HGerchikov

I went outside this afternoon and found the dog enthusiastically digging. When he came up for air I saw that he had a mouthful of dead grass, fur and a tiny bald creature. I encouraged him to release said creature, which he did and after a fair amount of googling I discovered that it is a really young rabbit which the dog had obviously just extracted from its nest. As this little chap is now out of his nest I don't hold out much hope for its survival, but my main concern is the rest of them as I don't have a great desire to have little bunny corpses all over the house and yard. I have explained to the dog that it's downright unacceptable behaviour and he sat very politely when I 'offed' him from the nest, but we both know that he does not have sufficient self restraint to hold onto that if I was not out there with him. Keeping the dog in is not really an option, so any suggestions?

caretaker

any suggestions?[/QUOTE]
No, but you have my sympathy.

bats

Pie?

HGerchikov

It's about the size of a small chicken wing, not going to make much of a pie, maybe in a week or two if the dog doesn't get there first

magnumpi

Just put up sign saying "keep out" that should work

HGerchikov

I thought of that but then worried that the mummy rabbit might think it meant her.

bats

Write it in dog not rabbit then she won't be able to read it.

caretaker

I suppose you'll just have to go out with Fido when he needs to go. What a stupid rabbit. Humane societies don't generally deal with wildlife and the DNR or whatever they call it there would probably not want to do anything either though you could ask. Trying to live trap them and relocate would probably turn them into coyote food. When they're big enough to exit the den on their own your dog may make friends with them (he didn't gobble the first one - promising) and you will never have another flower or vegetable in your yard, unless the neighbour's cat eats them.

HGerchikov

We have been sharing the yard with rabbits for the past ten years, most evenings it's like a little corner of teletubby land with at least two bunnies hopping about. We have managed (with the aid of fencing and raised beds) to develop a substantial vegetable garden. All the rabbits so far that have been within reach of the dog have been able to run, this is the first time we have had ones that can't move accessible to him. However, as you say, even though the dog was carrying the new born bunny around in his mouth there was not a scratch on it, the tiniest of pressures exerted by the dog would have absolutely crushed it (he is not a small dog). So it seems he didn't want to eat it, just taste it.

Tootlepootle

We had a Greyhound who used to collect Hedgehogs. He would pick them up and carry them into his crate. Bizarrely he never chose to harm any of them..... We had to deflea the house on a regular basis, especially after he took one upstairs and we didn't find it until the next morning..... you have to love your pets.....