my rotweiller killed a deer

[RockRiverTiff]

I don't feel qualified to give advice on this, but also wanted to offer you my sympathy. It must have been a very frightening situation, and I don't envy you the choice you have to make.

 

[New_Image]

I've always had big dogs, my Husky killed a chicken and a rabbit, my Shepherd chases deer although she would never kill one, shes more in it for the fun of a chase. Shes also been known to run the fence chasing horses when they run. (I do not allow them to do these things, but it has happened) My lab/pit mix had no interest in chasing or killing anything but was defiantly owner perfective towards other people. SHE is the one who we worried about and kept in a cage when not watched. Dogs have natural instincts and dogs will be dogs. Because your Rottie killed a deer doesn't mean he should be put to sleep or locked away and the key thrown out... It doesn't mean hes this way towards people either although I'd be careful of him around kids as with any big dogs. I WOULD be nervous with him around horses, foals especially, however. There isn't much difference between a horse and a deer. I wouldn't deem him too dangerous to keep or re-home though, if you wanted to keep him, keep him in a cage or on a dog run when you're not watching. If you'd rather re-home him he would make a nice only pet I am sure.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Now if anyone has a good mole/vole dog let me know I'd be happy to let it come work on my property :bgrin :bgrin

get yourself a Schnauzer

 

[mininik]

LOL Lisa

It's funny how different dogs even within the same breed have less or more of the drive in them that they were initially bred for. I have a bunch of Miniature Schnauzer clients and I think the most the majority of them would "catch" would be a squeaky toy or a ball. Similarly, my male Toy Poodle will love on birds if given the chance, while our b*tch would rather eat them and anything else that tries to take flight. One of our Boxers will guard the home, while the other would welcome intruders. I'm not sure WHAT the Doxiepoo is going to turn into yet!

 

[Ashley]

QUOTE(runamuk @ Oct 24 2007, 02:20 PM)
Now if anyone has a good mole/vole dog let me know I'd be happy to let it come work on my property

get yourself a Schnauzer

Or any of my three would be good, I got a boxer, cocker or boston.

 

[White Socks Miniature]

I just have to say I would definately get the dog evaluated. The dog was only acting upon his natural predatory instincts. Unfortunately now that he has learned that he can chase, hunt and kill a deer, cat, ect. He has also lost any inhibition towards this behaviour, and is most likely to do it again. We had a similar problem with a dog that came into the pet clinic. The owners decided to re home her and she went to a home with a couple who did not want children and lived in the city and she has done wonderfully! There are lots of choices to explore!

I know its a tough decision! Good luck!

Cheers

Masako

 

[HGFarm]

Yes, the dog my daughter had was wonderful with the grandkids. It was great for them to come home from school one day and find the chinchillas cage had been worked on til it came apart enough for the dog to kill them.

Then came the horse, and when the neighbor tried to interfere, the dog turned on him too. He was a great dog with the family and kids.... Notice I said WAS.

I have seen TOO MANY issues with dogs that are allowed to run free and attack what they want. Ask Tony and some of the other forum members here who have pics to post on what was left of the carnage. I do not tolerate any dog attacks.

I have two large dogs that protect the place- without killing anything and I dont need/want a dog that I can't trust on the place - with my animals or other animals in surrounding areas.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I have two large dogs that protect the place- without killing anything and I dont need/want a dog that I can't trust on the place - with my animals or other animals in surrounding areas.

Just playing devils advocate here but if one of your 2 large dogs that protect your place, killed an intruding dog would you then have them put down since they then had a "taste of blood" or have proven that "could" kill?

being that they were doing there job many times it takes more then a bark or two to keep other dogs at bay.

and if you would not get rid of them is it then possible that this dog thought of the deer on its property as a threat? (we dont know the dog so we dont know but is that a possiblity?)

again honestly not challenging you just wondering what your thoughts are on the above scenario with your own dogs

 

[palominogirl]

i have a dog who has killed rabbits and cats she chases two cats that we have inside if they run she will chase but if they stand there she wont do anything. she is part rotty i think re homing your dog is kinda a bit over reacting. maybe the dog seen the deer run and took off after it. from my own opinion i wouldnt get rid of the dog. but good luck with your decision

and just because this happened doesnt make the dog dangerous. its a dog being a dog things happen. just because the dog killed the deer doesnt mean you have to send him to a professional build a run pen that is fenced in but the dog can still run thats wat we made set his limits my dog isnt allowed around our horses and if she gets out you wont see her around the barn. if the dog killed the deer it could have been through instincts i dont think it would be necessary to put the dog down or send him away or find professional help for the dog

good luck

britt

 

[runamuk]

Yes, the dog my daughter had was wonderful with the grandkids. It was great for them to come home from school one day and find the chinchillas cage had been worked on til it came apart enough for the dog to kill them.

Then came the horse, and when the neighbor tried to interfere, the dog turned on him too. He was a great dog with the family and kids.... Notice I said WAS.

My question is what breed was this dog? And chinchillas rarely are a good choice of pet to be left in a cage where a dog could gain access. Whenever I have had caged pets along with dogs and cats, all animals could be kept safely away from each other if I am gone, crates, seperate rooms, garages, kennel runs, tethers. It is my responsibility to keep my animals safe and sometimes this means safe from each other.

As for your guardians, if push comes to shove and these are LGD's they will kill.

 

[HGFarm]

Lisa, regarding my dogs possibly killing an 'intruding' dog.... my dogs are not of the 'disposition' to do so, first of all- and my point is, I would not own one that was. I have had dogs- and some type of livestock, all my life, and have never found the need for a dog to kill anything. Dogs can chase off an intruding dog or other animal (my current place is also fenced where they cannot get in in the first place) without having to kill everything that comes on the place. Mine will bark warnings when something is going on and I actually get up to CHECK why they are barking- many people tune it out and pay no attention at all to what Fido is doing all day.

Would I allow my dogs to bite someone every time somebody came to the door? No... it's basicly the same thing. You can have a well behaved safe trustworthy dog that is a good watchdog - and then you can have one that is allowed to do whatever it wants, and end up with problems, depending on the conditions of where you live.

I have seen strange dogs fight (not mine) and none of them killed each other- once the pecking order was established, that was it. There is a difference in a dog protecting property and things, and a dog killing things.

There was never a day on any of the ranches that we worked on that we didnt pack a gun every day of our life- and it was not from our own dogs, who were in the yard when not working with us. It was from dogs from 'town' that ran all day and packed up to chase/kill livestock and other things. (in addition to the snakes and other issues that may arise in that type of livestyle). I feel pretty 'naked' doing a desk job now.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Ok again I am not challenging you if we were in person and this was not in type it would just be a conversation

: but..

if your dogs wouldnt "kill" anything that came into your yard while you are not home then are they truly protecting you or your livestock/property?

Of course not every dog fight ends in a dead dog however.. a dog who is protecting his territory is usually willing to fight to the death if need be to protect his territory and home and or owner

I have dogs who will let me know if someone is on the property which is great when I am around to check it out however I have no issue having a dog who will "back it up" when I am not here. To me that is the whole reason of having a dog that will guard things as well as protect my house and my family.

LOL Just ask runamuck who is a very experienced dog person including rescues with agressive and fear agressive dogs... she opened my front door when I wasnt here and never made it past the laundry room hee hee

Dont get me wrong I am not defending the dog owners who allow there dogs to run wild. HOwever personally I am not sure I would be so willing to give up on a dog so quickly assuming I knew the dog and the circumstances which led to him/her killing a intruder of any kind

 

[New_Image]

Just a thought.... Hunting has started, was this deer injured? A healthy deer is generally faster then a rottie and its quite and accomplishment for him to take down a happy, healthy deer with no help. Might be off topic.

 

[runamuk]

Just a thought.... Hunting has started, was this deer injured? A healthy deer is generally faster then a rottie and its quite and accomplishment for him to take down a happy, healthy deer with no help. Might be off topic.

That thought crossed my mind as well.

LOL Just ask runamuck who is a very experienced dog person including rescues with agressive and fear agressive dogs... she opened my front door when I wasnt here and never made it past the laundry room hee hee

And it sure wasn't your pitbull....LOL..he just said "oh HI" wag wag wag :bgrin :bgrin

I also do NOT defend anyone who lets their dogs roam free to do what they will. But I do defend a dog doing a job on it's own property.

 

[JumpinJackFarm]

You most certinally have a lot of good advise here.

You have such a hard decision to make

I truely believe that ANY dog can loose it at ANY time. We had a younger friend years ago that had a Rott and the dog went crazy for cats and I am sure killed some or at least got the taste. The dog then started turning on dogs. The dog was nuts!! He even attacked my SharPei blend dog. My Bruno put up a pretty good fight and gave my Hubby enough time to go get a shovel and beat the Rott off him. If that dog would have done that to a child.... the child would have been real messed up or worse :no:

We had a Shephard that hated people.... his purpose in life was to protect us. He couldn't help himself he was just hard wired that way. That is how we met our neighbors when we moved in to our home...we introduced ourselves...gave them a picture of Calvin and our phone number and basically told them "if you see him...get in your home and call us". He never got out/loose because we had him on a "Pully Run" that was fenced as well ... so it can be done, having a troublesome dog. Be careful with him...for your own safety too...he could have a brain tumor or something like that?

My thoughts will be with you ~ Teri

 

[HGFarm]

"if your dogs wouldnt "kill" anything that came into your yard while you are not home then are they truly protecting you or your livestock/property?"

That is why I have a .45.

Again, my horses are in a fence, inside another fence. My neighbors are retired and home all the time and check on the place, in addition to my nephew who goes to school in the evenings when I am home.

I have also had many dogs, of many different kinds. I have worked a variety of cattle dogs, trained an Akita in obedience and showed him to his CD in four shows. I have had dogs as pets, etc...

I've been on the earth for a few years now- no longer a spring chicken (or even a summer one I dont think

: ) and in all kinds of situtations have never needed a dog that would kill. Will they bite when NEED be? Yes, they will and have had them come to my aid a couple of times when they THOUGHT I needed help....

<inserting amusing story or two here> We used to get bats up under the eaves of one of the old ranch houses we lived in. I cannot stand bats (- you know, the usual visions of having them tangled up in your long hair, etc..) and to thin them out since we had so many, I used to get rid of the ones on the house (they were trying to move IN) hanging under the eave with snakeshot. I went out one evening just at dark, and when I shot at them this time, one fell straight down, a couple took off, one came toward me and fell dead right at my feet and one went RIGHT over my right shoulder! Of course, like an idiot in snake country being out there in shorts and barefeet, I screamed as it went over my shoulder and the other landed at my toes! The dogs, hearing the shot and me scream, both jumped up and were about to come out the front window-(no, it was not open) and I had to yell NO and tell them it was all ok. They were ok then.

Another time I locked my daughter out by accident- I thought she was in the house in bed, and had forgotten that she had gone to a friends. I locked the front door and went to bed. My dog- a border collie and queensland heeler, slept next to my bed all his life. He was a large dog-85 pounds and looked like a big black german shepard. Late at night I woke up to him laying beside the bed growling. I didnt move but glanced down to see his hair up, he was stiff as a board and still growling, and staring at the door in my room that led right out to the side yard, which was not fenced. There was a very large window to pass before getting to the door and I saw a person's silouette coming by the window to the door! I thought maybe it was the neighbors next door and the light past their place made the shadow look larger, but no, it was a person outside the door, and as I am laying there taking this all in, realized that I had NOT locked the door!! I moved my hand to the pistol by the bed but by that time the dog was on his feet, hair straight up, still beside the bed but in 'launch' position now.

HOPING it was maybe a neighborhood kid going by (though I couldnt imagine why they would be outside the house) my eyes really popped open when the door knob actually turned and began to open. I didnt have time to even move, because the dog was already in mid air as the person started to enter and he caught her scent just as my daughter said 'Mom!! Why did you lock me out??!!' The dog dropped and was quite happy to see her, but he was doing his job. I had to recover from a heart attack. (First rule of gun safety, you dont shoot at something you cant see or identify and I would never have had time- the dog was there first. )

Will my dogs protect me? You bet. (Well, I'm not too sure about the one, but the other I have no doubt) However, they do not just go around the property killing cats, rabbits. They know their job and place when they are NEEDED- they do not just attack anything that comes on the place. (That's my job, LOL)

My point is, a dog can be a good watch dog when needed- without killing stuff. Should a person not real familiar with my dogs go in the back yard when I'm not home? I wouldnt recommend it and couldnt guarantee anything, but I certainly would not expect to come home and find a leg on the back porch and a couple of arms under the tree by the hay shed. Should anyone try to let themselves into the house in the dark at night? Hahaha, I'd like to see it.

Dogs can sense when someone, or something is being 'sneaky' or is 'creeping around', or when things are not right, etc... and in my opinion, there is no need to have one that randomly kills something, like a deer, a foal, or a calf because it is running around in play, or bounds through the property. That is not a threatening gesture.

So a dog will not attack 'it's own' horses, calves, etc.. but will attack the neighbors that is not his to 'guard' if it gets out or through the fence and he knows it's not 'his'?? Livestock, deer, etc.. are not a 'threat' to a dog's property and empire that it is in charge of. Neither is the barn cat. Someone had forgotten to tell my neighbor's dogs that it was ok to kill wildlife but NOT the caretaker's kids. The third time was the last time- and it got worse each time. Had they not been close by that time.....

My personal experience with dogs that like killing things, vs. doing it's job as NEEDED as a guardian is that there is a BIG disaster waiting to happen. Being a guard dog does not mean random helter skelter killing of anything and everything.

Just my opinion from a few decades of experience...

 

[runamuk]

Obviously we will have to agree (or not) to disagree.

I will not believe that a coursing breed that kills a cat or rabbit in its yard or in the field for that matter is a dangerous dog. I know far too many that are wonderful dogs that also course hares.

And I will never think that a LGD that kills a coyote protecting its flock is a dangerous dog.

And if a terrier kills rats and mice in the barn I also do not deem that a dangerous dog.

I also will not own any of these breeds if I cannot house, train, and properly protect them from outsiders who do not understand their purpose and function. To do so would be a disservice to the people preserving these dogs for future generations.

As for the rotti definately seek some help from a qualified dog behaviorist preferably familiar with rottweilers.

 

[minimule]

Hope she doesn't mind me posting this but she did have the dog put down today. It's all over with.

I do have to add that some of you are pretty harsh on here. One of the reasons a lot of folks don't post as much as they used to. :nono:

 

[capall beag]

One Q, Were they your cats that the dog killed?

My dogs might hunt down an animal/bird in the woods but they wouldn't hurt anything living here.

My labrador killed a neighbors chicken, many years back, but she would never hurt one of mine.

I have 4 dogs, 2 are jrt's. I free range my hens and have barncats. My dogs KNOW to walk away from the chickens and cats even if provoked and they do.

But the jrt's would definately chase a cat in the woods and would chase and kill squirrels and chipmunks in the woods, given a chance.

If any dog of mine killed any of our pets I would get rid of them immediately.

I don't know that your Rottie will pose a threat to your horses or not but maybe it is not worth the chance??

To actually kill the deer, rather than just take it down, must have been a very aggressive attack...........

It would seem to me you have an aggressive protector not just a protective dog.

I wouldn't choose to own an aggressive dog.

Either way it must be a difficult decision for you

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I am very sorry I know how hard that must have been. No judgements here just honest sympothy for what she went thru today