Squirrel Horror, I Can't Get It Out Of My Head....

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

He is a hound being a hound

[winnie]

I know this is an older post, but Colt just got his first squirrel. We've had him for 4 months and there are 5 or so squirrels that go up and down the neighboring fence and tree line. No mess, no struggle (that I saw), he just brought it whole (and clean might I say) right up to the door. I don't feel bad at all because I could see the pride he had. My only concern/question is, is this bad/wrong? If my neighbors saw it? Or does it increase their preying skills, that he'd go for something bigger (friends mini-dachshund)? Or am I just worrying too much? Thanks. PS, this is my first post!

 

Two of our three grey girls (Bonny is too slow) are excellent hunters. Darcy once killed a robin in flight across from a school bus stop. I wasn't expecting it - especially since she was on a leash! The neighborhood kids all chanted "killer dog" which made me feel horrible. Celeste recently caught a rather large bunny in our backyard - even brought it up to the door to show me. I was shocked. Luckily, no one witnessed that one.

 

I really wouldn't worry about small cats or animals if your grey was safe with them before the squirrel. Despite our dogs hunting, they still live peacefully with our three indoor cats and are good with small dogs.

[Guest MyBoys]

I am sorry too you had to witness that, it is upsetting the first time it happens. This is almost a weekly thing at my house, even with a 6 foot solid PVC fence the critters still insist on comming into the yard. I try to scope the yard before letting them out but at night it is hard to see the whole yard. My guys have gotten squirrels, rabbits, snakes, chipmunks, and one time a duck flew into the yard and they got it. I found it is useless to try and stop them. There is no way at this point to stop the critters from comming into my yard but it does seem to be less and less as time goes on, maybe they are spreading the word to stay out of the crazy dogs yard

[Hubcitypam]

Rex was a big time squirrel killer. I used to joke I should make notches in the deck until I was berated on another forum for not having proper respect for the lives of squirrels.

 

Once Poodle came up to me at the computer whining, the walking toward the open back door over and over. It was like Lassie saying "Timmy fell in the well". I got up and he led me outside to wher Rex was calmly munching away on the front half of a squirrel. Ratted out by his little brother. I did basically the same thing you did...made him drop it, shut him in the house and got my neighbor.

 

Then there was the time I had a beautiful white and brindle foster named Cherokee. He was going to his forever home at noon one fall day. About 10 a.m I was at the computer and heard scuffling in the yard. Thru the back door I watched Rex grab the squirrel and toss it in the air to break it's neck. By the time I got outside the squirrel was dead but Cherokee and Rex were playing keep away with it. Cherokee had blood like racing flames all over his white face. This vision of me handing him over to his adopter saying "he'll be great with your cat...don't mind the blood on his face...." was flashing thru my mind. Thank goodness for hydrogen peroxide.

[Guest Energy11]

Yes, it is a pretty ugly scenario. When still in Florida, our Staggerlee caught a RAT, and did the same thing. I had to put on the leather gloves, and take it from him. UGH!

 

They ARE hunters for sure.

 

Sorry you had to see this.

[Guest BorzoiMom]

On our walk yesterday morning I let Dutch tree a squirrel and stood there watching it. Dutch was just a few inches from the trunk watching the squirrel and the squirrel came down the trunk just 2 squirrel steps away from Dutch's nose! As the squirrel came down the tree I'm shortening and tightening my grip on the lead, but Dutch didn't do anything but watch! It was a baby or freshly weaned little male who even had his little hackles up on his back.

[Guest BayberryFam]

Thanks, guess we'll have to get used to it! HubCity, that's funny (about the notches).

[Guest lynne893]

Our first greyhound Gracie had two interesting encounters with squirrels. First, she spotted one real close to her while we were on our walk. I didn't notice it until Gracie launched herself 4 feet in the air, trying to jump up and get the squirrel, she didn't, but she fell four feet up to flat on her BACK on the concrete. Scared the )@%&*% out of me! I had just adopted Gracie and thought for SURE she'd broken her back. Nope, just fine, not a scratch. Went happily along her way.

 

Then, a few months later on a walk, Gracie was nuzzling around in a shrub, I pulled her out of it and what did she have? A long-dead squirrel in her mouth. She looked surprised that she "caught" it, but I think it had been killed by a car or something. She was stunned, I was stunned, and I just had to tell her to drop it and that was that. I don't think she had a plan for when she CAUGHT the darn things

[JaneW]

I'm sorry you found it traumatic. I grew up on a farm so I cannot imagine what it would be like to not be used to such things. Though I admit I was a bit unhappy to have to kill the woodchuck Greta caught but only injured in our yard...

[Guest BooBooMama]

Such a traumatic experience for you! My first grey baby, Jen was small and fast. The first week I had her she decapitated a bird right in front of my eyes. I have never forgotten it. It is a cruel fact of life that these dogs are bred to kill small prey- they can't be blamed but what a horrific experience for us to witness. My friend puts a bell on her dog's collar when he is in the yard and swears that he has not been able to sneak up on any critters since. Maybe a silly solution but it might make you feel better.