Does anyone else have my problem? I would love to have one or two ground feeding stations for the blackbirds, dunnocks etc etc but my dog eats it all! Please don't suggest a protective cage because she would either break in or carry it off! She totally ignores the birds and they totally ignore her, by the way. She just likes bird food! All I can do at the moment is spread some meal worms in the flower pots and borders, but any fruit, fat, and even seed, gets eaten.
Cheers, Linda.
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Thanks everyone for your replies, especially KatTai with your free dog training lesson!!!!! Much appreciated. I think Lucybob has asked the right question - is it something about Boxers? It most certainly is. They are puppies until the day they die, unlike any other breed, and we should know. Lola is the latest in a long line of boxers owned, worked, and loved by us. I have had 50 continuous years of this breed. All they want to do is play, and this stealing tendancy is a form of play to them. It is a huge game and a lot of fun, partly attention seeking, and partly because they only have one brain cell. They are the clowns of the dog world, and it is part of their nature. Just as different bird species have different behaviour patterns, so do dogs. If she were a collie, a lab, a poodle or a German Shepherd, it might be different!
However, I will give KatTai's suggestions a go starting tomorrow ... but I'm not holding my breath!!!
Good luck with the training Sparrow - I have spent most of today trying to train the pup not to dig up bulbs - guess who is winning?
I think I have a very good idea who won with the bulbs!!! You clearly didn't plant them in the right place and he was just helping re-arrange them!
I gave in and bought a very tall candalabra style feeding station, which hubby erected this afternoon. It is tall enough for the hanging feeders and fat containers to be out of canine reach, even Lola's!! She investigated and tried her best for a few minutes, much to our amusement, but had to give in eventually, and is now ignoring it. I just hope it withstands all this wind and that the birds like their new dining area. I could have a caged ground feeder underneath it, with the spike going through the top of the cage, which would prevent her from running of with the cage. Hopefully! I will try it and see.
Sparrow, so glad to see your problem seem to be solved, but just wait to hear how she has taken up pole vaulting ! ( you haven't got a trampoline nearby, have you ? ) She just sounds and looks adorable.
Good luck Sparrow! - but I have to confess I do love Lola's antics, although I know it's not much fun for you, it's giving me a great laugh reading your thread!
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Hi Sparrow - the words of an old song come to mind 'what every Lola wants Lola gets' - let's hope you've cracked it this time. I think our Jack would just adore your Lola she sounds his type of gal!
My very tall new feeding station survived the howling winds last night, and up to now has survived Lola (and I'm afraid to say, like the song, Lola does get what she wants most of the time!) Fortunately we don't have a trampoline, but I wouldn't put it past her to try a pole vault!
I bought some sultanas this morning for me to share with the birds. I scattered some in the flower beds for the blackbirds, and half an hour later they were nearly all gone. Lola was in her bed by this time, all innocent etc. but I knew it was her ... her nose was covered in mud!
Lucybob - she would LOVE your Jack.
Hi Sparrow - glad to hear the new feeder stood up to the gales last night - I actually went out and tied one of mine in as the Jackdaws land on it a bit heavy and it was swaying father! I did see the farm black cat try to shin up a wooden pole to a feeder in my garden earlier this week (dont let Lola read this) it got two thirds of the way up and then fell off being a cat it landed on its feet.
Jack and I have been gardening again today and have been singing Lola all afternoon!!!
Susan H said: Thanks everyone for your replies, especially KatTai with your free dog training lesson!!!!! Much appreciated. I think Lucybob has asked the right question - is it something about Boxers? It most certainly is. They are puppies until the day they die, unlike any other breed, and we should know. Lola is the latest in a long line of boxers owned, worked, and loved by us. I have had 50 continuous years of this breed. All they want to do is play, and this stealing tendancy is a form of play to them. It is a huge game and a lot of fun, partly attention seeking, and partly because they only have one brain cell. They are the clowns of the dog world, and it is part of their nature. Just as different bird species have different behaviour patterns, so do dogs. If she were a collie, a lab, a poodle or a German Shepherd, it might be different! However, I will give KatTai's suggestions a go starting tomorrow ... but I'm not holding my breath!!!
We have labradoodles (lab/poodle) and they would eat everything put out for the birds if they got the chance - so it's not just yours (who looks so sweet by the way)!!! My daughter and I have had to section of part of the back garden so the dogs can't get into the bit we feed the birds in, otherwise we'd have hungry birds and very fat dogs!!!
Hi Sparrow
Your story reminds me of years ago when I used to put bits of cheese out on the ground for the blackbirds, and the local farmers sheepdog used to eat all the cheese I put out for the birds. {not happy}
I got to the point of feeling quite irratated about the whole matter, as I was living as a tenent on a farm and got more than I bargained for at times with other peoples dogs.
On top of that the dog took a dislike to me (the dog knew I did not like it eating my bird food) and each time I chased it away, it would growl at me.
The local farmer would use the 'spare' caravan at the end of the yard during the day, and the dog must have seen the area as part of its territory - hence the cheese stealing going on.
Maybe it was a sadly misguided dog, and wanted everything its own way all of the time Hmm - well in this case it was not going to have it its own way, and I made sure the food that the dog liked remained on the bird table after that.
Best solution - out of sight, and out of mind to a dog. They can be so greedy.
Kathy and Dave