“Bunny #4 bit the dust today” said Jasper’s owner. “We can’t even bury it because Jasper will dig it up.”
Jasper is a 4 year old Jack Russell Terrier mix with a penchant for furiously flinging dirt in wide arcing sprays as he tunnels through the backyard.
He also has a thirst for blood; well, for rabbit fur, anyway.
Not only is the backyard fenced, but you would think that whatever communication system rabbits use would have forewarned Bunnies #2-#4 that a killing machine lives in this particular area of Schenectady.
But no, the rabbits seem to line up, zombie-like, for the privilege of testing Jasper’s sprint/capture/assassinate skills. Jasper is getting awfully good at this, but then, he’s had a lot of practice.
This is not a case of a dog presenting his horrified owners with a fresh meat gift (see It’s the Thought That Counts).
Jasper has a high prey drive, or the instinctive behavior of a carnivore to pursue and capture prey.
One could also argue that Jasper is merely doing what terriers were bred to do. It’s not his fault that his owners didn’t hire him to do this particular job, but he is, after all, hard-wired to exterminate varmints.
What can Jasper’s owners do to save the lives of all of the future rabbits of upstate New York? Hey, don’t send them my way! I have my own Bunny nemesis that grazed on my tender garden snap peas this summer.
So here are some options for the owners:
Before releasing Jasper into his yard in full hunting mode, tire him out with a long walk, Frisbee game, or a session with the Chuck-It ball. A tired dog is a happy dog is a happier rabbit.
The AKC series of plush dog toys has a fairly realistic rabbit that Jasper might find just as alluring and satisfying to gut as the live alternative.
Tethering Jasper on a swivel tie-out, with the lead stopping well short of the fence line, will give bunnies a fighting chance to escape.
Giving Jasper something to do to keep him busy in the yard so he isn’t just waiting there for his next victim. Food-based puzzles toys are great, or just throwing a handful of his kibble on the ground might be an entertaining diversion.
Can Jasper be trained NOT to revert to his killer instincts?
Yes, but realistically, Jasper’s owners do not have the time or inclination to counter-condition their dog. In the end, they humanely trapped their rabbit visitors, and had them released elsewhere; presumably, the wilds of Delmar, since my green bean plants are missing.
Comments