Pawfect Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I have 2 small fluffy crossbreeds, & in the past have had cats & fostered small kittens (1 dog loves them, 1 is a bit scared), cockateils (1 dog not interested unless it's flapping in his face, 1 is scared), a galah (both dogs were terrified - galah was a bit of a meanie), & fostered puppies (both dogs were terrified) & other dogs (both dogs fine). Since they seem to have very little prey drive (so I thought!) I decided to adopt some guinea pigs, however one of my dogs is VERY interested in them, & i'm worried it's not in a good way!! She's the dog that's usually scared of everything too!! I've let them meet through wire fencing, & let the dogs have a sniff of the guinea pig area, bedding, etc (& of the guinea pigs themselves when we've been holding them (& another person holding dog so they can't make any moves). One dog has a sniff, lick, then loses interest. The other is completely obsessed & shakes with anticipation, howls, & when the piggies are in a run outside she'll watch them FOR HOURS & try to dig into their enclosure when i'm not looking. Today she accidently got locked in our garage where the piggies were in a playpen made of material & netting, & she ripped small holes in the netting until she bled & managed to pull out all the towels that were under the playpen. This is not like her at all!! (She's usually a giant lazy blob & never gets up to mischief - doesn't even like toys much!). My plan was to only use the cage the piggies came in for inside overnight (it's secure but small), & have them in a giant moveable playpen outside during the day (with small hutch for shelter inside it). That way I could mover them around the yard when needed. However there's no way i'd trust my dog to not destroy the playpen if I wasn't supervising (plus her constantly watching is scaring the piggies). What can I do to de-sensitise her to them? Or am I doomed?? In the meantime what should I do to keep them safe? (The china-made hutches & runs available in all the stores seem a bit too flimsy IMO to keep her out). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Ifirst thing Guinea Pigs will eat fabric and netting ,that is not a safe option ,Guinea Pigs will nibble on wood too. I showed my GP for years ,we had one dog that was awesome with them the others I wouldn't trust nor did we expect them too .GP where always housed safely away and whenout dogs in . The GP where not expected to put up with torment in our hou hold . For the own escape safety GP need to be housed correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumCorner Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 What can I do to de-sensitise her to them? Or am I doomed?? ... With Frodo, I was doomed. He was an absolute little sod who lived and breathed to delete my rabbits and guinea-pigs. It ended up easier to not keep them. The last one, he worked out that a short length of wire tunnel from their safe-shed to safe day-pen was soft enough wire to jump onto and squash down as the rabbit was going through. So he did, with calculated timing. When he was doing flyball, if there was a guinea-pig show connected with the Ag-Show running a flyball comp, he'd lost concentration on flyball and literally scream to get at any guinea pigs being carried to and from their pavilion. When we moved to central Vic he was over 10 years old, and remained besotted with chasing rabbits unsuccessfully til this year: he is a very old doggie now and just potters about in safe areas, not in livestock paddocks or near the geese or chooks. What surprised me was how immediately accepting he was of all kinds of poultry and took all the free-range varieties, (guinea fowl, ducks, whatever) for granted as part of the family. But would never ever de-sensitise to small animals, even ferrets would have him foaming and raging with kill-wish. If there is some terrier in the "small fluffy cross" as there is with Frodo that is not easy hard-wiring to disconnect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willem Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 .....What can I do to de-sensitise her to them? Or am I doomed?? In the meantime what should I do to keep them safe? (The china-made hutches & runs available in all the stores seem a bit too flimsy IMO to keep her out). you are very likely doomed - you can built a solid enclosure outside for the guinea pigs and use it as an entertainment center for the dogs. They will still love to watch them, it just needs to be strong enough so they can't break in. The guinea pigs won't be bothered to be watched all the time after a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Best Dogs! Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Keep them separate. Get very secure outdoor and indoor pens. I would consider getting a pen with a wire flooring so she cannot dig a hole for a GPig to go exploring through. Just regular old chicken wire won't hurt their feet overly and let the grass pop through. The wooden cages are useless for outside, they get eaten and go rotten pretty quick. You'll need to find a lightweight metal one. Usually someone is selling on on gumtree - but keep in mind they get quite hot in summer. So balancing protection vs health. Find some way to obscure her view of the piggies in the run (and them of her, I can guarantee they're not having fun with her acting like this around them). I'd not leave her out there with them alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willem Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Keep them separate. Get very secure outdoor and indoor pens. I would consider getting a pen with a wire flooring so she cannot dig a hole for a GPig to go exploring through. Just regular old chicken wire won't hurt their feet overly and let the grass pop through. The wooden cages are useless for outside, they get eaten and go rotten pretty quick. You'll need to find a lightweight metal one. Usually someone is selling on on gumtree - but keep in mind they get quite hot in summer. So balancing protection vs health. Find some way to obscure her view of the piggies in the run (and them of her, I can guarantee they're not having fun with her acting like this around them). I'd not leave her out there with them alone. ours don't care at all when she is herding around their enclosures - guinea pigs have a very strange and unusual flight and defense behaviour (seems only to exist when 2 males fight each other). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Uh Oh ..Doomed, I think. The smell/noise and movement will bring out that prey drive - even without seeing them the dog will smell & hear them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I tend to think the same as the others who've said it wont work. Unless you can be absolutely sure you can keep them separate. I have friends who had guinea pigs for years and also had whippets. They had the guineas in a raised enclosure and the whippets couldn't reach them. Perhaps if they stood on hind legs they might have been able to sniff them but the enclosure was secure anyway so it worked out OK. If you cannot guarantee you can keep yours separate then it is going to end with tears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 Sounds very unlikely that this dog will ever happily coexist with this guinea pig. Really your two options are to either rehome the guinea pigs, or create a fool-proof enclosure and work on separation to ensure they're safe from the dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canisbellum Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Got rid of the Guinea pigs, problem solved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willem Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Got rid of the Guinea pigs, problem solved guinea pigs can be a fantastic mental stimuli for dogs - I'm pretty sure that without our guinea pigs our BC wouldn't be so settled and relaxed; her backyard, her guinea pigs...her job (well, the kids still have to feed them). Edited October 12, 2016 by Willem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawfect Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 Thanks for your replies - looks like i'm doomed then!! ???? I'll keep an eye out for a more secure metal cage for their outside time & just do a dog shuffle in the meantime. Their everyday cage for inside is on a stand & she can't see into it, so has very little interest thankfully. It's just too small for them to be in permanently. Should note also the inside playpen I mentioned is just for brief periods of 'floor time' out of their cage, on the horrible days they can't be outside in the pen. They wouldn't get much of a chance to nibble on it. ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Sounds very unlikely that this dog will ever happily coexist with this guinea pig. Really your two options are to either rehome the guinea pigs, or create a fool-proof enclosure and work on separation to ensure they're safe from the dog. Yes - and they shouldn't see/smell/hear the dog either. They might be physically safe but constantly stressed because a predator is stalking them (they don't know the dog can't get over the fence etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willem Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Sounds very unlikely that this dog will ever happily coexist with this guinea pig. Really your two options are to either rehome the guinea pigs, or create a fool-proof enclosure and work on separation to ensure they're safe from the dog. Yes - and they shouldn't see/smell/hear the dog either. They might be physically safe but constantly stressed because a predator is stalking them (they don't know the dog can't get over the fence etc). it seems that they don't recognize a stalking dog as a predator - I think it is not in their genes. They are more sensitive to sudden shadows (associated with raptors); our dog can go nuts around them and they don't take any notice. ETA: that is one of the reasons why they are - IMO - not suitable to be used in herding training, e.g. like ducks. They also don't look for the 'safety in numbers' grouping like ducks, sheep etc. as a response to a stalking dog. Edited October 12, 2016 by Willem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willem Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Thanks for your replies - looks like i'm doomed then!! ???? I'll keep an eye out for a more secure metal cage for their outside time & just do a dog shuffle in the meantime. Their everyday cage for inside is on a stand & she can't see into it, so has very little interest thankfully. It's just too small for them to be in permanently. Should note also the inside playpen I mentioned is just for brief periods of 'floor time' out of their cage, on the horrible days they can't be outside in the pen. They wouldn't get much of a chance to nibble on it. ???? as long as you provide a dry shelter where they can sleep and rest, and where they are protected from strong winds you can leave them outside the whole year. Our guinea pigs (boy group and a girl group, each group in a separate compound) have been born outside and lived all their live outside (they are all over 6 years old now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Best Dogs! Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 It's not impossible to have both :) just careful planning and precautions. For example. I never let Thistle have sight of them (in addition to access). I can't do much about the sound or smell. She's a dog after all. But she's primarily sight orientated. So out of sight is out of mind... and as back up always 2 doors, gates or fences inbetween. Bunnies outside? Thistle inside. Bunnies inside? Thistle outside or house divided up with auto closing doors ($10 from Bunnings for that attachment.) I've never let her see them as I suspect she would become relentless with their presence solidified beyond the occasional smell or weird noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowgliandme Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Out of curiosity, does that mean its impossible to desensitise prey drive out of a dog once they have it? How does this translate to say taking the dog to a field where there are rabbits, or dogs chasing birds/cars/scooters? Many people have desensitised dogs to bikes/scooters riding past ...what makes the GP so different in this case? Im asking to learn as I don't know much about prey drive at all! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Out of curiosity, does that mean its impossible to desensitise prey drive out of a dog once they have it? How does this translate to say taking the dog to a field where there are rabbits, or dogs chasing birds/cars/scooters? Many people have desensitised dogs to bikes/scooters riding past ...what makes the GP so different in this case? Im asking to learn as I don't know much about prey drive at all! :) Really depends on the level of prey drive and what you're expecting. You may be able to get a highly prey driven dog to behave around prey in your presence and on lead, but take them off or leave them alone and it is unlikely. That's only the high end dogs though. There's lots that might be super interested but come good with careful socialisation and training. Still wouldn't risk leaving them alone together though. Chasing cars and scooters is a modified prey drive... often more like herding... so they're quite different and not as raw and instinctual. Edited October 12, 2016 by melzawelza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 (edited) Oops. Edited October 12, 2016 by melzawelza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Best Dogs! Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 The short of it... calling her off wildlife is a slow work in progress. But I will never *trust* her around a penned small animal. But I got my big high prey drive sight driven predator as an adult. Perhaps if I had gotten her younger I could better mitigate it. Mowgli seems really calm so I think you could shape disinterest and good behaviour :) As it is, if shit happens and I am there I can only hope my training pulls through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now