Re: Labrador Retriever: It's her breeding to hunt but this is getting ridiculous!
- From: Amy Dahl <amy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 14:01:05 GMT
Z wrote:
I got home today to find that she ATE three of them! And now the rest
of my family is getting fed up with her habit. She used to hate the
water, but I guess it couldn't be helped seeing that she is a Labrador
breed and they hunt by nature. But if this keeps up it's going to be
either the pond or her. So does anyone have a Lab? Or a dog with
instinctual problems that knows a way to get her to stop?
I have Labs. They don't fish. I wouldn't say it's her heritage as a
part-Labrador to do what she's doing; but from your description,
it sounds as though she finds it highly rewarding.
I don't want to punish her for doing something she was bred to do.
Maybe the non-Lab half was "bred to do" this, but in any case, punishment
is likely to be ineffective because the pleasure involved is great, and
better-
timed than the punishment would be.
We've over fed her. Doubled her walks given her toys and nothing
amounts to her joy of standing over the pond. Someone please help us!!
Your post actually contains many good observations of your dog, her
motivation to catch fish, and the futility of punishment to stop her. I
would look at more effective confinement as the answer. You could
keep her in the house, in a crate if you have concerns about
destructiveness
or house-soiling. An outdoor pen or run is a possibility, although I'd
be less inclined to recommend this as, from your description, she might
apply herself to figuring how to escape and go fishing.
Training is also a good idea, along with anything else that will enrich
her life. If you can teach her to come when called, you can call her
away any time she heads for the pond--then she could be at large in
the yard any time you are there with her.
Amy Dahl
.
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