by Nancy Houser

Created on: November 22, 2008   Last Updated: November 23, 2008

Preventing a dog from attacking livestock animals is part of being a responsible dog owner, and has nothing to do with being labeled as a dog hater or a dog lover. This is similar to a responsible parent preventing their child from entering a busy street in front of their home. Does this mean that a parent should be labeled as someone who hates or loves children? Absolutely not. Yet there seems to be a myth that the majority of dogs are physically and behaviorally incapable of killing livestock, with many owners feeling their pet dogs are being falsely accused. Is this also true? Absolutely not.

Truth be known, statistics show us that well-fed dogs from suburban homes near attack sites are usually responsible for killing or attacking livestock. That dog may be as small as a Silky Terrier or as large as a Great Dane, either alone or in a pack. These dogs are usually friendly and approachable by people, which is why approximately 90% of all dog owners refuse to believe their dogs have ever attacked or killed livestock.

What owners need to understand is that no matter how much they dress their pet dogs in human clothing or treat them like a member of the family, their dog will still remain a dog with the normal instinctive behavior of a dog, such as chasing and attacking. Unfortunately, there is not one dog that is not capable of chasing, tracking and retrieving everything in front of them. And unfortunately, it is not always a Frisbee or a ball. With livestock this game can turn to grabbing, killing or biting an animal of what they consider as prey. Chasing prey is instinctively rewarding to the attacking dog, as all livestock will run out of fear.

RULES FOR DOG OWNERS To prevent the family dog from attacking livestock, there are certain rules to follow to show responsibility:

1. Keep the dog fenced in at all times with a secure fence or keeping them inside the home when not supervised. 2. All restrained or confined dogs will require adequate exercise. 3. Show responsibility for your dog, as most dogs that escape is through the carelessness of the owner. a. It can be from open gates b. It canbe from insecure fences c. It can be from extremely low fences d. They can be unrestrained without fencing at all e. They can be unrestrained through the forgetfulness of owners 4. Do not allow the dog to run in the morning without supervision, as this is the time most livestock attacks occur. Killing takes less than an hour to happen. 5. Prevent any all-night roaming episodes.

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