# UHGG! I feel horrible right now!



## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

I was out with the dogs on our regular walk this morning. I usually bring my camera along.....so I'm not always paying attention to the dogs. They are loose so when something catches my eye and I stop to take pics, they're just wandering ahead of me, or playing. I had just moved off from taking some pics when I see Layla pounce into the low bushes.....I hear a squeak and think uh oh what does she have? She backs out with a bird in her mouth :shocked: I think Whoa! she's a little hunter! I snap a couple pics....and then my bleeding heart catches up with what I just saw....so I took the poor little bird away from her.

I really should have just let her finish the poor bird off, because now the poor little guy is dying a slow and painful death in front of me :frown:

I was hoping it wasn't mortally wounded and I could release it later. Now I wish I had just not seen the whole thing happen


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I am sorry - it is hard when your dog is a good hunter and you are unprepared. Mine loved to try to catch birds. My back yard is an official no fly zone.


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

I was definitely not prepared for that one. The most she's ever caught are bugs. It must be a young inexperienced bird to be caught unawares like that.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Shiloh is our hunter dog. Well....they all think they are but Shiloh is the only one with the speed and instinct to actually catch something. When we let them out in the meadow, they dig for mice and things and Shiloh will eventually pop up with one in her mouth. Then its a game of chase because the other girls want what she has! We call this "fast food" for her LOL


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## NewYorkDogue (Sep 27, 2011)

Mateo likes to stalk the pigeons here in NYC. Seriously, he turns into lion-mode: head low, creep-walk, intense focus. Never did I think he would have a prayer of ever catching one.

But he did. He crept up on one from behind that was eating some bread and when it started to fly away he planted his huge paw on it's wing and caught it.

But then he just stood there, not knowing what to do next, lol. He looked up at me like, "Oh...now what?". I told him "off!" and pulled him away.

So, yeah. A bunch of instinct without much practical application...

I wouldn't beat yourself up about the bird situation. I know it's hard to watch, but these dogs have prey drive, to one degree or another. It's going to happen...


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

If there is a next time I'll have to mentally toughen up and just let it happen....... I don't know if I can do it. Brings back memories of saving baby rats and mice from my kitties when I was little, LOL! I'm too soft


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## EckoMac (Jun 1, 2012)

That's free food! I'm on a budget, if Ecko can somehow manage to catch something, he better eat it. LOL!


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

Thats like this spring, I go into the back yard to feed breakfast and I see one of my guys already munching on something. I walked over and she had caught a rabbit. I just left her alone and walked away.

They now have become obsessed with birds landing in the trees. You can look outside at any point and see someone staring up into the branches, carefully watching, hopeful. lol


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

> twoisplenty
> 
> They now have become obsessed with birds landing in the trees. You can look outside at any point and see someone staring up into the branches, carefully watching, hopeful. lol


All of my guys do this........ they would really like to get a hold of one the big turkey vultures....now that would be a proper meal


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

I just experienced this a few weeks ago. A robin was just standing in front of us. Of course my dogs chased it. Sarge grabbed it. I took it away from him to find it had a gaping hole in its side covered in tiny maggots. Horrific. At first I called a friend to see about taking it to a local wildlife rehab place. But looking at the poor bird, I knew it wouldn't have made it. I gave it to Sarge to finish off which he did with one shake. Then we left it. 

Sad, I know. But I think in a situation like that, best to offer a quick death. Sarge likes to play executioner....creepy.....

My dogs have killed a few things (ground hog, raccoon (it was a baby and they are utd on their rabies shot) and the cat likes to kill voles. 

It is their nature. It is why the raw feeders here do what they do. Don't beat yourself up. But just make sure to kill whatever is suffering.


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

My grandfather's late doberman was a hunter too. We frequently found fur and/or feathers on the back porch where she would retire to eat her kills. We thought, for a long time, that she was finding dead or dying animals and eating them because she was fat (hypothyroid she was never medicated for) until we saw her catch a bird one day. The bird had already taken off and Xena LAUNCHED herself up into the air and snatched the bird right out of the air. She had stalked it close enough to charge. We couldn't believe it. 

For years with our first doberman they bunnies would sprawl out on their big sweeping lawn and sleep because Angel couldn't be bothered with hunting them or even chasing them. They weren't afraid of her in the least. But with Xena... Well, there was never a bunny to be seen... Ever.


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

Kagan and Skimmer chase and hunt rabbits every morning on their walks, don't know what they would do it they caught one lol Those rabbits are use to being chased by coyotes


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