Golden Retriever~~A question

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

We are dog sitting the most gentle golden. He is sweet, has the best disposition and gets on famously with my beagle boy. The kids adore him and he has really taken a special liking to me Anyhoo, he's been here nearly1 month with his family scheduled home the end of June. Now that we have all of the nice praises out of the way, let me just say OMG.

Yesterday I look out the kitchen and I see him "playing" with what I presume to be one of his many toys. Imagine my surprise, when upon closer inspection, it's not really a ball but a bunny butt cotton tail and all. I tried to get it from him, but he scarged down the entire bunny, crunching bones and all. My DH thinks the beagle killed it and gave it to the golden as a treat. I cannot tell you how skeeved out I am. I know my beagle has killed a few, but he just breaks their necks and leaves.

Is this usual behaviour for this breed? I am not letting him in the house until I am sure all has passed. I did schedule a grooming for tomorrow and doused his mouth with listerine.

Anything else, or am I overeacting?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Um, you put Listerine in a dog's mouth over a bunny? I would say that you are major overreacting there!

 

[MosMom]

Wow, that would gross me out. Listerine is better than Purell!

They are game dogs. They retrieve...the eating thing is new to me though. Maybe he was hungry.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Um, you put Listerine in a dog's mouth over a bunny? I would say that you are major overreacting there!

OMG YES. He was crunching on bunny bones. He ate the entire rabbit and I didn't want his mouth near my kids or us. ewwwwww

 

[DznyLvr2005]

Their name says it all. I have a golden. A few years ago DH let her out late at night. He brought her back in in the dark and went to sleep. The next morning Pumpkin is acting waaaayyyy too happy. She's wagging her tail and doing the happy cry. Upon further inspection, I see FEATHERS sticking out of her mouth!!!! She must have seen a dead bird outside the night before and it was her prize to carry around all morning until we saw it in her mouth!!!! Goldens don't kill. They carry, so I'm sure the dog didn't kill it.

 

[goofy4tink]

No, it is not indicative of the breed. Yes, they are retrievers..but that is what they do, retrieve. They aren't supposed to eat the prey. That would sort of defeat the purpose wouldn't it??!!!
Anyway.....I'm sure that the beagle thought this was a great way to pay homage to his friend the golden. So, when it was brought to him, he figured he could eat it. Dogs are carniverous after all. My cats have dined on rabbit in the past. Not the nicest thing to think about, but that's the way of the wild.
I wouldn't worry about it one bit. But Listerene??? Why in heaven's name. You are aware the he licks himself, right??? And there are going to be more germs on him then in digesting that rabbit!!! Poor dog....traumatized.
When you say 'all is passed' do you mean as in the remains of the rabbit passing through the dog?? Have little fear. Uncooked, raw bones will not hurt dogs. They used to eat them in the wild all the time. It's when the bones are cooked that they can injure an animal that eats them.
Dogs used to eat bunnies all the time before they became domesticated. You believe that your beagle only breaks their necks and leaves them? I'll bet not....you have probably just found the bodies of the ones he has left. I'm sure he has eaten a few.
Stop worrying!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

OMG YES. He was crunching on bunny bones. He ate the entire rabbit and I didn't want his mouth near my kids or us. ewwwwww

You are right, licking their behind is sooo much better than a bunny.

I grew up with cats who ate alot of bunnies so it doesn't skeeve me out.

 

[goofy4tink]

You are right, licking their behind is sooo much better than a bunny.

I grew up with cats who ate alot of bunnies so it doesn't skeeve me out.

Gotta love cats and their love of rabbit. My old cat used to love spring-time. Great for finding those nests, full of baby bunnies!!! Nasty. The cat would kill the baby bunnies, leaving me only baby bunny heads!!! One day I found 5 of the dear things, all lined up. Really grossed me out....5 little baby bunny heads all in a row. Well, I wouldn't touch them...left them for the dh to deal with. He got home an hour later, I told him where to find the heads. He came back inside to tell me there were no heads there...went out and he was right!!! OMG!!!! That dang cat must have moved them....!!

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Now I am really embarassed by the listerine. But since I have come clean with that I also listerine the beagle when I brush his teeth

 

[BCV513]

In all honesty, I think the Listerine is more dangerous to the dog than the rabbit was.


And I'm 99% sure your beagle has taken a nibble once or twice before. It's instinct.

 

[RNMOM]

I must say listerine is really inappropriate. It would do nothing as the dog couldn't have 'swished' it and have it remain in it's mouth and it is for humans. I do hope it wasn't harmful as that stuff is toxic if swallowed in any amount.

Secondly, a freshly killed bunny is not harboring harmful germs.
Ever eat sushi? How about that nice ground up canned dog food that is made of all kinds of ground up animal parts. I sure woulnd't worry a bit about fresh kill.

This is a dog. They will do what comes naturally to them. He probably was hungry or he probably would have just played with it. We have had two goldens and our first lunged for my niece's pet bunny. Our second wouldn't have done so, I'm sure as our guinea pigs used to chase him around the house.

Our neighbor's golden who recently passed away killed a nest of 4 bunnies when he was young. Most dogs and even other animals will kill helpless animals if they are inclined. Don't get so upset about it. If he is otherwise a great dog he didn't do anything wrong. Why don't you call your vet and ask if you should be upset by this? I think you should also watch him for any signs of bowel perforations from the bones but they are probably so small and soft he will pass them okay.

Our setter picks up every nasty thing he can. Dead birds, dead moles, old bird nests. I wish I had a dime for all the times we dig stuff from his mouth after a walk. We have a nice collection of soggy mittens and hats in the winter that he carries in his mouth back home. He is a dog, not a child and will act like one.