Rescue lurcher caught a lamb

[hayleycomet]

I'm in shock. I have my dog about three weeks and
he's a gentle lad. We were out on a walk and he got excited seeing the
lambs gambol about (we live in the country), slipped his collar and
chased one. (The first time he's reacted to them at all.) He caught it
by the throat and was throwing it about but didn't break the skin. He
stopped when I called and the lamb got up but when it ran away, he
chased it and caught it again, this time he bit it's throat. I chased
him off the lamb. The lamb got up but I don't know how badly injured it
was, the poor thing, because I was chasing the dog away. He has some
recall but won't come to me but I half-chased him home. He wasn't
snarling or vicious, I think it was just sport. I feel very shaken. I
don't know who owns the lamb. I feel terrible about it. I can't look at
the dog, even though it's in a dog's nature...we have a cat he's been
very friendly to up to now...if the cat starts running around will the
dog suddenly give chase? Might he attack my four-year old? Should i find
him another home because of this? I'm all over the place about
this...any advice or experience would be very gratefully received.

[andywillow]

To be perfectly honest if you've only had your dog for 3 weeks it shouldn't be offlead near livestock anyway, infact no dog should be offlead no matter what. Its certainly not the dogs fault and he shouldn't be punished for it. Caution should always be taken with sighthounds and cats too, some are fine within the home but if the cat runs then their chase instincts can kick in, they shouldn't be left in the same room when you're out or allowed in the garden together.
As for him biting your child, I am sure this is highly unlikely, they can distinguish between animals and children, mine would all kill a cat or lamb given the chance but they are always onleads, however they are so gentle with children.

ETA. Sorry he was on his lead and slipped his collar, maybe think about getting him a harness as well as a collar for extra security, ruffwear harnesses are expensive but well worth it as they cannot get out of them. Plus have a double leader on with a link to both collar and harness.

[Mr Roo]

dont blame yourself or the poor dog, it slipped its collar so try what Sue said with the harness or get a martingale collar,lambs are a bit different to ewes , they must smell different to dogs too and do tend to leap out from behind bushes and startle dogs. Try and find some sheep without lambs and walk him slowly by on a slack lead very calmly and when he even starts to look at one tell him to leave it ,lots of praise when he does or treats. then the next day a bit closer etc. he will soon pick it up especially if the sheep stand their ground and stamp their feet at him.as the lambs get older you could try this again at some distance and see how he goes on , but at lambing time i wouldnt chance it.
i did have 2 lurchers years ago that would herd and hold sheep in place and would work to hand signals,but they took a long while to train, but i wouldnt even think about letting our current hounds off lead near them . they are keen enough on the neighbours sheep over the lane with 2 fences in between some dogs will never be good with livestock, so dont worry, just try another walk.
Be careful with your cats as Sue said. but they are not daft and know what children are, but never leave them alone in the same room,especially as you have had him for such a short while.the child could suddenly do something that seems ok but to a dog who may have something in its past that needs only a trigger may suddenly retaliate.
Go on let him out of his crate and give him a cuddle and be friends, you have learned a sorry but valuable lesson the hard way.
paul

[hayleycomet]

Thanks...I really haven't a clue, have I. I'm lurceher-learning. He got forgiven and is now sprawled out in front of the fire...

[Nettie]

Haley I think your best bet is to buy the book The House Lurcher by Jackie Drakeford and keep asking for advice here too. There is a wealth of knowledge on the forum.

Keep him away from sheep, a farmer would be well within his rights to shoot him if he is seen worrying sheep.

Sent from my HTC One S using proboards

[Cath]

Hi Hayley,

Welcome to GAP

Some dogs have extremely strong prey drives- that is what they were bred so we have to work around it.

My lurcher Jess was returned to the rescue she came from, because she was "vicious" For a lot of dogs at a lot of rescues that would have meant she would be destroyed as it is very difficult to rehome a difficult dog, especially when there is a risk it could hurt someone. Jess moved in with us and out hounds...... and THREE elderly CATS and has been absolutely fine. She will not chase them in the house but will if they were outside.... so dogs go out the back door and cats the front.

She needed some training and we are very careful letting her off-lead

- she will climb 20 ft up a tree to get to a squirrel .... and then kill it by shaking it to death

- One day she got out, thanks to a workman and took herself off on an explore. OH got arrested as he went walking around, asking if anyone had seen her and knocking on doors, asking people to check if she was there. Someone thought he was sussing out the area and rang the Police. OH, and Jess, got a ride home in a Police car that day. 

- she went after a rabbit and ended up on the East Coast Mainline as a 125 went past when she found a hole in teh fence and went after a rabbit


But she is exceptionally loyal and completely ignores the cats in the house so we have to manage her behaviour for her.

We don't let her off lead much now, unless the area is enclosed. But, as she can easily climb fences it means she's on lead for walks most of the time so we have to walk her further than if she off-lead on a variety of routes so she gets the stimulation she needs.

She is walked in a Martingale collar, that she can't get out of PLUS a harness in case she escapes the collar (which she never has- my other dogs have managed to get out of the leather fishtail collars easily).

She always wears two collars, each with a tag on and she is chipped, to increase the chances of her being returned if she does run off.

Three weeks is nothing in terms of settling a dog. Jess has been with us 3 years now, and she is still settling in and bonding with us.

As lurchers are a mix of breeds they can have quite complicated characters, depending on their mix. Jess has Collier, Terrier and Whippet or Greyhound in her, so likes her pack to be complete, chasing things and won't back down and is blummin fast and sleeps a lot. A bit of each dog! So you have to work with her mix. And I wouldn't think about letting a newly homed dog off-lead until it has bonded with you... say 3 months minimum (but that depends on the dog).

As for your dog and the child. Please supervise them closely. Children at that age are unpredictable and might tug an ear or knock the dog while it is sleeping. The only way the dog can say please stop that its to growl, or bare teeth- that is how they talk. If you saw that you'd think the dog was vicious (understandably) but it wouldn't be. Your dog needs a safe space where it is left alone eg a bed or crate and the child needs to learn NEVER to touch the dog when it is in that space. Obviously long term the dog will settle and learn that if it wakes up because someone is rubbing its ear there's not a problem but if it is not used to being touched when it is asleep and your son goes to pat it- dog gets startled- growls- you hear it and then get worried..... you can see how there could be a problem.

If you need any other help etc then just ask. GAP is an extremely friendly place and I have never asked a question that someone couldn't help me with.

[deborahburt]

Welcome to Gap Hayley,

I use a Ruffwear harness on Cas,my black beastie girl Lurcher. When we brought her home in December last year, Lisa recommended one because Cas had been worked previously and is a strong,strapping girl and had apparantly had a few of the kennel walkers on their bums. It is one of the more expensive harness's,but is definately one of those 'you get what you pay for' items. I've added a strong O ring to the chest area,so as well as being able to hold her by the harness and collar, i can also hold her on two points of contact on the harness itself. I am totally confident when we're out because I know she can't slip out. And as an extra comfort, there's a handle on the back so if I feel i need that extra hold, I just grab on.

Good luck with your boy and would love to see some photos. We love to see pickies and videos of all the lovely hounds out there.

[Letty's Mum]

Hi, and welcome to the forum

What a horrible experience, it must have really shaken you up

I echo what the other guys have said. Having your first sighthound is a real learning curve, but you've come to the right place for some friendly advice

Don't be put off. They are the most fabulous dogs.

Helen x