My Dog Just Ate a Rat

[Jeff Higgins]

So, my wife and I are out in the backyard trimming our laurel hedge that separates our back yard from the neighbor's. This is the same laurel hedge that provides some of the cover for the local rat population that comes up from the shopping center and woods below us. It's provided endless hours of sport, as I have hunted them with my air rifles for years, baiting them with peanut butter or cream cheese.

Well, Ed, our illustrious (now eleven month old) Golden Retriever, apparently found one of the casualties. I was down at the other end of the hedge when my wife started in with a very stern "no!! drop!!!". I turned around just in time to see Ed chomp away and swallow.

My God, I haven't heard my wife lose it like that since the turd in the shower. "HE ATE A RAT!!!. HE ATE A GOD DAMN RAT!!! HE ATE A MOTHER FREAKIN' RAT!!!! EEEEEEE!!!!" as she ran up the stairs to the deck, into the house, and locked the door.

Ed and I just kinda stood there looking at each other. I went back to trimming the laurel.

[Chocaholic]

We had the exact same experience when our golden retriever ate a small rabbit. Had it in her mouth standing on the deck, little back bunny-legs kicking up an down. I approached her to hopefully get her to release it. Nope...a couple of chomps and down it went. My wife freaked in a very similar fashion to yours. The dog was fine.

[masraum]

my son in law used to have a German shepherd that would catch and eat squirrels, regularly.

We have a 35# dog, kind of looks like a stocky German Shepherd puppy, and a 12# miniature dachshund. I came out in the back yard one day and noticed the dachshund chomping on something. I didn't pay much attention, because he often chewed sticks. But then I noticed that it wasn't a stick. I assume the other dog had caught a squirrel and killed it, then got bored because it didn't play. So the mini dachshund had chewed it's head until it looks like a destuffed stuffed animal head and the skull and brains had been squished out of it's mouth. Yeah, he was having a grand ol' time.

[dad911]

I cringed to open this thread....... expected you to post a pic.....

[RKDinOKC]

My last golden has brought me mice, squirrels, rabbits, birds, and even a opossum. Everything except the opossum I gave back and she chomped and swallowed. The opossum was just playing opossum. Tossed it out into the yard, it got up and ambled off. Appreciate that when she "finds" anything she brings it to me.

[stomachmonkey]

Meh, my mastiff used to eat her own ****.

[RKDinOKC]

But they are supposed to keep the litter box clean!

[Aerkuld]

I was watching our cat 'playing' with a rabbit. This was a fairly big Maine Coon cat, and it had caught this (wild) rabbit on the neighbors front yard.

Then the cat started eating it.

I figured I'd let it carry on and I'd go over later and pick the rest of the mess up so the neighbor didn't find rabbit parts all over the front lawn.

Went over a few minutes later and there was nothing left. The cat ate everything, fur, paws, head, the lot - a whole freakin' rabbit!

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

We had the exact same experience when our golden retriever ate a small rabbit...

My neighbor cat does that, the wife freakout when she saw him carrying a full size rabbit across the road...

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

But they are supposed to keep the litter box clean!

She did that too, we called those toasted almond bars.

When she ate her frozen **** in the winter they were poopsicles

[fanaudical]

It's funny how we're surprised to see our animals eat something aside from kibble, isn't it?

[crustychief]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

.......
My God, I haven't heard my wife lose it like that since the turd in the shower.

Epic thread.
Spot love to catch then play with Possums.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

We had a cat that would bring home some pretty big snakes and they'd be chomped away at. It was great to watch her hunt.

[RKDinOKC]

Current golden has eliminated all of the snakes and lizards from our back yard.

One evening heard her making some weird noises, not growling, barking or whining, just talking. Then she was answered by a great horned owl perched about 20 ft away on top of a stockade fence post. They were both just sitting there with quite a conversation going back and forth. After a few rounds of chatter the dog got up and came over to me. The owl hooted a few times, then flew off. I can only imagine they were discussing the night time hunting rights for the back yard. The owl usually perches atop a large cottonwood in my back yard.

[Steve Carlton]

I saw my poodle with something in her mouth and by the time I realized I was looking at hind legs and a tail, she swallowed it. Just a bit of tail for a second, then nothing. It was gross, but nothing happened after that.

[HardDrive]

I have made war with the local squirrels for the damage they cause to my gardens. My .22 air rifle has proven quite effective.

On occasion, I've winged one of them, and its made it over the fence to my neighbors yard. I have watched as their black lab, who is dumber than dung, has sniffed around the dead creature clueless as to what to do.

It takes a bit of self control to maintain a poker face, as my neighbor informs me (with a certain amount of pride I might add) that his dog is a 'killer', and has caught some squirrels. That mofo would be lucky to catch its reflection in a piece of glass.

[RSBob]

My old (deceased) dog black lab/chow used to clean out the “Almond Roca” from the cat box. She also loved to gives kisses. We thought the cat was doing us a favor by pooping outside until we caught Sadie finishing off the litter box. And we wondered why she kept putting on weight on a restricted diet.

The box was elevated way above doggie level and the kisses continued.

[Craig T]

My dog ate an entire rabbit before I could take it away from him. He swallowed it like a snake. I rushed him to the vet thinking the long bones would rupture his intestines. The vet laughed and said..."dogs Tanks size have been eating rabbits for about 100,000 years". She sent me home with deworming medicine. He never missed a beat.

[aigel]

Make sure he gets checked for worms on a regular basis ... other than that, no worries!

[RKDinOKC]

Thankfully none of the 3 goldens I've had have taken to chewin cat cigars or drinking from the porcelain bowl.