My dog likes him some mice

4shot

4shot

Well-known member
When out hunting sometimes my dog goes on point, I get all excited, start kicking around to get the bird to flush and it turns out to be a freaking mouse nest. I take my dog to work and I’m working next to a cut corn field. When I let my dog run around he goes crazy looking for field mice. He’ll go on point then dive in on the mice. My concern is he developing a bad habit for his desire for mice. He looks for mice while hunting more than I like. Is he just bored and likes to kill things? Should I punish him for going after mice? At work should I not let him run around digging up mice nest? Do I have a duel threat dog that goes for both birds and mice and should be proud? Any words of advise are welcome….
 
I had a Brittany that would point field mice on occasions, but I don't think it ever compromised his ability to find birds. He didn't do it all the time; only once or twice a season. I never considered it to be much of a problem. I would just laugh and release him and he would go back to looking for birds. I'm sure my attitude may have been different if it was a field trial dog, but as a hunting dog, not a big deal to me or my buddies.
 
I have a lab that does the same as well. Looks pretty birdy while chasing them too. I used to be worried that it would develop a bad habit but I don't think it's done anything negative and I don't think he's choosing to hunt field mice over pheasants when we are out.
 
Lots of the dogs I've had did/do that. normally you can tell by where/how they point if it's a mouse. I discourage it but don't reprimand them. Maybe just a cut the crap lets go. Most will quit when they get older. Don't worry about it.
 
My dogs will do it when they are bored. And they will eat prairie chicken poop like it’s candy, which really annoys me. They don’t do it with other droppings, other than deer and sometimes rabbits I guess
 
took my 16 month old lab out with me in february to hunt snipe. this was our very first experience snipe hunting and it didn't take long to realize the snipe don't let you near as close as pheasant and quail. anyway, from time to time, i'd take a break from walking through the bog and post up in some taller brush in hopes of getting some pass shooting in.

well, while i'm standing there, i notice my dog focused on a clump of grass and realize she has detected a field mouse. She spent at least five minutes tying to catch it. and didn't abandon her efforts until i decided to start walking

snipe hunt.jpg again.
 
Our labs spend a lot of time on our ranch hunting "varmints" - mice, voles, etc. They'll dig until their ears go out of sight. Take them out bird hunting and varmints aren't an issue. Their minds are on birds. My guess is that as your dog matures the mice will become a non-bird hunting past time. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
my last lab was a seriously amazing pheasant and waterfowl dog, but he developed a habit of searching for and even pointing mouse nests around our 3 acre lot, didnt affect his bird hunting at all.
One day,( first time) no lie we are walking up by the fire pit and he gets all serious and starts stalking, then pointing at an old low hung bird house 4 foot off ground maybe and had seen better days. any how i'm wondering "what the heck are you doing"? he creeps up to the house, i give it a little nudge and about a 1/2 dozen mouse babies poured out of the bottom of that thing like water. in a flash Mr. Licorice hoovered those things up like a shop vac, was shocking to witness LOL, he did the same thing a while later with an old weber grill that sits outside by the fire pit, so he developed a taste for them.
ButIMG_1009.JPG cant ever remember seeing him give a field mouse the time of day when we were chasing roosters though, sure miss that guy
 
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