Question:
When I read your article about dogs chasing rabbits and other small game, I couldn't help but be amused. I believe that the animals being chased enjoy the game as much as the dogs doing the chasing.
We live on a 182-acre farm, and our dogs have always run loose, as do our neighbors' dogs. I have seen many unusual sights with animals. I have seen rabbits and squirrels tease our dogs until the chase was on. One incident happened about five years ago in southeast Missouri.
I was walking from my barn to the house. Ol' George, a beagle who has since passed away, was sleeping in his favorite spot beside the drive in the shade. I saw a rabbit hop up from behind my shop and hop right over George's head; George didn't even move. The rabbit went about 10 feet, then realized George wasn't chasing him. He stopped, turned around, and looked at George as if to say, "What are you doing?" George raised his head and opened one eye as if to say, "If you think I'm chasing you in this heat, you're crazy." George then laid his head back down and went to sleep. The rabbit hopped on across the yard and went on his way.
E.J.D., Perryville, Mo Mar 07, 2011
Answer:
Part of the play repertoire of prey species like rabbits and squirrels is the catch-me-if-you-can routine. They clearly enjoy the thrill of being chased by one of their own kind; but when they encounter a predator species like a dog or a cat, the game could soon be over if they incorrectly interpret the chaser's intentions. Not surprisingly, they will test a predator to see how agile and motivated the animal is to chase, catch and kill, and will establish playful relationships with predators, especially in and around the predator's den or home base. But out in the predators' hunting range, they may be fair game.
My particular gripe is people letting their dogs chase ducks and other water birds along lake shorelines in winter. Over-wintering animals should not be disturbed because their energy reserves could become severely depleted, especially when they have little food and the temperatures are subzero.
Subscribe