dogs with a strong prey instinct - and small furries

mollie65 I don't think lurchers are demon dogs. I like them. However, the thought of any dog actually killing anyone's pet cat is absolutely abhorrent to me. I was trying to be tactful in how I put it. Is there a place for pet dogs that kill pet cats? In my book -no! I know you love him but you alluded to his having a record for killing cats so how many distraught owners have been left in his wake?!

Dog wars - any discussion about dogs so often polarises, or certain breeds are criticised. I understand Tegan's concerns about the many poodle crosses, and I'm someone who shares my life with two such dogs. I agree with Tegan that cocker spaniels are so often viewed as gentle, temperamentally sound dogs when in fact as she says, in breeding over years contributed to both health and temperament problems. I had a gentle, biddable blue roan cocker 40 years ago, since when I've had rescue dogs. I mentioned in an earlier post what a challenge my labradoodle was on the hunting/prey front. That pales into insignificance when compared to the challenge my now 3 year old cockapoo has been. He was carefully chosen from a reputable breeder, both his parents seen etc. His mum was a deep red show type cocker spaniel, dad a middle sized poodle. Dad's pedigree absolutely sound, I suspect the "issues" he has shown come from his mum. He is now a lovely, responsive dog but has needed more input than any dog I ever owned, including foster/rescue dogs who arrived having had awful experiences.
Both my vet and dog trainer say he would probably have been re-homed if we hadn't had the time, dedication and skill to help him. He is a very pretty dog, looks like Walt Disney designed him so he's a magnet for children. Luckily, lots of patience and work with him means we can now trust him to sit if children approach - my view is these cockapoos, labradoodles, etc are not novice dogs. Many first time dog owners believe the untruths on the internet about them being easy to train… they are very clever dogs and mine love agility and obedience work, they need it as well!

I was speaking to someone the other day who has two cockapoos who suffer from extreme separation anxiety, even though they are litter mates and have always had each other. I would never put a muzzle on my dog when out and about. Even though we very rarely let her of the lead we do if there are no other dogs on the beach or if we're in a safe, enclosed field. In that scenario I'd worry that, if she did get lost, a muzzle would be dangerous. However, if she had complete freedom in my garden [which she doesn't she has her own garden] I would probably put a muzzle on her if there was a danger of her killing a neighbours cat.You can get very lightweigh muzzles these days [some people use them to stop their dogs eating yucky stuff when out walking]. As dog owners, and always being in the firing line for complaints, I think it's important that we do everything we can to prevent any problems before they occur. If cats didn't run away they would probably be safe with sighthounds. When you think about it, they are a breed of dogs that have probably lived with man longer than most breeds, and their relationship with man was to hunt for him, so it's unfair to demonise them for it. And, because they do have such strong jaws to kill prey, they have been bred to be extemely gentle with their human families.

I don't often post and particularly so on what could be a contentious subject. However, after the second fledging was needlessly killed in my garden today by a wretched cat who was in no need of an extra meal and who litters my flower beds with faeces, I felt I had to say something.

I own an ex-racing greyhound. Last year a cat was at the bottom of the garden when she was outside as well. She chased the cat up the nearest tree, where it stayed for an hour or two. No doubt she would have made a grab for it if she'd managed to, no doubt the cat would have given as good as it got, maybe the cat would have been killed. I don't know.

What I do know is I have not invited the cat into my garden, I have not given it permission to go on a killing spree. 5 million birds are killed by cats each year. Let that sink in.

I'm not condoning any dog killing a cat, let me make that clear. But so long as cats roam freely as is their nature, they are going to come into conflict from time to time with a dog in it's own garden. The majority of dogs see a "foreign" cat as fair game.

Oh apparently that should be 55 million each year, not 5 million

And how many do humans kill?

moomin - excellent points! The presence of our dogs seem to be enough to keep any neighbourhood cats away. This is a relief because I feed the birds and get so much pleasure out of watching them.

Tegan - cockerpoos are prone to separation anxiety. Mine can be left happily for reasonable periods, sleeps downstairs etc. It takes work - as a puppy he'd cry if left in the kitchen whilst I went into a different room. It's a good job we love him

amazed at the vitriol but heyho
to make it clear
when I walk 'lurch' in town or where there are known to be cats he is on the lead ALWAYs - have been castigated for it in the past by those who accuse me of being 'cruel'
he is not a bull lurcher - one of the more questionable crosses - he is border collie and greyhound
he is 'entitled' to use his garden to lazing/running in - of cats have any sense they would climb a tree or scarper fast and leave my wild birds/fledglings to survive
lurchers of an acceptable cross are not 'dangerous dogs' and he would never hurt a human being

Oh dear, this is getting a bit cat v. dog v. humans isn't it.

I would have been very upset if my old cat had been attacked and killed by a dog and I would hope the dog's owner would make every possible effort to stop it happening to another cat. Perhaps, as I think Tegan said, by using a light muzzle. That sounds a bit cruel, but better than not being allowed out or being put to sleep.

I agree with those that say cats can also be problematic for people who are not cat lovers. My son and his partner get very annoyed about cats coming into their garden and pooing everywhere, and so does my husband - which I think is a bit of a cheek given that we used to have a cat ourselves. And our cat actually climbed in our neighbour's bedroom window and sicked up a fur ball on her bed. My neighbour's background is Pakistani and pets are not generally part of that culture but she was very nice about it.

It is a bit annoying coming across cats' poo dug into your flowerbeds. (The thing I find most upsetting about cats is their enthusiasm for killing - but fortunately my own cat was not very good at it - or the bell round her neck ensured that she never caught anything.) Squirrels can be a nuisance digging up your pot plants and your lawn, snails eat almost everything in sight, foxes scream at night and rip open black rubbish bags, birds sometimes poo on the washing you've hung on your line, etc. etc.

Personally, I think these annoyances are outweighed by the pleasure that pets and wildlife bring (to some people anyway).

Good post eloethan!

jane10 - I still feel you are missing the point - of course I regret any cat being killed but 'lurch' has a right to protect his territory - and don't get me started on the cat that ripped my grandson's rabbit (in her hutch) to shreds - that is vicious behaviour
sighthounds kill quickly and then 'leave' if one is not quick enough to prevent them
really think this thread has run it's course - it became very personal towards me which I regret. It does not change my opinion of my lovely lovely dog or make me feel guilty for taking him on (when the alternative was so much worse)