Mechanical Angel
Posted : 11/5/2008 10:49:20 PM
Hi, Rwbeagles,
I'm sorry to hear that your dog is chasing (and obviously catching!) squirrels in your backyard...however, no self respecting hunting dog is going to allow little prey animals like that in her territory without doing something about it.
Of course, the easiest way to keep your dog from this is to keep the squirrels out of your yard...which I know is easier said than done... but squirrels are tricky and make arial attacks, so rabbitt fencing won't quite work for them.
Getting your dog trained to leave them alone might be an easier (and less expensive) way to go. Some tips for changing this behavior are:
Invest in a big kennelfor your dog. This gives your dog the freedom to be outside unleashed, but will keep the squirrels safely on the other side of the fencing.
When out in the yard, keep your dog on a leash. When the dog sees a squirrel and makes a run for it, give the leash a little tug and order your dog into a sit. Make the dog stay there until she calms down, then allow her to continue being in the yard.
Unfortunately, this chasing behavior is one that is difficult to change, as it's been bred in for hundreds of years, but I suspect if you employ one or more of these tactics, you should be able to keep the carnage to a minimum.
I hope this helps!
Mechanical Angel