Dogs eating birds

[teek]

What's your experience with Dog's eating birds (maybe somewhat regularly).  I have a 15 month old Mastweiller (mastiff / rotti cross) who is generally a good dog and super playful, actually the best puppy I ever had.

He keeps hunting birds and eating them.  It doesn't bother me too much.. I mean he's 110 pounds, if he wants to eat a bird all the power to him.  But I wonder if it is ok for him to be regularly eating birds, we do live in the city, so these aren't country birds.  Who knows what they get into in the city / what the birds are eating.

I mean I can't watch the dog all the time and he spends a good chunk of his days outside unsupervised especially in the summer, so I doubt I could ever stop the bird eating, but maybe someone out there has some insight ?


teek

[matthewh3]

Bird bones could splinter in the dogs throat.  I know wolves and wild dogs would eat birds but there is a general rule not to feed dogs chicken bones.  So I guess that goes for all bird bones?

[teek]

Bird bones could splinter in the dogs throat.  I know wolves and wild dogs would eat birds but there is a general rule not to feed dogs chicken bones.  So I guess that goes for all bird bones?

A general rule yeah..  I definitely heard of chicken bones doing that, had a couple scares with my dogs when I was a kid getting into chicken bones..  but those were just little dogs .. I am not so sure it applies to bigger animals like this guy.  He isn't even full grown yet but I am pretty sure he could eat a full raw chicken, bones and all in one sitting.. heh.   What worries me most is the "city birds"  thing... who the hell knows what they end up eating.  I figure this is fairly common, I mean we didn't teach him to catch birds or anything he is just interested in them naturally.. 

Just wondering if anyone has a dog that's been doing this for years or some similar situation and has any insight or experience with it.

[rjk]

BTW, the chicken bone thing only applies to COOKED chicken bones. Otherwise, how would any wild animal eat a chicken?
Uncooked bones pose no threat.

[teek]

BTW, the chicken bone thing only applies to COOKED chicken bones. Otherwise, how would any wild animal eat a chicken?
Uncooked bones pose no threat.

Ah no kidding eh, that makes sense. 

[BadBear]

BTW, the chicken bone thing only applies to COOKED chicken bones. Otherwise, how would any wild animal eat a chicken?
Uncooked bones pose no threat.

This is true, cooked bones shatter and splinter, raw bones are fine.   

[rjk]

In regards to OP's question, I too might be slightly worried about city birds, if only because of potential pesticides and pollutants that they might have picked up. However, I don't really know whether it's a major worry or not.

I'd say ask your vet, they should know about the fowl in your area.

[teek]

I'd say ask your vet, they should know about the fowl in your area.

Yeah, I will definitely be asking, he is due to go for his checkup in about a month so I will definitely mention it then.  He seems totally fine, yesterday he paraded around with one and showed everybody and this isn't the first time I caught him with one..  Maybe my dog food bills will go down?   We always ask him to pay rent, this could be his way of contributing..   

[Phinnaeus Gage]

My dog eats insect and's developing a taste for magazines.

[finkleshnorts]

Dog-eating birds:

An old hermit used to live next door to our lake house. He would tell this story of a bald eagle that once swooped down and plucked his beloved poodle right out of his boat, never to be seen again.

[OgNasty]

Get a webcam pointed at your yard and start a betting ring on how many and when the dog will eat birds.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Get a webcam pointed at your yard and start a betting ring on how many and when the dog will eat birds.

This idea has legs (four)! Done correctly, I envision such an endeavor going viral. I wonder if BetCam.com (or bitcam) is available

~Bruno~

[Clipse]

Aside from the choking hazard of bird bones, you should probably de-worm the dog more often if he continous to chase down city birds

Also watch out for lice(but if he is washed often, this is less of a concern)

[teek]

hmmmmm... bitcoin bird eating dog betting ring eh..  i like the sounds of it..  funny enough I have a 720p Axis outdoor dome sitting here i've been too lazy to put up..  it will be going in the back watching the yard when i get around to it..  hmmmmmmmmmm.. lulz

[teek]

Aside from the choking hazard of bird bones, you should probably de-worm the dog more often if he continous to chase down city birds

Also watch out for lice(but if he is washed often, this is less of a concern)

yeah definitely on the de-worming.. thanks

[Phinnaeus Gage]

hmmmmm... bitcoin bird eating dog betting ring eh..  i like the sounds of it..  funny enough I have a 720p Axis outdoor dome sitting here i've been too lazy to put up..  it will be going in the back watching the yard when i get around to it..  hmmmmmmmmmm.. lulz

BitDome.com

Dog and bird are put in covered dome, and bits are made as to how long it takes for the hungry dog to catch the bird. Now all we need is some football star to sponsor the whole thing, and we're golden.

[jago25_98]

Try to understand the dog.
Get on all fours, wag your tail and start barking.
Then go hunting together in the woods.
There boy, she's a pretty one isn't she?

muaghhhghgh!