It’s regular for canines to chase squirrels and different small animals! On this article, I’ll share some concepts for how you can cease a canine from chasing squirrels in your yard, on walks or on trails.

Why do canines chase squirrels?

Some canines have a better prey drive than others, relying on their breed and persona. 

Beagles are bred for monitoring and chasing rabbits, for instance. Springer spaniels are bred for flushing birds. Many terriers have been initially bred for catching rodents.

Different canine breeds are bred for pointing, monitoring or chasing prey!

Due to this, it isn’t attainable or honest to attempt to take away a canine’s intuition for chasing squirrels and different small animals. As an alternative, you possibly can attempt to handle your canine’s squirrel chasing the perfect you possibly can. 

Is it unhealthy if my canine chases squirrels?

No, it’s not unhealthy in case your canine chases squirrels until it’s a conduct that you don’t like. 

For many of us, squirrel chasing will not be an enormous deal, however there are some situations the place chasing squirrels is perhaps an issue:

• Should you don’t have a fenced yard and your canine chases squirrels into the street.
• In case your yard is barking at squirrels and driving the neighbors loopy.
• Your canine is obsessive about squirrels throughout walks and pulls onerous on the leash.
• The canine chases squirrels in off-leash areas and may’t be trusted.

cease my canine from chasing squirrels within the yard

Take your canine out on a leash for potty breaks

If it is advisable to cease your canine from chasing squirrels within the yard, then it is advisable to take away her alternative to chase squirrels.

That is easy however takes a number of work in your finish.

You’ll must take your canine out on a leash for her potty breaks – for now.

This doesn’t must be without end however will have to be finished for a few weeks or months when you work on coaching. 

You’re blocking your canine from chasing squirrels by protecting her on a leash. This stops the conduct from being strengthened. 

If you do see squirrels and your canine is on a leash, you possibly can say “depart it” and reward your canine with meals for you.

Use a protracted leash and high-valued treats to cease canine from chasing squirrels

A daily leash is okay at first, nevertheless it’s greatest to get a 20 or 30-foot lengthy line finally. This can give your canine extra freedom to make selections. That method you possibly can reward him for selecting to not chase squirrels or appropriate him if he does.

Let your canine wander across the yard when you realize there is perhaps squirrels round. 

As soon as you see a squirrel, step on the leash and get your canine’s consideration with the treats. Say “watch me” or “right here” or no matter cue you need to use.

Reward your canine for you rather than the squirrel. 

It’s simpler should you’re in a position to stand between your canine and the squirrel and transfer in the direction of your canine, even bumping into him to get him to again up or sit.

Maintain the deal with proper as much as your canine’s nostril, if wanted. Maintain popping small treats into his mouth as he pays consideration to you and ignores the squirrel. “Good boy.”

Observe daily for a few weeks

Your canine’s conduct will not be going to vary in a single day. The extra you reward your canine for you rather than the squirrels, the extra this conduct will get strengthened.

Attempt to follow for a couple of quick periods every day, if attainable.

You’ll need to make use of very high-valued meals at first. It could possibly be scorching canines, hen, floor beef, steak or salmon. 

As your canine is profitable, you could possibly use common treats however maintain mixing it up with some high-valued treats occasionally!

You’ll have to be out within the yard supervising your canine for her train or discover different methods for her to get train reminiscent of lengthy walks.

Work in your canine’s normal obedience

Sure, that is boring nevertheless it’s necessary! 

In case your canine doesn’t come when referred to as or keep when informed when there are not any distractions, how are you going to count on him to take action round huge distractions reminiscent of squirrels?

Work on fundamental obedience like come, keep, sit, down and heel out within the yard when there are squirrels round. Maintain your canine on a leash and use high-valued treats so he will be profitable.

An obedient canine has extra self management!

Enhance your canine’s train

Most of our canines want extra train. In case your canine is having a problem with chasing squirrels, it can solely assist him out should you’re in a position to present him with sufficient train. 

That in all probability means longer and extra frequent walks than he’s already getting.

Present your canine with applicable methods to chase and sniff

Present your canine with one other method to make use of his prey instincts. This could possibly be taking part in fetch, utilizing a “flirt pole” toy or signing up for a nosework class or “barn hunt” class.

Typically video games of fetch or utilizing a flirt pole get the canine much more “riled” up as a substitute of tiring him out or stress-free him. If that’s the case, maintain the sport to a brief session of 5 or 10 minutes and do some calming work together with your canine like engaged on down and keep earlier than and after the sport.

Nosework is usually stress-free to canines. In nosework, your canine learns to search out numerous scents or odors in several environments. 

And within the sport of “barn hunt” they get to search for precise rats in a managed setting.

Lastly, one of many easiest methods to present your canine a superb alternative to smell is to place him on a protracted leash and scatter some meals or treats in a area for him to search out. This could possibly be an empty soccer area and even in your personal yard.

cease my canine from chasing squirrels throughout walks

You may not thoughts in case your canine chases squirrels within the yard, however what about when he obsesses about squirrels throughout walks?

Listed below are some concepts that may assist.

My canine pulls when he sees squirrels! What to do?

Stroll him the place there are not any animals

As a brief resolution, stroll your canine the place there are not any squirrels or at a time of day when the squirrels are much less energetic. I understand that is simpler stated than finished. 

As you’re employed on coaching your canine, stroll him in areas with increasingly more potential distractions.

Use the correct “no-pull” gadget to cease canine from chasing squirrels

Lots of people stroll their canines on a daily buckle collar or on a daily harness with a clip on the again. This makes it very straightforward for the canine to tug you round, even if in case you have a small canine!

As an alternative, utilizing a no-pull gadget could also be all it is advisable to get just a little extra management of your canine on walks.

The choices for “no pull” instruments are countless. It’s important to select what works greatest for you and your canine.

Instruments reminiscent of prong collars and slip collars have a foul rap as being “punishing” or “aversive” instruments. And that may be true. Nonetheless, the canine will get to determine what’s aversive to him. We don’t get to determine for him.

For instance, my canines love their prong collars. It means they’re going for a stroll! They don’t love their no-pull harnesses or their Mild Leaders.

The harnesses and the Mild Leaders really feel extra limiting to my canines and that’s the reason they’ll really stroll the opposite method after I get out these instruments.

We now have articles on all of those instruments right here on That Mutt should you want extra info.

Some choices for “no pull” devises to attempt:

• Martingale collar
• Slip collar
• Prong collar
• No-pull harness reminiscent of EasyWalk harness
• Mild Chief or Halti

I like to recommend a leather-based leash vs. a nylon leash or retractable leash. Leather-based leashes are simpler to grip and also will provide you with extra management. 

Nylon tends to slip by way of your arms and retractable lashes are a foul concept if in case you have a canine who likes to bolt after prey.

Carry a deal with bag and treats to cease squirrel chasing

Carry high-valued treats in your stroll in a deal with pouch. Excessive-valued treats could possibly be items of cheese, ham, hen, and so on.

If you see a squirrel, get your canine’s consideration on the meals and reward him for you. 

Pop a number of small treats in his mouth as he seems to be at you rather than the squirrel and maintain transferring ahead. 

Once we cease transferring, it makes it simpler for the canine to cease and fixate on the squirrel. It’s often simpler for the canine to disregard the squirrel if we maintain transferring.

Flip and stroll the opposite course

Typically it’s useful to show and stroll the opposite course when your canine is fixated on a squirrel, chook or rabbit. It’s simpler to do a “u-turn” the place you flip into your canine (vs away out of your canine), gently bumping him again as you flip and get him to stroll with you.

Maintain a deal with proper at your canine’s nostril as you do that.

Stopping a canine from chasing squirrels takes time

Your canine will want a number of coaching periods over a number of weeks or months to beat the difficulty of squirrel chasing, so keep it up. Be constant and observe your plan.

In case you are not seeing progress, think about hiring a canine coach who can work with you and your canine one on one for a coaching session or two.

cease my canine from chasing squirrels whereas mountaineering 

Relying in your particular canine and the surroundings, you might have to maintain your canine on a leash indefinitely while you go to sure parks or trails.

Nonetheless, there could also be sure off-leash areas the place you need to work on coaching your canine. If that’s the case, I like to recommend you begin with a protracted leash and carry high-valued treats in a deal with pouch. Lengthy leashes work higher when there usually are not a number of different canines working round.

Give your canine treats only for checking in with you, even when there are not any squirrels round.

If you do see a squirrel and your canine chooses to have a look at you rather than chase the squirrel, give him a “jackpot” of treats and many reward. 

If it looks like he’s going to go after the squirrel, then step on the lengthy leash and attempt to get his consideration again on you. Reward him for doing so. 

It’s possible you’ll have to run in the other way in an effort to be extra attention-grabbing than the squirrel! Reward him for following you.

Put a bear bell in your canine

Since we reside in bear nation, typically I clip a bear bell to my canine’s collar after we are mountaineering. That is presupposed to make sufficient noise to warn a bear that we’re developing the path – to keep away from startling the bear. 

A bell can even work to scare off different wildlife like deer, rabbits and squirrels earlier than you and your canine get shut sufficient to set off your canine’s prey drive. That is simply an choice to think about. 

I additionally like that the bell on my canine warns different canines, hikers or bikers that we’re approaching, particularly when my canine is off leash.

Work on coming when referred to as normally

Make a degree to follow coming when referred to as extra typically in all types of situations however the place you realize your canine will hear and achieve success. 

Give an enormous reward, no matter meals or toy he loves, or launch him to return to taking part in (when attainable). It’s good to proceed constructing a strong reinforcement historical past of him coming when referred to as. 

Utilizing an e-collar to cease a canine from chasing squirrels

You would not have to make use of an e-collar to cease your canine from chasing squirrels, however it’s an choice should you select to go that route.

The e-collar is hard as a result of a canine is in such a riled-up way of thinking, he’ll want a more durable correction to even discover it. Underneath no distractions, he would possible reply to a light correction/vibrate. 

So that may take just a little determining to get the correction stage proper for him. 

Should you select to make use of an e-collar, you need a high-quality model reminiscent of Garmin or SportDog. Check the correction stage in your wrist first so you realize what stage your canine will obtain. You need to be snug together with your choice and know you aren’t hurting your canine.

Give a correction instantly when your canine goes after the squirrel after which reward/meals when he focuses on you. 

You’ll be able to pair “depart it!” with the correction, particularly in case your canine already is aware of “depart it.” 

As soon as he breaks focus from the squirrel for even a second, actually reward and reward him.

Notice that some canines, like sure hounds, can have such a excessive prey drive that they might seem to disregard any stage of correction. In that case, the e-collar route might not work.

Do not forget that chasing small animals is pure to a number of canines and we will solely do the perfect we will to attempt to handle squirrel chasing.

What else would you add to this checklist?

Within the feedback, please share what has or hasn’t labored to your canine. It will likely be useful for others combating how you can cease a canine from chasing squirrels.