How dogs hunt

I recently commented on the small dog grabbing a reptile which we had not spotted (and which we would rather she had not 'spotted' either).  A comment related events with a kelpie that stirred up all sorts of wildlife unseen by the kelpie's human companions, concluding to the effect that "Your dog spots snakes."

I suspect that the kelpie in question is an eye dog.  I am however not convinced that Tammy can be so described in all circumstances.  She is very good at spotting stuff where she has a good view, but she is so small that in the current season when off highly manicured areas she is basically wading through (what would be to us) a dense rainforest.  However her sense of smell is extremely acute.

By way of example, a couple of rabbits were amusing themselves on our lawn this evening so I went out with Tammy on the lead to see what we could do about this.  She and the rabbits spotted each other at the same time and the bunnies headed for the scrub.  I could see where they were going (through Joycea tussocks) but Tam wasn't looking: she was sniffing.  As soon as she hit the path the rabbits had taken she was straight on their track.

I tried to get her to cut corners to where I had seen the rabbits go but she was locked in to the scent and could not be efficiently redirected.  We gave up the chase, but hopefully had persuaded the vermin that there were better places to go.

Getting back to reptiles, I have read somewhere that snakes in particular leave a strong scent behind them.  I suspect that is what she often reacts to with them, rather than a sight or sound.

Comments

Denis Wilson said…
Hi Martin.
You and your dog stories. Mine is a hopeless lap dog, i am afraid, but it makes for less excitement when it comes to "the chase".
She once followed my "skitch it" instructions when I had seen a fox below the house. She rushed down till she hit the fox trail, then stopped still (I was a mazed that she was that good at scenting, but Foxes are notoriously smelly). Then she set of along the track from whence the fox had come.
She got the scent, but missed the time factor, and went for the older scent, not the ever-so-slightly fresher scent.
I gave up on her as hunting dog at that point.
Your Kelpie would have done much better.

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