Somebody had seen the dog on the street, and she said her son saw a black Patterdale in the garden. I know some dogs will attack chickens, does he have to be put down now?Oh @doggie1 - how sad and frustrating for youDoes she know it was defiantly a dog attack? Can you be sure it was Eddi?
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Oh no - that is a real shame.
I'm afraid I have never been or know anyone that's been in that situation. I guess it leads to whether he would have that instinct with other dogs and humans if he got out again? Is his escape something that could be resolved? Now you know he will act on that instinct I guess you just have to work harder to prevent it happening again.
I'm no expert at all in terrier breeds but I would have thought quite a few breeds would have that same instinct?
I'm afraid I have never been or know anyone that's been in that situation. I guess it leads to whether he would have that instinct with other dogs and humans if he got out again? Is his escape something that could be resolved? Now you know he will act on that instinct I guess you just have to work harder to prevent it happening again.
I'm no expert at all in terrier breeds but I would have thought quite a few breeds would have that same instinct?
He did get out twice in the first week we had him. the first time he was just in the field at the back in the brambles, OH wanted to take him back to the rescue centre, I wish we had, but I felt sorry for the dog. The second time he did go down a fox hole and came off worst, all superficial, we did wonder whether or not to get rid of him then. We have a bit of land at the side of our garden and the first time he managed to get under the fence. I've made it totally Eddi proof now.
Unfortunately we have two gates to the front garden, one to the land the other to the side which then has another gate onto the land. OH opened the side gate, but the wood has swollen with the damp weather, so he just pulled it and it stuck, so he didn't bolt it, he just thought it would be OK as he was going to go back that way. He then opened the gates that were directly on to the land as he was going to take the car down. He went through the wrong gate back into the house, had a cup of tea, the dog was in the house the whole of this time, he then went down onto the land with the dog, thne realised he was missing. He remembered that he hadn't locked the side gate and the wind must have blown it open and off went Eddi.
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@doggie1 it all depends on what the chicken person says if they are a decent person they wont press charges or get the police involved. But some people are crule...
I know people say I wish Id taken him back but I swear that if you did your life would be different. You can also tell the chicken people that he was a rescue, they should take it into consideration.
I know people say I wish Id taken him back but I swear that if you did your life would be different. You can also tell the chicken people that he was a rescue, they should take it into consideration.
I've offered to pay for the chicken, but she doesn't want me tom nor does she want us to get rid of Eddi, she's been really good about it.
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Very understanding
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No, he won't have to be put down, and I don't think criminal charges would be involved. I think I'm right in saying that if it was an accident, and if you had taken reasonable measures to prevent it happening, then the law is on your side. You didn't even know your neighbour had chickens so you couldn't have foreseen this.
Eddi is completely normal in this respect - many self-respecting dogs would do the same and it doesn't make them vicious, bad, or anything else of that sort.
Our neighbour has chickens, but we have a 6' fence on that side of the garden, and Jasper isn't a jumper (some surprisingly small dogs can get over a 6' fence). A couple of times a chicken has got into our garden, but luckily the neighbour has noticed before J went into the garden. But she accepts that if a chicken was ever in our garden when J was out then it would be likely to become his tea.
What you do need to do though is make your garden as secure as Fort Knox, particularly now he knows there he can find chickens. This might involve new fences, gates that you always close securely, or whatever. Or you fence off a portion of the garden where he can run free without having access to gates, low fences, fences he could dig under, etc.
Eddi is completely normal in this respect - many self-respecting dogs would do the same and it doesn't make them vicious, bad, or anything else of that sort.
Our neighbour has chickens, but we have a 6' fence on that side of the garden, and Jasper isn't a jumper (some surprisingly small dogs can get over a 6' fence). A couple of times a chicken has got into our garden, but luckily the neighbour has noticed before J went into the garden. But she accepts that if a chicken was ever in our garden when J was out then it would be likely to become his tea.
What you do need to do though is make your garden as secure as Fort Knox, particularly now he knows there he can find chickens. This might involve new fences, gates that you always close securely, or whatever. Or you fence off a portion of the garden where he can run free without having access to gates, low fences, fences he could dig under, etc.
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in all fairness to the chickens, 3 isn't enuf for a happy flock - 5 is the recommended minimum, so that there is no possibility of 1 bird being harassed by the other 2. // I'd ask the neighbor if they'd want to expand their flock & add 3 more hens, & i'd reimburse her for one - or even 2!
U might consider putting a padlock on the gates, so that no one can accidentally fail to secure the gate & not realize it, nor can any passerby open the gate & let the dog out. Kids are prone to let dogs out with or w/o asking permission, & the dog's owner is responsible, legally, for anything they do while abroad - for instance, if someone tried to dodge the dog while he crossed a street & that driver hit another car, the dog's owner has to pay for repairs to both vehicles, & possibly also cover lost time from work, etc, if anyone is hurt.
A predatory dog is a particular kind of risk, but a dog who escapes to roam is a risk to themselves, as well as to the family finances. I wouldn't get rid of him, but i'd want to be SURE he wouldn't get out.
U might want a tracking-unit on his collar, to find him quickly should he get out? // Some also alert U by phone as soon as the dog crosses a set boundary.
- terry
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in all fairness to the chickens, 3 isn't enuf for a happy flock - 5 is the recommended minimum, so that there is no possibility of 1 bird being harassed by the other 2. // I'd ask the neighbor if they'd want to expand their flock & add 3 more hens, & i'd reimburse her for one - or even 2!
U might consider putting a padlock on the gates, so that no one can accidentally fail to secure the gate & not realize it, nor can any passerby open the gate & let the dog out. Kids are prone to let dogs out with or w/o asking permission, & the dog's owner is responsible, legally, for anything they do while abroad - for instance, if someone tried to dodge the dog while he crossed a street & that driver hit another car, the dog's owner has to pay for repairs to both vehicles, & possibly also cover lost time from work, etc, if anyone is hurt.
A predatory dog is a particular kind of risk, but a dog who escapes to roam is a risk to themselves, as well as to the family finances.
I wouldn't get rid of him, but i'd want to be SURE he wouldn't get out.U might want a tracking-unit on his collar, to find him quickly should he get out? // Some also alert U by phone as soon as the dog crosses a set boundary.
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I can’t say for all dogs, but I know that Misty would go after anything that moved. Birds, squirrels, cats, rats, mice etc. I guess it is their natural instinct. Misty caught a mouse once, then was so shocked she didn’t know what to do with it so let it go! I think for her it’s all the fun of the chase. I can imagine a chicken is quite easy to catch, and I’m sure Eddi didn’t mean to do it harm, he probably just wanted to play. Once Misty caught a grasshopper and played with it too hard and she looked at me with her big sad eyes because it wasn’t playing anymore!
IMO I wouldn’t even contemplate getting rid of Eddi in any sense of the word. Just because he was seen out is no proof that he attacked the chicken. Perhaps your neighbour will think about securing their garden from dogs/cats/foxes.
IMO I wouldn’t even contemplate getting rid of Eddi in any sense of the word. Just because he was seen out is no proof that he attacked the chicken. Perhaps your neighbour will think about securing their garden from dogs/cats/foxes.
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So what do you see on the morning walk? This morning we saw a rabbit some geese a couple of herons a cute windmill and a polar bear!
Its not a very clear shot but then again Im glad it wasnt any nearer, that fence doesnt look polar bear proof to me!
Its not a very clear shot but then again Im glad it wasnt any nearer, that fence doesnt look polar bear proof to me!
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@doggie1 Ive only just read your post.. Very sad indeed.
The thing is all dogs have prey drive its just that some are more advanced than others and accidents do happen.
A lady I worked for had a bouvier who was such a wonderful dog she always said he was more mine than hers but he always played with thier lab by chasing and pulling the other dogs leg. One day out local council in their wisdom put sheep in a paddock next to the dog park ..Jumbo jumped the ditch and played with the sheep. He really did just do exactly what he did with his mate he ran and grabbed a couple of sheep by the leg but one struggeld and the skin was ripped another ran headlong into the canal and drowned. Jumbo was PTS on police orders, I was devestated because to me it was a question of human error all round. With good training Jumbos recall would have been much better, with training he would have played differently , with better planning no one would have put a flock of sheep right next to a dog park without a decent fence but thats humans for you.
With planning, with controls, and with training Im sure that Eddi could be a wonderful dog but accidents are excatly that you cannot foresee everything. Dont beat yourself up about it learn from it and help Eddi get better at controling himself.
The thing is all dogs have prey drive its just that some are more advanced than others and accidents do happen.
A lady I worked for had a bouvier who was such a wonderful dog she always said he was more mine than hers but he always played with thier lab by chasing and pulling the other dogs leg. One day out local council in their wisdom put sheep in a paddock next to the dog park ..Jumbo jumped the ditch and played with the sheep. He really did just do exactly what he did with his mate he ran and grabbed a couple of sheep by the leg but one struggeld and the skin was ripped another ran headlong into the canal and drowned. Jumbo was PTS on police orders, I was devestated because to me it was a question of human error all round. With good training Jumbos recall would have been much better, with training he would have played differently , with better planning no one would have put a flock of sheep right next to a dog park without a decent fence but thats humans for you.
With planning, with controls, and with training Im sure that Eddi could be a wonderful dog but accidents are excatly that you cannot foresee everything. Dont beat yourself up about it learn from it and help Eddi get better at controling himself.
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wow a polar bear. The poor chap looks very muddy!
I’m guessing a zoo or wildlife park near you @Mad Murphy ?
I’m guessing a zoo or wildlife park near you @Mad Murphy ?
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Indeed , its a small zoo. Used to be an oter park but the otters all escaped.. Its been taken over and turned into a small zoo they had deer antelope, emus, birds and small mammels etc I had no idea they had polar bears!
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I hope the polar bears are less accomplished!
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Sorry to hear it @doggie1. I think the advice is as others have written - secure your fences/gates and Eddi when he's out and about. I know how you feel - in the past our dog has escaped my grasp chasing cats/dogs and it does shock and set you back, but you will recover from it, especially as your neighbour has been so understanding.
The garden is totally secure. OH was going to go back through one gate, Eddi was in the house at this point, and he has a memory like a sieve with holes in it, and he went in through the other gate that he's just unpadlocked. I spent weeks Eddi- proofing the whole area that Eddi can play in without being leashed or tethered. It was just one of those things. OH came back in the house and had a cup of tea before he went out with the dog. The dog must have wandered back to the house, seen the gate open and bolted. We were so pleased with him on Saturday as he came to find me and came when he was called. Ah well.
@arealhuman did the your dog hurt any of the cats or dogs? Did he come back straight away?
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Is anyone expecting a special delivery? There were about 6 of these guys circling overhead when we went out this afternoon.. Managed to snap this one when it landed.
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No and no! He's got off the lead a couple of times (tripped me up, that's why I let go and managed to get out of his harness once) and chased after cats but never caught them. He completely ignored me and I had to catch him by chasing after him and waiting for him to stop. Dogs, eh?
Eddi was interested, but even he's not hard enough to get that. He's mad at me, I went for a run and didn't take him. He goes running if OH takes him alone or we go together, he was heading for the door as I put my tracksuit top on, had to disappoint him. Now he wants to play, better oblige!
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These Patterdales are dead soft. I've just got all togged up ready to go out in the rain, Plastics trousers the lot and he ran back inside. I called him and he sat down. Softy!
ETA Should have listened to the dog. There was a slight lull in the rain, so I took him. Two minutes in, torrential rain. i'm soaked!
ETA Should have listened to the dog. There was a slight lull in the rain, so I took him. Two minutes in, torrential rain. i'm soaked!
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