# Well Milton retrieved - a bird, into my house



## Namrah (Jan 18, 2010)

I have a dog door.

Milton was hanging out outside while I was working, I thought he was munching on a bone but I honestly wasn't watching. He loves the rain and he was out there enjoying it.

I hear the dog door open and hear him trot up to me, so I said, "Hi Miil........"

Hanging from my wet, soggy, muddy, 6 month old puppy's apparently soft mouth was a twitching bird.

Thank god he held on to the thing. He brought it outside at my behest while I grabbed some cheese, unsure how to one-up for a trade. He dropped the bird outside and took his cheese, then I ushered him inside and shut the dog door.

I then had to retrieve a mallet and put this bird out of its misery. It was ... not in recoverable shape. I've had to euthanize small prey before, Elka catches things quite handily. But never this size bird.

I have seen a few bird fighting out for territory in my yard lately, so I think this bird may have already been damaged. But it's 100% possible that he caught a live, healthy bird. That it was still alive is probably a tribute to him, I didn't see any puncture wounds on it, but was a bit too creeped out for a close inspection.

It really drove home that these dogs are gentle, docile, field retrievers that can and do hunt.

*shudders* Is this something that I should be looking at channeling? He has a pretty good ball retrieve, I'm sure we could build up to long-distance retrieves somehow.

Or is it more likely a once-off I needn't worry about?

And thank god he did not drop that bird in my house.

I can't be mad at him though, he did his job - he retrieved a bird nearly to my hand, and held on until I bade him let go. But I am thoroughly, 100% creeped out.


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

I dunno if it's anything to get worked up about. Carmella caught a crow and a robin when she was younger; both times we had to put them out of their misery. ...She also caught rabbits, some moles, and a snake once, but after she was about 4 or 5 that kind of behavior stopped.

Dogs will be dogs.


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## Namrah (Jan 18, 2010)

I'm not worked up outside of being upset I had to use a mallet to euthanize. I'd be worked up if he dropped it on my kitchen floor, though? =)

But I am creeped out about the euthanizing, that poor bird. 

The look of pure pride and joy on his face as he carried that bird around though.... he was so happy with himself. =)


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

MacKenzie killed her first two bird last week, too. Thanks goodness she did not try to bring them in.

We have six baby ducklings, they are now 6 weeks old and look just about full grown. They are currently in our garage. She is more afraid of them, than interested. She would rather go chase the one flying above her.


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## Cassie (Jan 27, 2010)

Last week I came home to a black bird in my kitchen. One of the dogs or the cats brought it in through the pet door and then droped it. The poor thing was so exhausted and stressed that I think it was glad to see me. It was like he was saying "either kill me or let me outta here 'cause I have had enough fun for one day". I caught him and took him outside under the very watchful eyes of the dogs and let him go. Bet it will be a long time before he flies over my yard again! LOL


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## Florabora22 (Nov 30, 2008)

Namrah said:


> I'm not worked up outside of being upset I had to use a mallet to euthanize. I'd be worked up if he dropped it on my kitchen floor, though? =)
> 
> But I am creeped out about the euthanizing, that poor bird.
> 
> The look of pure pride and joy on his face as he carried that bird around though.... he was so happy with himself. =)


It's a rite of passage! I'm still waiting for Flora to bring me a present. : I don't think she ever will though, she's not fierce like that.


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## Namrah (Jan 18, 2010)

If he brings another near-dead bird in here I may just have to turn off the dog door for a bit. All I need is him bringing it in, then my cat batting it around for fun.

Just picturing the mayhem now...


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## ~d~ (May 31, 2010)

Namrah said:


> Just picturing the mayhem now...


I cannot stop laughing because I've had that thought.
Last winter when I was letting the dogs in, out of the corner of my eye
I saw Dale carrying something inside....and thought,
_"Wait a minute, we don't have a bunny toy" 
_
At least I didn't have to perform home euthanasia on mr. bunny; but talk about momentary panic-trying to get myself together and get bunny out before the others saw it and decided it was a new tug toy. 
Chaos would have ensued and I'd probably still be traumatized :

It's so cute when they are so pleased with themselves though, all I could say
was, "Thank you sir...what a good boy"
Our goldens are so proud of the gifts they bring: birds, bunnies...deer legs:uhoh:


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## furrygodmother (Jun 12, 2008)

*EEEW..DROP it!*



~d~ said:


> I cannot stop laughing because I've had that thought.
> Last winter when I was letting the dogs in, out of the corner of my eye
> I saw Dale carrying something inside....and thought,
> _"Wait a minute, we don't have a bunny toy"
> ...


 Stanly and Maui and I went to the dog park... allll alone on a Wednesday afternoon. While Maui was happily retrieving the frisbee, Stanley went nosing around the bushes. He came bounding out with something in his mouth... I had the same thought, "Is that a TOY?" but no, it was a bunny. But only the back half of one! :doh:

Stanley was prancing around the dog park with some coyote's stash of dead bunny in his mouth and was SO proud of himself! He wanted to show me but was torn because he KNEW it was probably one of those "DROP IT" types of toys!:no:

Naturally, I couldn't get him to drop it and had nothing to "trade" so I had to leave him in the park and run to my car to get a treat. 

MEANWHILE... another dog owner was heading up the path to the park with her Sheltie. I had to warn her about the carnage ahead and she took it in stride. By the time I got back with a treat, Stanley had dropped the bunny back half in order to visit the new dog and the dog owner had gamely picked it up with a "poop bag" and deposited it in the garbage can!:yuck:.

My biggest regret was not getting a picture of Stanley running around with the little dead feet sticking out of his mouth... gross but kind of funny!


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## grcharlie (Nov 10, 2007)

I was sick of what Andy did in front of me one time. He grabbed this bird and bit its head off (the head fell to the ground) and blood spirted down Andys leg. He also bit the tail off a lizard a few weeks ago. 

When Charlie was alive she brought a dead rat into the house.....she licked every inch of it (slobbered and soaked) she dropped it on the living room floor. 

Lucy when she was alive caught a possum, she was headed for the house with it. I yelled drop it and Im glad she did. The possum lived. 

All my dogs chase the bunnies, lizards and cats......and bugs.....LOL.


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## wyldeflower (Aug 11, 2010)

my last 2 goldens were so gentle birds used to sit on them in the garden they never bothered birds at all.The puppy i have now trys to stalk them but i tell him off as i dont really like it as i like birds.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Cody is my bird dog. Several weeks ago he snuck a bird he had caught inside and I LET HIM IN. That little stinker had it completely in his mouth. It wasn't until I saw him under the kitchen table munching on what I thought was a stick that I discovered it was a bird. He's also caught them outside right out of the air! He is OBSESSED.


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## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Missy caught and ate a bird a few weeks ago... And then a few months ago Sadie, the chocolate lab we were fostering, killed a baby bunny and left it as a present for me.


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Everyone stories had me grossed out and laughing. 
Murphy caught this little ducky in our yard this past spring...we took it back to the lake.


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