Nihon Ken and squirrels

ZinjaZinja
edited September 2012 in Behavior & Training
So, Eevee has been really obsessed with squirrels. When we go to the dog park, she used to play with the dogs and swim. Now, she just finds squirrels and chases them, which makes it really hard to catch her when we're ready to go home. She no longer plays with dogs or swims for a long duration but just hunts squirrels. I paid for a membership at the dog park and wish Eevee socialized with the dogs or swam more.

Anyone have any ideas on how to desensitize her with squirrels? Would it be best to just work on her recall?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • SayaSaya
    Saya is into squirrels and rabbits too. hehe

    Sadly chasing an animal is fun thing for most dogs especially NK breed..

    Not sure what kind advice to give. I'm lucky after bit saya gets bored checking the overgrowth at side of house and goes lays down in the yard or follows me around.
  • Hinata23Hinata23
    We're dealing with this right now... ChoCho and Goro are obsessed with checking the trees and bushes. They are always hunting for squirrels. It's kind of insane and making daily walks a hassle since they pull like they're sled dogs.

    We haven't found a solution or some way to lessen it yet. Them spotting an armadillo the other day is not helping either. We have tried to keep them away from trees, but we live in a pretty under developed area, so there's not much we can do.
  • ttddinhttddinh
    I too am checking this thread for a solution.
  • tjbart17tjbart17
    Koda was obsessed with squirrels when he was younger. He caught one once. The solution for us was age. He realized that they can climb the trees and he can't get them easily. He eventually lost interest.
  • shishiinushishiinu
    Yeah this is gonna be a tough one since they are dogs with a strong hunting heritage. I think it's one of those things you just have to live with when you own a NK.
  • atlasatlas
    edited October 2012
    My shiba chases squirrels, birds, rabbits, anything. She hasn't grown out of it - I think because she's actually caught things before, so she knows that sometimes her perseverance pays off. I know it kind of bites if you've payed for the dog park, but maybe you can look at it like it's still a good experience. Even though she's not playing with the dogs, she's still around the dogs so it's still socialization, in a way. And it's a new area where she can run around and play - even if she chooses to do different things. I don't bring my shiba to the dog park while other dogs are there anymore, since she has become less tolerant of strange dogs with age, but sometimes I'll go after it rains when I know no one will be around so she can have the run of an area different from our yard. She mostly runs around and chases birds when we go.

    If hunting squirrels is what is fun for her, she's still getting something out of it!
  • ZinjaZinja
    edited October 2012
    Hunting squirrels are all fun and games, but she gets really obsessive. It's really difficult to get on her leash once she starts looking. It's the same set of trees too. When I'm on the other side of the park, she is perfect with amazing recall. When she finally gets sight of a squirrel, all her training goes away and she will spend the rest of her time running back and forth between the trees. I've even stopped going for four weeks to train on her recall but no luck.

    I eventually get her back on her leash when she gets hot and jumps into the water and wait until she gets close to the shore again. I think this is why she does not find pleasure chasing stuffed toys... maybe I will get her a hamster in a hamster ball for her birthday. JK.

    Dogwood Park's slogan is, "Home of the world's fastest squirrels" lol.
  • sjp051993sjp051993
    Tora and Kuma have yet to grow out of it.
  • LosechLosech
    edited October 2012
    I can redirect Conker off most animals, but with cats and raccoons (they fight back so it's fun to get them!) it's almost impossible once he's seen and zeroed in on them. With the other critters (deer, horses, turkeys, skunks), I tell him to "Leave It!" first, then get him to focus on me and what I am doing (usually making a fool of myself) so he doesn't get amped up on the animal. I will quickly change direction, break into a jog sometimes, and constantly praise and treat him when he's not looking at the animal.
    If it's a cat or a raccoon I have to just grab him and get outta there as quickly as possible. If he does look at me, he gets all the praise and treats in the world, but that doesn't really seem to work all the time with those critters.

    With squirrels though, I actually encourage him to find/bark at/chase them... But he does know to wait for my command before he can chase. I have no idea how I trained him to do that. Must have been some of the training for the other animals, or something, like that, maybe.
  • ceziegcezieg
    Yeahhh I don't see any way to diminish that besides working on focusing your pet's attention on you in that second before they transition from "*perked up ears* Is that a squirrel?" to "OMGOMG IT'S A SQUIRREL" lol. It's part of the breed. Also, treating when they look at you when you divert them from chasing is a good way, making listening to you have more value (treat) than the squirrel. That's just for walking.

    As for the dog park... I don't really see any way to change that. I think it helps to look at it from Eevee's point of view and what's fun for her. Obviously it's more fun for her to chase squirrels, so that doesn't make the dog park any less exciting or fun for her. She has to socialize in the sense of being around other dogs and people so that's not a bad thing either. Maybe for you it's a little less fun to watch, but then if it was about your fun then you should just go to a person park lol.
  • ZinjaZinja
    You got a point there. Look at the world in her eyes. I can relate on others' prospective on fun.

    I used to do parkour and see any ledge, rock, rail, or playground as an obstacle to develop as much use of that place as possible. My girlfriend, on the other hand, hated parks and running with me because I get too easily distracted with architecture and want to try to climb, jump, and flip off the structures . Now, because I broke my knee, I started running rc cars again and would look at a dirt mound as an amazing play area. My girlfriend thinks I'm crazy when I say the patch of dirt looks fun.

    Now my problem is getting her back on leash. I think she can look for squirrels for hours!
  • shibamistressshibamistress
    Seems like the NKs can be a bit obsessive about squirrels.

    We had an incident once. My male Shiba trapped a squirrel in the engine compartment of my friends (brand new) car. We were in the house, and I heard an odd sound, and thought I should check, and she said it was fine, but then I decided to check. The sound was the dogs pulling the fender off her new car. The Shiba had started this, but the GSD had the muscle to actually do damage and he really did bite the fender and pull it away from the car (it was a Subaru). The damn squirrel escaped too.
    (my homeowners insurance paid the $2,000 to repair the car, thankfully).

    Anyway, ever since then, Toby the Shiba has been OBSESSIVE about her car. He would check her car everytime she came over, looking for squirrels. The funny thing? This was like 7 years ago, and now she has a totally different car. he still does it! *lol*

    So....NKs and squirrels. We don't have a good track record over here.
  • lindsaytlindsayt
    One of the NKs who shall remain unnamed recently ate a hole thru the gate to help Grym chase a squirrel. Grym then went over the fence after it. Naughty!!!!
  • aykayk
    edited October 2012
    The only suggestion I would give is for you to also go squirrel hunting.

    I mean, have cases where you're helping them find the squirrels so that when you say "over here" or "look" or "squirrel", they come running close to look. Close enough to hook up to a leash, that is.
  • ceziegcezieg
    Hahaha @linsdayt, these NK's, so mischievious!
  • ZinjaZinja
    Lol, I'll dress up in an Elmer Fudd costume for Halloween and help Eevee hunt. "Shhh I'm hunting skwerrls. "

    Speaking of costumes, I just watched frankenweenie and I need to figure out how to make Eevee look like the undead... Or Vaporeon/Jolteon.
  • lizzysilvertonguelizzysilvertongue
    I think jolteon would be easiest... unless you could find a kids mermaid costume.
  • LosechLosech
    Haha Jolteon! That's funny. If I were to make my Shiba into a Pokemon, it'd be a Growlithe. Hmm, maybe I'll do that...
  • ZinjaZinja
    Since Eevee is red brindle, Arcanine would be somewhat easy. Someone made an Umbreon costume for their dog that looks amazing, but I'm partial to the original 151.
  • AraksAraks
    @Losech do Vulpix, I think it would fit Conker pretty well :)
  • SayaSaya
    Saya could do umbreon since she is black colored. lol

    Zorua would be fun since Zorua is my favorite from the 5th gen pokemon..
  • ZinjaZinja
    edited October 2012
    image

    Here is the Umbreon costume.

    Very impressed and interested in how they made it.
  • lindsaytlindsayt
    Wow!
  • LosechLosech
    That is so cool! I need it... Need it now.
  • atlasatlas
    Oh wow. That's awesome.
  • AraksAraks
    OMG someone get me that dog (umbreon is one of my top favs)
  • ttddinhttddinh
    wow, awesome costume!
  • ceziegcezieg
    @Zinja holy crap that costume is incredible! If this was on etsy I would buy it
  • ZinjaZinja
    edited October 2012
    It doesn't look that hard to make. It's essentially a black body suit with see-through material. The mask is only half done so she can eat/drink/sniff/pant.

    My only concern is if the dog potties. I do not see any holes where they can relieve themselves. If only they allowed dogs at Megacon ::sighs::

    image
    Here is a photo so you can kinda see how it works. She's a brindle American Bulldog.
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