Why is My Dog Killing Rabbits? The Main Answer, Plus Prevention Tips.

Okay, so the other day I was chilling in my backyard, and I saw my dog, Max, suddenly bolt across the lawn. I was like, "What's got him all riled up?" Then I saw it – a poor little bunny rabbit. It was over in seconds. Max had the rabbit, and... well, it wasn't pretty.

It got me thinking, "Why do dogs do this? It is not like Max is starving." So, I started digging around to figure out what's up with dogs and their, um, hunting habits.

Digging into the "Why"

First, I looked at Max's breed. He's a mix, but there's definitely some terrier in there. Turns out, terriers were bred to hunt small animals. Like, that was their job. Generations of dogs bred to chase and, yeah, kill small, furry things. So, part of it is just baked into his DNA.

• Prey Drive: That is the big one. It is this instinctual urge to chase and capture. Some dogs have a super high prey drive, others, not so much. It is like a switch in their brain that flips when they see something small and fast-moving.
• Boredom: I considered whether Max was just plain bored. Dogs need exercise and mental stimulation. A bored dog can start acting out in all sorts of ways. Maybe chasing rabbits was his way of, I don't know, creating his own entertainment?
• Lack of Training: I realized that I may have slacked a bit on recall training. You know, getting your dog to come back to you immediately, no matter what. If your dog is chasing something, a solid recall command is crucial.

What I'm Doing About It Now

After witnessing the whole rabbit incident, I was not thrilled. I decided, so a few things needed to change:

• More Exercise: I upped Max's walks and play time. Longer walks, more fetch, basically just trying to tire him out. A tired dog is a good dog, right?
• Training, Training, Training: We went back to basics with recall. Lots of treats, lots of praise when he comes back immediately. We used a long leash at first, just to be safe.
• Supervision: I am just more aware when he is in the backyard. No more letting him roam free without me keeping an eye on him. It is a pain, but it is better than another rabbit incident.

It is a work in progress, for sure. I am hoping that with a combination of understanding Max's instincts and putting in some effort, we can avoid any more backyard tragedies. It is all about managing the situation and, honestly, being a responsible dog owner.