[Roxy]

Ok apart from killing the squirrel... any clues on how to get Roxy (with a high prey drive) to stop chasing it?

She has injured herself running threw our trees, nearly knocked a 6ft fence panel down to get it....

Here's what I have done

Training leash on. She just stands in the garden staring at it and pinning... she know this leash is for correction.

I have tried the shaker in the face, nope she just looks above around and still pines for the squirrel.

Balloon. We all know she has a fear of them, got some and put them on the fence, they pop she don't care.

She has such a will to kill this thing for nearly two years now, I'm scared that if she see it on the street she will end up getting herself killed.

So what can I do now?

 

[Lisa]

Any dog with prey drive is going to want to chase squirrels. Why are you so adamant about stopping her? I am assuming your backyard is fenced and when she is out in public she is leashed? Not sure what the problem is.

 

[Cookies Mom]

Any dog with prey drive is going to want to chase squirrels. Why are you so adamant about stopping her? I am assuming your backyard is fenced and when she is out in public she is leashed? Not sure what the problem is.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Roxy]

Any dog with prey drive is going to want to chase squirrels. Why are you so adamant about stopping her? I am assuming your backyard is fenced and when she is out in public she is leashed? Not sure what the problem is.

She barks, don't want the neighbours to complain. She has torn up the garden at the speed she travels across the garden.

So why...

She may knock Jamie over
The barking is going to drive my neighbours nuts
The fence panels 6ft, she is trying to climb and is damaging them.
What if she does clear the fencing.

Prey Drive is a trainable. Is there anyway to reduced it? I know in Shutz it can be enhanced or reduced. But how, can anyone explain?

And yes, garden completely fenced, off leash only when we are in the countryside, where she loves to chase rabbits...

 

[gazar]

I have 4 dogs and they all do the same thing. I do not believe that there is a way to break them from this. I just pray for the best when I let them out. They are only allowed out back off leash and this area is fenced in. Out front they cannot get to the road because they are on the leash. Trying to get a dog not to chase a squirrel would be like trying to get a kid not to chase a ball, impossible - but there is always football gear. :wink:

 

[Roxy]

I have 4 dogs and they all do the same thing. I do not believe that there is a way to break them from this. I just pray for the best when I let them out. They are only allowed out back off leash and this area is fenced in. Out front they cannot get to the road because they are on the leash. Trying to get a dog not to chase a squirrel would be like trying to get a kid not to chase a ball, impossible - but there is always football gear. :wink:

Things will get better soon, the front garden will be the dogs and Jamie in the back garden...It is such a shame cos of a damn squirrel for TWO years now has been taunting my dog, that now I have to make sure Jamie and 1 are not out there the same time as Rox If she see it when me n jamie are playing she will just dashed straight pass us....

 

[Lisa]

You can train the dog not to chace squirrels buy using a training collar and leash. But, the minute you take that leash off and let her out in the backyard on her own she will be right back at it. Unless you leash her everytime you take her outside I am afraid there is nothing you can do about this problem.

 

[attitude]

e collar, but i know how folks on this board feel about those

 

[Family of 5]

shoot the squirrel

 

[Roxy]

shoot the squirrel

I think for once I agree with you. It's a grey squirrel, they are vermin, they killed of our native red squirrel too! But I still can't kill the bugger.

e collar, but i know how folks on this board feel about those

Yeah, I don't trust myself with one of them. But I'm also guessing that once that thing is off them they retreat to the chase again?


Thanks Lisa, I have put objects in her path to where the squirrel normally lurks, :lol: I put the guinea pig run as a distraction on the same path, so now she stops and looks at that first and thankfully I can break her attention when she starts to bark at him and he just stares at her, so he's not much fun.

I have put a log barrier in front of the fence she tries to climb, that has stopped her. But as for as her n Jamie out at the same...not going to happen unless she is leashed.

So I guess diversion and distraction may just slow her down!

Thanks guys, was a bit of stupid question, but u never know!

 

[gazar]

shoot the squirrel

I think for once I agree with you. It's a grey squirrel, they are vermin, they killed of our native red squirrel too! But I still can't kill the bugger.

Thanks Lisa, I have put objects in her path to where the squirrel normally lurks, :lol: I put the guinea pig run as a distraction on the same path, so now she stops and looks at that first and thankfully I can break her attention when she starts to bark at him and he just stares at her, so he's not much fun.

I have put a log barrier in front of the fence she tries to climb, that has stopped her. But as for as her n Jamie out at the same...not going to happen unless she is leashed.

So I guess diversion and distraction may just slow her down!

Thanks guys

Now one thing that did come to mind is to tie something like a balloon or balloon size light weight ball
(small beach ball) to her collar when she goes out - this will slow her down and distract her.

 

[Roxy]

shoot the squirrel

I think for once I agree with you. It's a grey squirrel, they are vermin, they killed of our native red squirrel too! But I still can't kill the bugger.

Thanks Lisa, I have put objects in her path to where the squirrel normally lurks, :lol: I put the guinea pig run as a distraction on the same path, so now she stops and looks at that first and thankfully I can break her attention when she starts to bark at him and he just stares at her, so he's not much fun.

I have put a log barrier in front of the fence she tries to climb, that has stopped her. But as for as her n Jamie out at the same...not going to happen unless she is leashed.

So I guess diversion and distraction may just slow her down!

Thanks guys

Now one thing that did come to mind is to tie something like a balloon or balloon size light weight ball
(small beach ball) to her collar when she goes out - this will slow her down and distract her.

Lol that may just work! or a bungie cord, she could do just as much damage on her way back :lol:

 

[Vertes3]

Hmmm...maybe you could trap the squirrel and then relocate it somewhere else, LOL.

 

[Roxy]

Hmmm...maybe you could trap the squirrel and then relocate it somewhere else, LOL.

I was driving home this morning and I saw him in the road! I put my foot down and headed for him, then stop and suddenly realised I was as bad as Roxy, so I breaked and let the squirrel cross the road.

 

[Vertes3]

Does Roxy bark at them in the car too?? My old dog used to even want to get them when he was in the car!! The whole time we drove he would have his nose pressed up against the window looking for them.....he took the obsession to a whole different level, LOL.

 

[SexyBlueChapps]

Holly is REALLY getting to us...yesterday she snapped her leash getting at a squirrel and almost got hit by a car.

We are really at our wits end...her prey drive is insane.

 

[yungster]

The squirrels drive me insane here. I have an apple tree, so they're in it all day long. Drives Heaven NUTS. I think they've caught a few. I've seen some run under the deck where Heaven sleeps... and they've never returned.

 

[Kahlua]

I know all about squirrels. I live on 22 acres of family owned property and 99% of the land is trees, I know the buggers well, they got so bad they would jump from the trees to the house and eat at the shingles. If you won't shoot them then send the squirrels away. If you make a little homemade receipe consisting of every kind of hot pepper you can imagine and mix it in paint or anything else that will stick and place it anywhere the squirrels go I can guarantee they won't come back. I haven't seen a squirrel near my house in years, they are still out there but just not close enough for my dog to see or smell.

 

[peeblerelf]

Does Roxy bark at them in the car too?? My old dog used to even want to get them when he was in the car!! The whole time we drove he would have his nose pressed up against the window looking for them.....he took the obsession to a whole different level, LOL.

Roxy does that too, only with the high pitched whining too!

You could try using a long line, but made out of string, and use that to correct her. It's light enough that she may not notice it as a leash, because there isn't the same amount of weight behind it. good luck!

 

[CowBella]

You could try hanging rubber snakes or post a plastic owl in the tree. It may help divert his pathing through the tree tops and he may begin to avoid your yard.