Comments for Feral Dog Blog

Comment on Capturing Dogs with Boxtraps, Part 2. Baiting the Trap by feraldogs

feraldogs — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:13:16 +0000

Traci,
There is no great and awesome bait. Rather than getting focused on the right bait, use your imagination for different kinds of baits. I have learned from mentors that there is one kind of bait the dog will not be able to resist, just be persistent. Remember to wire the trap open as you get the dog confident to enter the trap and only try to trap him when he is readily eating the bait.

There are also baits which are not food such as the scat from their mate or best friend or urine from a bitch in heat.

Good luck.
Mark

Comment on Capturing Dogs with Boxtraps, Part 1. How to Set the Trap by feraldogs

feraldogs — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:10:19 +0000

Traci,
The idea is to make the trap feel like a cozy den to what degree you can. Cloth or tarps will blow in the wind and scare the dog. Tuck the trap against a bush or along a building. Boards on the top and sides work well. I leave the back uncovered but you can cover it if it feels right to you. Good luck.

Comment on Capturing Dogs with Boxtraps, Part 1. How to Set the Trap by traci maloney

traci maloney — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:56:06 +0000

we have trapped hundreds of dogs using the tomahawk live trap but are currently trying to trap the “smartest most fearful dog”. I see where you mention “leaning a piece of plywood against the trap” – do I want to create a roof and sides for the trap? would a tarp or drop cloth serve the same purpose? look forward to your response.

Comment on Capturing Dogs with Boxtraps, Part 2. Baiting the Trap by traci maloney

traci maloney — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:27:50 +0000

we have trapped hundreds of dogs with a box trap. our bait of choice was either wet cat food or fried chicken.
right now, we are attempting to trap a dog that got away from his owner and is on the loose. he will not come to anyone and will not go into a trap.
can you give me some ideas, tips, on bait that you have used. he is a boxer weighing 50-60 lbs. he is not neutered. we are looking at the “dog in heat” scent also.
thank you.

Comment on CATCHING DOGS WITH A NET Part 1 of 4. Net Description and Added Tools by feraldogs

feraldogs — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:41:07 +0000

Manek,

Thank you for your kind words. As you know, it can be extremely difficult to catch dogs and some may never be caught. There are no reliable traps which trap their feet and there are no easy answers for catching the pups. Do you have a box trap? My recommendation, which is still a difficult thing, is to leave very small piles of food (one handful) at 2-3 locations near where a trap could be placed away from the public if that is possible, or at least hidden. Leave a little food there every day but make your presence very small – a short time and do not interact with the dogs AT ALL. If a dog is going to get comfortable with eating food it must have routine – same time every day and preferrably the same 1-2 people. Getting them to eat comfortable where you leave food is your first step.

Then set the trap but not too close to one of the bait piles. Follow my directions in the TRAINING LIBRARY on my website and place the trap near a bush or building and cover it to look safe inside. Wire the trap open securely and make sure you check it every day. For a week leave some food 1 meter in front of the trap in addition to the other bait piles with your same routine. Over time remove the original bait piles with only the small pile of food in front of the trap and a small pile just inside the trap. Slowly build confidence for the dog to enter the trap to eat. Once it is comfortable, remove the wire and set the trap.

If you can catch the pups, place them in a closed trap and place an open trap next to them to catch the mom. The pups must be in the shade and someone must see they are safe and have food and water.

These are not great solutions, but they are ideas to discuss. Best wishes in your valuable and caring work.
Dr. Mark

Comment on Dr. Mark Teaches for HSU at Memphis Animal Shelter by feraldogs

feraldogs — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:23:57 +0000

Lisa,
Thank you for your offer to show me where the links are bad. It is very difficult to go through all of my content and keep it maintained. I will send you an email directly to get your suggestions.

If anyone else is reading this and knows where I can improve links please let me know.

Best wishes,
Mark

Comment on Dr. Mark Teaches for HSU at Memphis Animal Shelter by Lisa Cox

Lisa Cox — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:05:13 +0000

I will definitely do that. I have posted a link on Twitter to one of your impressive videos and will try to do that periodically throughout the year.

I noticed that several of your links to videos don’t work, though. If you let me know when the links are fixed, I can post more of them, or if you need to know which ones are broken and you have my email address from my comment form, you can email me and I’ll send the links to the places the videos won’t work.

Thank you again for all your work and how much you share with others,

Lisa

Comment on Dr. Mark Teaches for HSU at Memphis Animal Shelter by feraldogs

feraldogs — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:21:23 +0000

Lisa,
Thank you for your kind words. I will be more active with my blog this year. Please encourage people to visit my website and donate so it can help me build and share my training Internet resources.
Best wishes, Mark

Comment on Dr. Mark Teaches for HSU at Memphis Animal Shelter by Lisa Cox

Lisa Cox — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:54:04 +0000

Thank you for all you do for the animals and the people who love them, live with them, and must interact with them. Thank you, too, for the reminder that we need to bring our compassion to our interactions with even the humans we deal with.

We, in our passion for the animals, can sometimes forget that the humans we disagree with have hearts, hurts, pressures, and unintended failings the same way we do. Speaking our disagreement with compassion, respect, caring, and a listening heart often makes the difference between being heard and being dismissed. If we first see how life is like for them, we have a better chance of communicating how it could be with a little change.

I’m glad I found your blog. Thank you for posting.

Lisa

Comment on Is Dominance Always Bad? by The controversy of the dominance theory « couldaswore

The controversy of the dominance theory « couldaswore — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:26:39 +0000

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