Opinions Please

[beachdogz]

I live in a rural area.  My 2 acres are fenced and I also have a large, fenced exercise area from the side of the house.  I have screened porches in front and in back of the house.  Across the road there is a now-cleared field (in past years it used to be wooded.)  And, of course, we have deer.  My dogs are used to seeing the deer.  Sometimes when we take them out in the exercise area at night before bed, there might be deer sleeping in the yard.  The dogs will alert on them, and may whine or pace, but they will focus back to us when directed. They usually then just do their business and then come in.  I have had a rare time or two when one has wandered into the yard when the dogs were out, and they will respond to a stay command and come with me to put them away.  We try to be careful and look before letting them out in the big yard, so I have yet to have an incident where they were out and a deer has come in.  And I am hoping I never have to deal with that.

So recently, my husband has been sitting on the front porch watching TV in the evening.  And I noticed that the dogs, who are able to go out there and back in the house freely (because he leaves the house door open for them), are sitting at the porch door watching the deer in the field across the road.  Parker just sits and watches.  Piper watches for a while, may get up whine and circle, and then goes back to sitting.  So I come out and see this, and I say I do not want them doing this.  His answer is, "Why?  they are fine.  They are quiet and just watching."  I am not liking it.  I don't like them fixating on anything, let alone animals, and I don't encourage it.  He is not encouraging them to watch them, but he is not stopping it (by putting them in the house.)  My solution, of course, is not to let them out there in the evening when the deer are gathering there. And I bring them in.

So I am asking those of you who have been in this breed forever, am I right?  Or am I just worrying for no reason??

[Nuance]

 If your husband drinks beer or has a favorite anything. Randomly put it in his line of sight,(but don't give it to him) don't say anything, just place it down were he can see it and walk away.

If he walks and gets it at anytime , Ask him why ?

People and dogs re act very similar in ways .... if they see it they want it.

 

 

[D'Elle]

beachdogz, I think you are right. And this goes for any animal, including cats. If fascination is allowed, the next step is obsession, especially for border collies, and the next thing you know they are off and chasing the deer and your ability to call them so nicely in is lost. Not worth it to even experiment with that. Nuance is right....if they see it they will want it.

[beachdogz]

Thanks, D'Elle.  Yeah, I totally agree (which is why I told him stop), however it is nice to be able to say that people who have had BCs for years and know the breed well say it is not good to allow.  So,  just lookin' for some back-up here. lol

[urge to herd]

Question ~ Do your husband and yourself share equally in training, care, etc? If not I believe that the more involved person should have more say over the dogs' behaviors.

R & G

 

[beachdogz]

Hi Ruth

Yeah, I do all the training and feeding and vetting.  He does all the playing and snacks. Seriously though, his participation of playing is not taken lightly.  He provides a different aspect with the dogs than I do.  And lord knows he has allowed his life to be taken over by dogs for the past 47 years. He will listen to me (maybe not the first time, but eventually.)  Just wanting to make sure I am viewing this correctly, and many times I have said, "Well, the people on the Boards say ______, and they have the years experience and knowledge."  That usually ends the debate. 

[urge to herd]

1 hour ago, beachdogz said:

"Seriously though, his participation of playing is not taken lightly.  He provides a different aspect with the dogs than I do.  And lord knows he has allowed his life to be taken over by dogs for the past 47 years. He will listen to me (maybe not the first time, but eventually.)" 

thanks for the further information, beachdogz.  Makes complete sense.

R & G

 

[Journey]

How about a little bit of both? It's their house, their yard and because of deer across the street they cannot enjoy it? That sounds a bit overboard for me. Why not turn it into a game for them and a win for you? While they are out and the deer are there - interact with them and make not watching deer more fun? 

[beachdogz]

Thanks, Journey.

So that's what I'm wondering - if I'm overthinking this.  I try to read my dogs.  When they are in the play yard, and the deer come in the big yard, they certainly alert to them.  And they will run back and forth and whimper. Sometimes Parker might put his front paws up on the fence, for which I give him the "eh-eh" sound.  I call them off and they quickly return to me with no problem.  They don't even bark at them.  

I think what bothers me is that when my husband had them on the porch, they were glued to the door, watching the deer (sometimes there are only a few, and other times there can be 14 or more.)  No barking, no whimpering, and never aggressive lunging like some dogs would do (the deer are not really moving over there, they are more like grazing.)   If I had to describe it, it's like they are mesmerized or fascinated. And that makes me feel like it is obsessive, or could become obsessive.  Of course, there's nothing I can do about the deer - they come and go as they please and jump the fences with no problem. So we all have to learn to live with them.  

Maybe I am wrong to think that this could lead to a bad problem;  I just don't know.  I try really hard to be on top of things before they get out of hand. 

[Journey]

14 hours ago, beachdogz said:

Maybe I am wrong to think that this could lead to a bad problem;  I just don't know.  I try really hard to be on top of things before they get out of hand.

We all do but at the same time we have to let them be dog! I can understand your quandary. The way to know if it has or is becoming an obsession is to test your recall and games after a good bit of "deer watching". Should they fail you know the time to watch was too long, build it back up from there. I think that by hiding or taking away the deer they tend to become more fixated on them when they do see them..

[beachdogz]

11 hours ago, Journey said:

The way to know if it has or is becoming an obsession is to test your recall and games after a good bit of "deer watching". Should they fail you know the time to watch was too long, build it back up from there. I think that by hiding or taking away the deer they tend to become more fixated on them when they do see them..

Oh wow, that's great!  That's a good thing to know.  Now I have a way to check all things, not just deer.  They will totally leave the door and quit watching when told to do something else. But I will keep my eye on it.   I never thought of it, but I can see that they could become more fixated on them by taking the view away -- sort of like the way kids are!   Thanks again, Journey!