #10 · Apr 27, 2007

My dogs do go after things, but are quickly called off and they actually listen. When I was a child though I had a little terrier dog. We called him our bird dog because he frequently somehow managed to catch birds and frogs, kill them, and bring them in the house...yuck! Though it is instictual I would be freaked and grossed out too.

~Heather

shakerag

· #11 · Apr 28, 2007

My sweet little girl came prancing in with a freshly killed bird this week. She had it in her mouth and I swear she was taunting me with it as if to say "Look, I am doing something wrong"!
I got it out of the house and cleaned her up afterwards. Sometimes I think she is a animal instead of a Basset Person.
I had a long talk with her later on and I am sure she understands to leave other living things alone.
Maybe you need to have a good heart to heart talk too.
don

Mom2Dixie

· #12 · Apr 28, 2007

Awwwwe. They aren't 'naughty'. THey are only doing what comes natural to them. They are dogs. A hunting/tracking breed at that. Shutting their doggy door or not giving them treats won't help anything. They're patient and will only wait until the next opportunity arises. And, I'm sure it will. lol
I'm actually impressed that a Basset Hound is fast enough to even catch a squirrel. Not many breeds are, unless the squirrel is caught off guard or out in the open.
Watching your pooch kill another animal isn't pleasent, though. Sorry to hear you were so distraught.
Bassets are typically laid back and to many appear clumsy and awkwark, but when a situation presents itself they rise to the occasion and perform beautifully. I love to watch a dogs natural ability/talents come out. In saying that, we don't hunt Dixie, but I do enjoy watching her do her thing.....even though she's never actually caught anything. lol

2hounds

· #13 · Apr 28, 2007

Apparently yesterday I spoke too soon. I don't know if they killed it or a cat killed it, but they (don't know which one) brought a dead bird and deposited into my living room. I am completely freaked out, I was hypervenalating (sp?) and everything. Bryan has a softball tournament so he won't be home until a little later. I absolutely CANNOT go out there to pick it up. I covered it with a paper towel and have the dogs in the same room with me. I wish I were friends with my neighbors so that I could get someone to come in and get it. I'm not mad at them this is what hound dogs do, but no one likes finding dead things in their living room.

~Heather

Terry

· #14 · Apr 29, 2007

This was so traumatic and what makes it worse is that they are SO ON FIRE now! Prancing around ...I can't stand it. I closed the doggie door for the night. No more playing. No treats.

What makes them do this??![/b]

You CAN'T 'punish' them for killing a small critter. First, they won't understand what they did to upset you. And second, as everyone has said, they are dogs... and ALL dogs are intinctually capable of killing anything that could be considered 'prey'. I understand the incident is upsetting to you. We've had enough pet-kills over the past twenty-five years for me to be able to tell you it is ALWAYS upsetting for a sensitive person to see. I love to watch the little critters of all sorts that live in our area - I feed them, too (and I feel particularly guilty when the cats hunt at my feeder

). Our first dog once killed a woodchuck and then wouldn't let us take it away from her - she was so proud of her kill! <_< And we actually raised an orphaned baby squirrel a few years ago (Moe and Tally watched, practically DROOLING, whenever I fed little Nutkin!

) so I DO understand your feelings about the squirrel.

Forgive your dogs, give them a big hug and a cookie, and hope they don't manage to catch another one...

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Mom2Dixie

· #15 · Apr 29, 2007

You CAN'T 'punish' them for killing a small critter. First, they won't understand what they did to upset Our first dog once killed a woodchuck and then wouldn't let us take it away from her - she was so proud of her kill![/b]

Hey. That's nothing. Our Mountain Curr brought home a fawn she'd killed. It was still warm. It must have been only a few days old, as it still had it's umbilicle cord. I didn't have the heart to take it from her. It was rightfully hers. She deserved to enjoy it. I'm not squeeming about the dogs bringing things up, except when it's rotten, smelly and rittled with maggots. Those are the things that are difficult to get rid of. Because of the smell. WHOA!

lennon

· #16 · May 4, 2007

Lennon is strange...He chases healthy live animals (though has yet to catch one) but then last week we had an injured pigeon in the garden...Basically we heard him barking his head off in the garden so we went out there and he was stood right next to the pigeon barking to get our attention. He never once went for it and when we got there he just stopped barking and watched us get the pigeon into a box....Was very weird as if he knew it was hurt cos normally he chases pigeons all over the yard...

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