Baby birds

[Ron Burgundy]

My cocker loves eating baby birds. I obviously don't want her to eat them. How worried should I be that she's eaten about 4 of them this spring. I don't let it happen, but she sees them before my wife or I do and once she's on it, bye bye birdie. These are the only live birds she's come in contact with so far at 1 year old.

[BLACKJACK]

Utica, beautiful rolling countryside down there!!! Last time I was there I had to bury a good friend....

I'd be worried about her eating baby birds!!! When she starts retrieving pheasants and ducks, why wouldn't she try to eat them too??? And lots of times they'll be in cattails and brush, out of sight....

What I'd do is a) watch her closer, this is baby bird time, as you've noticed next time she grabs and start eating one I'd grab her and physically open her mouth and remove the chewed up portion, all the time saying 'NO-NO-NO'. She'll get the idea.

Another thing to do is get some pigeons and start her retrieving birds. She should know that birds, ALL birds get brought to you. I shoot starlings around my place and then use them for retriever training, my labs like birds, they like retrieving, doesn't matter what it is, they bring them to me.

Some of the 'pros' on this board will probably have better ideas on how to keep the chewing on the birds down, in my experience some dogs have a soft mouth and some just naturally bite down harder. And as they get older they get more hard mouthed (no sense in bringing back a live struggling bird when a dead one is easier). I do think you need to stop it. Good luck!!

[Acemac]

maybe a diet issue? in need of more protein?