Oh, rats!

[WildThings]

Tess and Fiona had a new expeirence this weekend. My dad had let them out in the backyard Saturday morning, then was watching them through the kitchen window. He said Fi was grabbing at something in the landscaping, finally grabbed something and ran with it. Tess of course saw her have something so ran to join her. He went out to stop them, afraid they had a squirrel (they are under strict instructions to not hunt animals in the backyard). Well, it was not a squirrel they had, but instead a very large river rat . Fiona had already killed it before he got out there...once it was dead she let Tess have it since she was perfectly happy to play with a dead rat. He was so proud of them...he despies rats, more than any other creature around. I am just completely grossed out by this...I told her there are just some things you should not put in your mouth...dirty, disgusting river rats are close to the top of that list. Of course now, any time they go outside they both go search the yard for anymore (which there better not be any of). I really don't think Tess would touch anything that was still alive, she has no interest in chasing small animals, but she is all for playing with something already dead.

Fortunately, he said it didn't look they broke the skin on it at all and I check Fi to make sure it didn't bite back...just incase it had something.

[Jeff&Peks]

Pekoe never breaks the skin with her kills eather she just shakes them to death to break thier neck then walks around proudly. I called the vet once about it and he said as long as they are up on rabies shots it shouldn't be a problem but you can go in for a booster. He also said that if they had to give boosters every time a dog killed a rodent they wouldn't be able to keep up so not to worry about it.

[vicster605]

Well, Amanda, they could of brought it to you for a present Sounds like they had fun though........glad the thing didn't bite Fiona, she may still have some of that street girl in her yet lol If you don't have a toy, toss a rat around for fun Had a kitty bring me a little one once.....then I spent the rest of my time wondering where the things brothers,sisters, Mom & Dad were

[sit_by_the_beach]

My chow's favourite activity is to chase chipmunks by the lake. Fine with the neighbours 'caus chipmunks do a lot of damage in the vegetable gardens. The chow does one bite, the animal is dead. The cat, that's a different story, she disects poor little Alvin.

[chowfrnd88]

Wow, what an adventure!

[TJordan]

Well glad she is ok. She is just a hunter. My first chow Chan was a mouser. (We didn't have anything big enough to be a rat, thankfully) He would empty the garage piece by piece until he got it. Then promptly lay it on the sidewalk where we would have step over it to prove he was on a mission and had succeded.

[puddinglove]

Haha, I know what you mean about "some things you just should not put in your mouth". As many kisses as Pudding give us and we get her, I try to keep tabs on her oral hygiene! The time she chewed up a dead squirrel, I brushed her teeth three times and wouldn't let her kiss me for the whole day.

It is very good to know that the river rat didn't bite, though.

[WildThings]

Fi has turned into kind of a gross dog. She is going to have to attend Madame Tess's School of Manners and Ettiquite because she has also taken to rolling in things that make her momma want to vomit while I clean them out of her fur. Tess would never do something so barbaric as to kill something (although she has no problem playing with them once they are dead) or roll in something that requires being cleaned out of her fur.

Don't let them fool anyone though, they have a toy basket comparable to any human child, not to mention the weekly trips to the pet store for chewies. Although after the rat incident, I think we should probably stop visiting the Guinea Pigs. I always thought she was getting excited like she does when she sees other dogs or cats, now I have a feeling she gets excited like she would like to use them for hunting practice.

[Auddymay]

Cindy Swan's Kodi also loves to roll in all things disgusting. Hard to believe either of these pretty girls would act in such a beastly manner, but that is the sum of it. The only thing I have seen Lily roll on is a wet towel (last summer's carwash towel). Recently, A washcloth dropped on the kitchen floor, and Lily came in all frosty from outdoors and commenced to roll and wipe herself on it. Yep, I think that is just fine by me!

[sengeoz]

A big huzzah for Fi! Well done on hunting & dispatching rattus!

Now that you have a known hunter on your hands, she is reaffirming her hunter status by rolling in disgusting things. This is to disguise her natural smell from any possible prey. The subject/object of her hunting attention will not be worried about the smell of something decomposing - it's dead and no threat. Little does said prey understand that the big bad hunter has disguised itself so as to not be detected and thus enhance the hunter's ability to get close enough to pounce and kill.

[chow fancier]

Cinder used to hunt. Several rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks were not safe here. Just shake them till they stop teasing you was her motto. Now she is 8 or 9 and only halfheartedly chases them till they leave the yard. Senior chow lady can not be bothered to actually catch them anymore, so maybe there is hope for Fiona as well.