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Does my dog want to eat or play with Mr. chipmunk?

8.9K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  Donna5503  
#1 ·
At our house, my dog likes to lie down near the patio glass doors which leads to our backyard. She likes to look outside and watch the trees and leaves. Every once in a while, she will see a chipmunk which then gets her up and she barks a little and follows it. Then she'll sit down and wag her tail while watching it. I've taught her to greet other dogs by sitting first and she seems to be in the same sit position when she sees the chipmunk.

Keep in mind my dog is very friendly but at the same time has very high prey drive. So if I let her out, do you think she will eat Mr. Chipmunk or play with Mr. Chipmunk?
 
#4 ·
We, and a red squirrel in our yard, underestimated the prey drive and quickness of my daughter's miniature schnauzer and the squirrel paid the ultimate price. None of the more formidible hunting breeds I've had has ever been able to catch a squirrel.

Zeke will spend hours watching some pet mice in an aquarium but, I'm quite sure that they would be doomed if they ever escaped.

I don't think a chipmunk would enjoy meeting your dog close up.
 
#8 ·
Most likely, she isn't exhibiting any play language with the sit and wag. You've taught her an operant ability that gets her what she wants. What she wants this time is to savagely tear apart a chipmunk.

Terriers were bred for a LONG time specifically to hunt this type of animal. I highly doubt she wants to play.
 
#10 ·
The only thing is that when I have her sit for other things like, waiting for me to open the door, or for food she does not wag her tail. She seems to wag it when she is going to meet another dog or when I have her sit before I throw the ball for a game of fetch. So her sit combined with wagging seems to be reserved for play.
 
#9 ·
When I was a kid, we had a mutt who looked like a Fox Terrier (or JRT) X Whippet cross. That girl was on an anti-rodent Jihad. She was the fastest dog I've ever seen with my own eyes, and her onboard computer was infallible for calculating when a squirrel/chipmunk/ground hog was beyond his safe zone for returning to shelter. If she launched, it was already over. She never missed.

I'll bet that if you let your Westie "play" with chipmunks, your life will never be the same...to say nothing of the chipmunk's.
 
#19 ·
My Dog loves playing with anything......and he's very fast --- he's always on the lookout for squirrels --- he's already caught one & a bird --- unfortunately they didn't survive ....

I like to think he was only playing & not trying to do them in....:)......but I can't get mad at him --- it's his instinct ....just make sure your dog has his rabies shots ....:(