Is it okay to encourage my dog to chase wild animals?

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sidetrack

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When she was little and we took her to a park by the bay aptly named Bayfront park she used to like running after and even once tackled Canada goose.I encouraged her once.She doesn’t really do that when the geese are around anymore but she still earnestly chases squirrels.

Fyi she’s a Malshi and definately not a dog being trained for hunting…Would it be okay if I so choose to I encourage her to chase after other animals particularly when it’s around her size?.
 
In my opinion, No. The squirrels are God’s creation. How about a pit bull chasing your dog for a little fun !

Intimidation is not a game.

Lord have mercy.
 
It would probably cause handling problems as much as anything. Squirrels… Ok… Geese… No.
 
I think its a bad idea because the dog could get hurt or hurt someone else’s pet. Honestly, I think dogs should be on leashes anyway.
 
Your dog chase my dog or cat you would be in a world of hurt ! Dogs are only as good as their owners. Do you expect your little dog to be able to know the difference between what is prey and what is not ?

In my opinion it is not a good idea under any circumstances.
 
**The wild animals live out in nature, so where are they to go if you take your dog out into their world to chase and torment them ?

In my state and maybe yours, the Canada Goose are a protected species, as are some types of squirrels. Also in my county, if your dog is annoying any type of livestock, it will be shot on sight with you paying any damages.

Another thought, if you teach your dog to chase running things, what is to stop it from chasing down a running toddler ?

Have your dog chase after a ball or a Frisbee.**
 
It might teach the dog bad habits.

In our state, it’s legal to shoot a dog that is attacking, or **threatening **to attack livestock, pets, or people.

In other words, if your dog chases after my dog, I can shoot with immunity. That being said, I don’t own a dog. Or a gun.

On the other hand, some dogs do it with no training at all. I know a woman whose dog killed three opossums, a couple skunks, some rabbits, and a heron. :eek:
 
Not much annoys me like irresponsible pet owners. You are risking the health and safety of the animals your dog chases as well as your dog. He could get clawed, bitten, or worse. Should your dog get bitten doing this he could get rabies or numerous other diseases or infections.

If you won’t work to be a responsible pet owner and keep your dog safe then you need to find your dog a new home.
 
BlueEyedLady said:
Not much annoys me like irresponsible pet owners. You are risking the health and safety of the animals your dog chases as well as your dog. He could get clawed, bitten, or worse. Should your dog get bitten doing this he could get rabies or numerous other diseases or infections.

If you won’t work to be a responsible pet owner and keep your dog safe then you need to find your dog a new home.
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👍
 
lol @ tackling the Canadian goose, but if it’s not a hunting dog, I wouldn’t train it to chase animals. Someday it might try to chase me, and then I’d have no choice but to roundhouse kick it in the face. :eek:

A dog chasing squirrels around isn’t really an issue since it’s just what dogs do, but if you live in a more urban setting and you’re taking it to public parks it can easily cause aggravation. In a real nature setting it doesn’t really matter.
 
Letting a dog run free and unleashed and encouraging it to kill other animals for fun sounds like irresponsible ownership to me. Your dog needs to be trained to be non-aggressive and to behave in public. As others have said, your dog has no way of knowing what creatures are “acceptable” victims and which aren’t. Children, endangered species, other peoples pets, they could all be fair game.

Not sure where you live, but I think most places would have laws against unleashed dogs, especially if they spend a lot of time killing things.
 
Im really sorry for some of the above comments 😦

I let my dog chase things like coons and possums. She trees them and we kill them. If not they kill our chickens. I also allow her to chase stray cats out of our yard. Shes 80 pounds tho. We have cats that live outside and have one cat in the house. My dog knows she can not chase “her” cats. She does not chase down children, adults, horses and so on. Dogs are pretty smart animals and can be taught the difference in what type of things they can chase. Weve also owned bird dogs. They were taught to go after birds. They did not chase down children, adults, livestock or other peoples pets. They went for birds alone.
If yours is a small dog and you are in the city, chasing a ball might be best. Chipmunks and the like my run into the road and your dog will follow…

As a side note…i have 6 kids, 12-20yrs old. I babysit two kids, 2 1\2yrs and 4 months old. My dog adores all 8 of these kids plus every other kid or adult she meets! To say letting a dog chase an animal teaches them to chase down a toddler is nonsense! Oh and my dog loves the mailman too! Every day she greets him at the drive way to collect her treat. If he doesnt see her and drives by she lets out that bloodhound howl and he hits the brakes 🙂
 
sidetrack said:
When she was little and we took her to a park by the bay aptly named Bayfront park she used to like running after and even once tackled Canada goose.I encouraged her once.She doesn’t really do that when the geese are around anymore but she still earnestly chases squirrels.

Fyi she’s a Malshi and definately not a dog being trained for hunting…Would it be okay if I so choose to I encourage her to chase after other animals particularly when it’s around her size?.
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Sounds like good fun, and good exercise for both your dog and the squirrels. 😃

…if your dog’s fast though, it might be a good idea to give the wildlife a little head start, that way there’s no need to give the dog a bath . 👍
 
I don’t know a dog that doesn’t like to chase squirrels. It sounds like good exercise. I think it’s fine to play. If you’re encouraging her to fight or attack, it’ll be something different.
 
sidetrack said:
When she was little and we took her to a park by the bay aptly named Bayfront park she used to like running after and even once tackled Canada goose.I encouraged her once.She doesn’t really do that when the geese are around anymore but she still earnestly chases squirrels.

Fyi she’s a Malshi and definately not a dog being trained for hunting…Would it be okay if I so choose to I encourage her to chase after other animals particularly when it’s around her size?.
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Allow me to comment on your argument-statement.
Wild animals are not in the category as “own animals” by any person, but are but are in the “group of wild fauna”. Thus the later group are dangerous due to their “wildness.” They may look cute, gentle but they are wild from “within and without”.
Regarding your owned dog, it would be morally wrong to encourage your dog to chase other owned animals. I suppose it is also ‘animally’ wrong for your dog to chase good and owned animals by Someone.
I suggest that it is good for your own dog to won a gold medal if you encourage to chase the wild-gentle animal and its kind. If your dog is not yet trained, why not chasing yourself rather than your dog or using other’s dogs.
 
shelly5254 said:
Im really sorry for some of the above comments 😦

I let my dog chase things like coons and possums. She trees them and we kill them. If not they kill our chickens. I also allow her to chase stray cats out of our yard. Shes 80 pounds tho. We have cats that live outside and have one cat in the house. My dog knows she can not chase “her” cats. She does not chase down children, adults, horses and so on. Dogs are pretty smart animals and can be taught the difference in what type of things they can chase. Weve also owned bird dogs. They were taught to go after birds. They did not chase down children, adults, livestock or other peoples pets. They went for birds alone.
If yours is a small dog and you are in the city, chasing a ball might be best. Chipmunks and the like my run into the road and your dog will follow…

As a side note…i have 6 kids, 12-20yrs old. I babysit two kids, 2 1\2yrs and 4 months old. My dog adores all 8 of these kids plus every other kid or adult she meets! To say letting a dog chase an animal teaches them to chase down a toddler is nonsense! Oh and my dog loves the mailman too! Every day she greets him at the drive way to collect her treat. If he doesnt see her and drives by she lets out that bloodhound howl and he hits the brakes 🙂
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**Oh, silly me, what nonsense I spew. I forgot that dogs have never chased and mauled babies, children or adults before… :rolleyes:

I’m happy YOUR dog is soooo loveable, but not all dogs are YOUR dog. **
 
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Are you aware that squirrels carry rabies and other diseases which can kill your pet? Give that squirrel a real head start if she insists on going after it! If she thinks a skunk is a squirrel, you’re going to have some real problems! Also, some wild animals (even in a city park) are able to kill a small or even a larger dog! I’d get her a Frisbee, and get her chasing that as a pastime, and tell her “NO” when it comes to wild animals. Hunting with dogs (especially to protect your own livestock (including chickens) or when you are hunting to use the meat is different than chasing squirrels! Also, wild rabbits and hares carry diseases which don’t affect them, but can kill your dog if she catches them. Most Geese can hurt a small dog, plus they are a protected species (Canadian geese).
 
tuscany said:
**Oh, silly me, what nonsense I spew. I forgot that dogs have never chased and mauled babies, children or adults before… :rolleyes:

I’m happy YOUR dog is soooo loveable, but not all dogs are YOUR dog. **
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Just a friendly reminder to be charitable:)

Blessings!
 
Our old dog was a mutt but had hunting breed in her so she was inclined to chase.

She was pretty discerning though. She’d chase the smaller animals out of the yard (no geese where we lived). But not people. I don’t remember her even chasing cars. The urge to run off the property and wander was really strong with her. I don’t remember if that was nature or nurture. She wasn’t fast or agile enough to do anything to the animals other than chase. In all her life she only managed to catch one squirrel and it shocked everyone.

If it happens, it happens. She’s a dog. But I would not encorage it. Especially since you seem to think the behavior was abnormal for her and that she has already done more to an animal than simply chase it.
 
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