Evening all, I'm having a bit of a nightmare with my dog Toby. He's a four-year-old Jack Russell that we rescued three years ago. He keeps attacking hedgehogs. At first, he’d just bark at them, but now he’s started grabbing them in his mouth to tear them apart. Once he’s got hold of one, it’s impossible to get him to let go, and he shakes them for all he's worth. Result: a total bloodbath! I have to grab Toby firmly by the scruff of his neck and lift him up just to make him release his grip, but it’s a proper struggle because he’s so strong (and I’m quite slight). He goes absolutely mental! The first time it happened, we had a quick trip to the vet; she made him sick and there were a few spines in there. He’s just done it again tonight, but luckily he didn’t swallow anything—there was just some blood around his mouth which I’ve cleaned up. What on earth can I do???!!!
Translated from French
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Hi, I’ve got a Dogo Argentino that just mauls hedgehogs! As per usual, it’s a total bloodbath!
I’m looking for a way to get rid of the hedgehogs on my 1,200 square metre plot; it’s meant for my dogs, not for hedgehogs… My German Shepherd doesn’t touch them, but the Dogo really goes to town on them!
I can’t take it anymore, he catches one every single night. Where on earth are they all coming from?!
I don’t want to see them anymore, what can I do?
And I definitely don’t leave any dry food outside!
Help!!!!
Thanks.
You don’t seem to realise that hedgehogs are incredibly useful animals to have in a garden!
Any gardener would do anything to encourage a family of hedgehogs to stay on their land.
(They are excellent natural pest control).
In all my years, this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone complain about having hedgehogs!
(I take it you must be a massive fan of slugs, then?)
Come on now, be reasonable and teach your dogs to respect these animals—they absolutely must be protected.
NB - The hedgehog is a protected species.
"The hedgehog is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (and the Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996). It is a protected species across the UK and Europe; it is illegal to kill, capture, or mistreat them. Under the law, offences can lead to penalties of up to a year in prison and fines reaching around £12,500, as well as the confiscation of any items used in the commission of the offence, such as vehicles or equipment."
Hi, I've got a Dogo Argentino that rips hedgehogs to shreds!!! As usual, it's a total bloodbath! I'm looking for a way to get rid of the hedgehogs on my 1,200 square metre garden; it’s meant for my dogs, not for hedgehogs... My German Shepherd doesn't touch them, but the Dogo really goes for it!!! I’ve had enough, he catches one every night – where on earth are they coming from!! I don't want to see them anymore, what can I do? And I don't even leave any dry food out! Help!!!! Thanks
You seem to be unaware that hedgehogs are incredibly useful animals to have in a garden!
Any gardener would do anything to encourage a family of hedgehogs to stay on their land.
(They’re an excellent natural insecticide).
It’s the first time in my long life that I’ve seen someone complain about having hedgehogs!!!!
(I can only assume you must have a massive love for slugs?)
Come on, be reasonable and teach your dogs to respect these animals – they are a species that we absolutely need to look after.
Hi, I’ve got a Dogo Argentino that mauls hedgehogs!!! It’s a total bloodbath as usual!
I’m looking for a way to get rid of the hedgehogs on my property (it’s about a third of an acre); the space is meant for my dogs, not for hedgehogs… My German Shepherd doesn’t touch them, but the Dogo goes at it with a vengeance!!!
I’m at my wits' end, he catches one every single night – where on earth are they coming from!!
If it’s a hedgehog or a skunk, I’ll shout NO so loudly that she’ll flatten herself against the ground like a pancake, waiting for the storm to blow over with her head in the sand. But even so...
Phew, I’m really not looking forward to that... it’s bound to happen one day. This evening she found a litter of wild raccoons hidden away somewhere. She had one of them in her mouth.
Don't forget that a Jack Russell is a hunting dog, a terrier through and through. His instincts have simply taken over. It might be very hard, if not impossible, to distract him. It's a natural motor pattern and once it's deeply ingrained, it's there to stay. And I have to say... that hedgehog is certainly living dangerously! As has been suggested, you could always try teaching him 'leave it', which is a really useful command for other situations anyway.
And yes, dogs are still little wild animals at heart—rabbits, hedgehogs, mice, cats, ferrets... anything’s fair game!
You should avoid grabbing a dog by the scruff of the neck as they see it as an act of aggression, and we definitely want to avoid getting nipped! ^^
Does your dog know "leave it" and "drop it"?
Start by teaching him those; that way, he won't instinctively bolt after every hedgehog to eat it. Most importantly, make sure to give him a big reward when he listens!
But there you go—it’s perfectly normal for a dog! Let’s not forget that, fundamentally, they are carnivores ^^
One evening in a park, my two daft dogs started playing ball with a hedgehog – they were actually passing it back and forth. I had to really raise my voice to get them to stop this 'game'. I couldn't find the hedgehog again in the dark; I don’t know how fast they can scuttle off, but the poor thing must have had the fright of its life. It caught me a bit off guard at the time, but I have to admit that by the end of the walk, it didn’t even occur to me to check if those two idiots had hurt their mouths. Looking back after reading your post, I’m starting to think I’m not a very responsible owner...
