Oh dear, long line for the boy

[MellowYellow]

Mine will both chase the red squirrels, but they are smaller than the greys (which is what they have in the UK @Oberon ), and also we have far fewer of them.

The long line sounds like a sensible precaution @kateincornwall . I also love @Jelinga ’s suggestion of training that the sight of a squirrel means he gets a chase of the ball.

 

[Selina27]

Really, wow! I think I've forgetten what it's like to have a younger hunting cat. At least he doesn't bring them inside as a present!

Haha yes, I used to have a ginger cat, Gus, (normal size not Remy size ) who used to catch them.

He did feel it necessary to lug them in through the window .

 

[Cath]

Unfortunately we have had to dismantle our bird feeder for much the same reason. 2 squirrels have become so tame they actually wait for the thing to be filled up, almost tapping their fingers with impatience

Once we had 13 squirrels on the lawn. That is when I stop feeding peanuts to the birds.

 

[kateincornwall]

Mine will both chase the red squirrels, but they are smaller than the greys (which is what they have in the UK @Oberon ), and also we have far fewer of them.

The long line sounds like a sensible precaution @kateincornwall . I also love @Jelinga ’s suggestion of training that the sight of a squirrel means he gets a chase of the ball.

The irony is that he usually has a ball in his mouth whilst in pursuit xx

 

[MellowYellow]

The irony is that he usually has a ball in his mouth whilst in pursuit xx

 

[Boogie]

Once we had 13 squirrels on the lawn. That is when I stop feeding peanuts to the birds.

I have a super squirrel proof feeder - I’ve just bought a second one. I put a few seeds out for the robins and wood pigeons but that’s gone in no time, before the squirrels arrive.

 

[MellowYellow]

Ooh, those look good Mags! I wonder if they would work against rats?

 

[Cath]

I have a super squirrel proof feeder

We had one too, but a squirrel got into it and got stuck and we had to get the RSCA.

 

[David]

Lady figured she was wasting her time and couldn't catch one so gave up. Now a pheasant is a different matter!

 

[kateincornwall]

Well that went better than I thought it would . He is always on lead as we cross the lane to the woods and then I let him off but this morning I didnt . He knew that he was restrained but didnt try to fight it , he just walked along so I kept letting out more of the longline , he still realised that he couldnt run but didnt seem too bothered . He saw the pesky little devils , to I reigned him in and gave him his ball to carry and we walked on . I kept throwing his ball a little way , so that he was still having fun, fetching it and bring it back . He seemed quite perplexed by the line, but not too bothered so we had a good walk and I kept telling him what a good boy he was . Back home, the postman has been with two teddy bears, brand new , my dear friend who lost her beloved Peggie last week had bought them for her girl and bless her , she had posted them for Reuben and Nelly xx

 

[Stacia]

Lady figured she was wasting her time and couldn't catch one so gave up. Now a pheasant is a different matter!

Rourke does almost the same with Pheasants, he puts one up and then runs back to me for the ball, doesn't chase them

 

[snowbunny]

Whether or not he could catch them wouldn’t bother Shadow. He’s all about the chase! He doesn’t get his ball throughout walks, only for recalls and turning away from critters, so it’s a super special reinforcer for him. Not at the moment though, as while it’s so busy we’re keeping him muzzled on walks just in case.

 

[Boogie]

Well that went better than I thought it would . He is always on lead as we cross the lane to the woods and then I let him off but this morning I didnt . He knew that he was restrained but didnt try to fight it , he just walked along so I kept letting out more of the longline , he still realised that he couldnt run but didnt seem too bothered . He saw the pesky little devils , to I reigned him in and gave him his ball to carry and we walked on . I kept throwing his ball a little way , so that he was still having fun, fetching it and bring it back . He seemed quite perplexed by the line, but not too bothered so we had a good walk and I kept telling him what a good boy he was . Back home, the postman has been with two teddy bears, brand new , my dear friend who lost her beloved Peggie last week had bought them for her girl and bless her , she had posted them for Reuben and Nelly xx

That sounds really good. He’s a very good boy.

I have Tatze on the long line when the pups are small and I walk them together.

She tends to tell them off if they go (in her eyes) too far from me - which is no distance at all! Echo is the same height as her now and she doesn’t even try to tell him off - she must think he can now look after himself, so they are both off lead these days.

She used to chase squirrels but no distance as the squirrels are soon up the trees, she doesn’t bother now at all. She’s not known for persistence lol.

 

[kateincornwall]

Must admit that Reuben accepted the longline much better than I had anticipated , and one good consequence was that we walked further than we would usually do , so this was a bonus for him . It is much colder here today so hopefully the squirrels will thin out soon , but I will keep him on the line for a while longer at Golitha , let him see that he can still have fun without the chase xx

 

[Cupcase]

Ooh, those look good Mags! I wonder if they would work against rats?

No, because the rats eat all the seeds that the birds drop. I've seen them( yes plural) in action.

 

[Cupcase]

Your right to use the long line.
I found when Cupar was about a year old it was birds that he wanted to chase and as I've witnessed a dog being allowed to nearly run itself to death chasing birds, I also didn't want to be like Fentons owner, I had enough of that with Jake.

We're now at a stage where he recalls from chasing hares. The ball is Cupars top reward but I will use anything that works.