Eating rabbit Part Two

[TotalBeginner]

Having been reassured about the puppy eating long dead rabbit, I'm now horrified as she has just found a much more recently deceased baby bunny and, though she brought it back to me initially, would not give it up and, when she realised that I was keen on having it, she ran off with it and eventually ate it. I'm worked that this may turn into a serious problem and so disappointed as otherwise her training is coming on In leaps and bounds. Having said that, I realise that it's no good having a dog who hunts, recalls and stops on the whistle if it then goes on to eat game!

What, if anything, can be done to stop this habit before it becomes entrenched? All advice gratefully received.

Many thanks!

[Cass]

'Tis the season for baby bunnies to be born. I don't run my dog in spring and early summer when birds and animals are breeding. Not only are you disturbing their reproductive cycle, but things like what you described can happen. Stay in clear cut areas where you can see everything in the area.

[Alice]

don't panic! she probably picked up on the fact that you were frantic to get it off her!

I very much doubt she would do the same with freshly shot game, or indeed cold game once she realises what's a retrieve and what's not.

[Rascal]

Agree with Cass stop walking your dog where through your inexperience/anxiety this could develop into a problem...

Introduce different retrieve items to the dog like paint rollers, half rabbit fur dummies full rabbit fur dummies and rabbit fur balls mixed in with canvas dummies and build it from there...

Leave areas where ground nesting birds, rabbits and hares are breeding for now, they have a difficult enough time of it as it is. Eating crow fodder is one thing but allowing that to continue to develop is not a good idea.

Rascal

[trekmoor]

Have you trained a "give" command yet ?

Wullie

[TotalBeginner]

I think that is something I need to make much more of, Wullie. Thing is, I don't want to start giving her a treat in return for whatever she has that I want her to give to me. So far I've trained her without use of treats at all as she is very responsive to voice and tennis balls!

[Naj]

You can train a 'give' command without using edible rewards.

[trekmoor]

I don't think I've ever trained give by using treats. I find the best way for me is to first teach a dog to "hold" any suitable object I offer it and then to train the "give."

Done in this way dogs do not seem to think they are being corrected.

Wullie

[WGD]

Have you trained a "give" command yet ?

Wullie

Like, do that again and I'm going to "give" you a foot up the backside

[dogwalker]

My dogs are 'barf' fed, we were on a walk with quite a few other dogs, some of which were obviously not barf fed, they all found a long dead deer carcase that had been mostly picked clean by scavengers, the non barf dogs were very keen to chew on the bones that were left, my dogs were not at all interested - possibly because they were barf fed and were used to much better real food. It's worth a thought.