aussiered Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 Today I took Bonnie (8 month old BC) with me when I went to feed my horse, I take her with me most days. There is always kangaroos and wallabies in his paddock and the numbers are growing as more and more are coming in for our green grass because there's just no food for them in the bush anymore with the drought. This afternoon there was a big roo standing in the middle of the paddock and I looked up just as Bonnie saw it and ran at it. She chased this roo all the way across the paddock, through a fence and into a creek. All the while I was calling her to come back and she completely ignored me until the very end when the roo had gotten away from her anyway, and then she came back to me. The thing is I couldn't really get angry at her once she'd come back to me or else she'd think she was in trouble for coming to me when called, and I don't want that - we're still working on recall. So how do I teach her that she is not allowed to chase roos, or anything for that matter? This was a really big roo and if it decided that it wasn't going to run and had a go at her she would be seriously injured, I've seen roos attack dogs before and it's not nice. I really do not want that to happen, and next time she chases one it could. Sorry if this post is a little confusing. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelpiegirl Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 Keep her on a line. Teach her either that'll do, or leave it (not with the Roo). What is most important is getting them to ignore the animals- once they start chasing, it is nigh unto impossible to stop them (during the chase) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandra s. Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 I'd do a visual roo-check the next time you go out with her. If I saw one (and I see things long before Kessie and Kyla do; human eyes either work better at a distance or maybe dogs don't check that far ahead), I'd watch the dog very closely. The instant she started showing interest in it (body posture, pointy ears, roo-eating look in the eyes) I'd correct her as fiercely as necessary to get the message across. If she relaxed and turned her attention to me then, I'd celebrate and praise the heck out of her . Of course it will take more than one time, but she should quickly understand that you don't want her to chase. How much that bothers her depends on her temperament. I'm lucky because both of ours generally don't want to get in trouble with the rest of the pack. So, when Kessie does think about chasing the yummy mountain goats, she's very, very tentative about it and I have a lot of time to quietly remind her that, no, I wouldn't like it this time, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1sheepdoggal Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Phew, and I thought I had problems with my dogs chasing these damn feral cats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berocca Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Im going through a similar thing with Delta and dirtbikes. Alot of people have been riding them through the off leash bush area lately and once she is after them there is nothing that will get her back to me. Im glad that the riders are generally riding relatively slow and are always watching out for dogs because she will cut them off and leap out in front; but thats no guarantee that next time there wont be an idiot out there who flies past us. Basically, I have her trailing a 20 metre long thin rope. I have worked really hard on her recall lately and she knows that there is a chance I have a cat food tin thing in my pocket. Once she saw the bike that wouldnt mean a thing but at least it means I can call her to me as soon as I hear or see one and can step on the line if need be. Thankfully she hasnt worked out that the noise in the distance is related to the bikes so I always have plenty of notice. Once they are close I try to do what somebody else suggested. Reward her for ignoring it and growl at her when she tries to pull on the lead. She is very responsive to a low growl from me- she is a sensitive soul who looks as though I have just hit her across the face when I simply narrow my eyes at her! I swear people must think I abuse her the way she cowers away sometimes lol. Once she overcomes her fear of sheep we can really get stuck into the herding training. That way at least I will have a better chance at calling her off them. Is that something you could look into? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvlucy Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 hey aussie red SEND A PICTURE OF THE ROO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpups Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Not the roo aussiered was talking about, but heres one that was in my backyard the other day. Roos can cause major damage to dogs (and people) so this is a concern for me as well. And before anyone asks - no it is not common for Australians to have kangaroos in their backyards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Supercool! I know they're a nuisance to you Aussies, but they're amazing to me! I would love to see one up close and personal (er, without my dogs anywhere nearby)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger's Dad Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 This is what I love about this board. I never would have dreamed that kangaroos were a problem for anyone with dogs. Here in Tennessee the most obnoxious pest for me is skunks. Some years seem to be worse than others. Our Springer won't go near them. Hopefully Ruger has learned his lesson. Skunks are not cats. I will say I have pretty good control over Ruger. I can usually stop him on a dime when it counts. Even on a good cat chase. I work on the down command just about every time we play frisbee just to reinforce it. A good time to practice this as well is on the walk. While walking on a lead tell Bonnie down. Immediately force her down if necessary. She will learn what you are looking for. One of the other pests that we have is deer. They are plain dangerous. A friend of mine from work just had one go through the windshield of his car two weeks ago. He was in a coma for about three days and lost an eye. We have a very generous deer season but there are plenty that live here in town. Count your blessings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1sheepdoggal Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Had one jump the electric horse fence about a week ago and got in with the horses. I went down to thier pasture to check on them and there she stood, eating on a round bale like she belonged there. I think she got zapped pretty good on the way in, or had tried to get out later and was afraid of the fence. When she saw me she paniced and started running, (jumping) all over the pasture. I dropped the wire and pushed her towards the opening so she could get out, poor frantic thing. Hubby wasnt amused when I came back in and told him, he thought she should have been fair game as it was deer season at the time she was there. I dont think the deer hunts out here are very spotsman like anyway, (to easy, put down some corn, sit up in a tree and wait) so he can go get his deer the old fashioned way,.... hunt for it. Not to many skunks around my place, probably the neibhors feral cats see to that, its the big ole coons that worry me. Havent seen any in the day light around here yet, but see signs that they've been prowling around nightly. One good reason my dogs sleep in doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 That is cool. Being from Wyoming you don't see roos very often. I'd love to see one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 I can just imagine Annie and Missy if they saw a Kangaroo: "BIG rabbit!!!", and they would be gone like a shot. I once had the honor and privilege of visiting Australia (inclduing Tasmania), and thus saw some of the wildlife firsthand; Roos are fascinating, but my favorite was the Wombat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadows Mom Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Please send me a red roo for Christmas LOL, I sooo want one (yes I know it would kick my ass). I asked dad one day "Mind if a get a roo and keep it in the yard?" Dad replies "Sure!" followed by a cushion flying at him and mom yelling "Frank! You idiot!" LOL, he wants one too Then again he also told me to go out into the garage and wrestle the mommy raccoon for a baby, but she looked kind of mean and growled at me.. I think she'd have won. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 I can just imagine Annie and Missy if they saw a Kangaroo: "BIG rabbit!!!", and they would be gone like a shot. I once had the honor and privilege of visiting Australia (inclduing Tasmania), and thus saw some of the wildlife firsthand; Roos are fascinating, but my favorite was the Wombat... Yay, Bustopher - that's exciting when someone has actually visited Tasmania (or even knows it's part of Australia ). We have roos down here too, but not as big as the mainland ones. Lots of wallabies and potoroos - small version of wallabies. Agree with you about wombats -they are lovely - very cute as babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiered Posted November 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 hey aussie red SEND A PICTURE OF THE ROO I took my camera out this afternoon but it had rained (YAY RAIN!!!!) so they were all hiding somewhere. I will get you a pic though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 Yay, Bustopher - that's exciting when someone has actually visited Tasmania (or even knows it's part of Australia) I am well aware that Tasmanians are proud to be Australians, and can be easily offended if one thinks that they are an island nation unto themselves. Being sensitive to this issue, when I visited Tasmania on business after coming through Sydney, I was always careful to state that I had just come "from the mainland". Tasmania is a beautiful island, with (as you note) its own unique wildlife, and (as you also note) Wallabies are cute little critters (maybe even cuter than Roos), and certainly better tempered than Koalas; but to be honest, I never really did warm up to Tasmanian Devils. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayleegator Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 ....but to be honest, I never really did warm up to Tasmanian Devils. I've heard that the indigenous name for the Tasmanian devil translates to "the nasty one": they are famous for their bad, bad tempers, even with each other. I'm glad there are none of them around here, in far northern California! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Yes, I think only another Tasmanian devil could love one - and even they are pretty nasty to each other. In fact, that's created a real problem for them, since they are succumbing to a really nasty facial tumor disease, which seems to be a really unusual cancer in that it's transmitted from Devil to Devl through bites. Devil numbers in parts of the island are going down fairly rapidly, and that's creating other problems such as road-kill being left lying, which endangers the beautiful wedge-tailed eagles, and a proliferation of rabbits. (My Fergus had great pleasure seeing off a rabbit from my yard last night - it had been eating the rhubarb leaves - thought they were poisonous - but apparently not to rabbits!) Bustopher - I'm even more impressed - yes, the use of the term 'the mainland' is very much a Tasmanian thing - just as West Australians refere in a generic way to 'the Eastern States'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandra s. Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Yes, I think only another Tasmanian devil could love one - and even they are pretty nasty to each other I like them. They're refreshing little buggers and I'd love to get to know one or two - but after a flight of that length I'd arrive with a temper worse than theirs . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 ...just as West Australians refer in a generic way to 'the Eastern States'. And as Australians in general refer to New Zealanders as...never mind...I'd better not go there. (Dixie Girl might be monitoring my posts.) Let's just say that I found that Australians seem to believe that Wellies are the preferred footwear amongst men in New Zealand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Australians and Kiwis do have a love-hate relationship - we have a saying here in sport - doesn't matter where we come as long as we beat New Zealand! Sorry - aussiered - we do seem to have hijacked your thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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