Is it instinct??

[ThunderRoll]

DH and I were on our deck getting the grill ready not paying much attention to Thor. We were on the lower deck and he had gone off the stairs of the upper deck the other direction. Thor often fights the birds for cherries on our cherry tree. I heard him barking and I saw a couple robbins in the tree..it looked like the birds were fighting. I didn't think much of it. Well, the barking didn't quit so I went to see what was going on. When Thor saw me he stopped barking, didn't move and looked up at me. He was laying down with his paws stretched out around a little baby robbin. The little guy could not fly and he was just sitting there. Then I noticed all the robbins in our yard, trees and on the fence. Obviously "their" instinct was to rescue the baby. Thor could have inhaled the little bird in one second but he didn't touch it. Was Thor trying to protect the baby from the other birds? Was he barking to get out attention knowing the baby needed help? DH thinks I'm crazy but why else wouldn't he gobble it up?

I ended up putting Thor in the house and the mom (I suppose) coaxed the little guy into the neighbors yard.

Either way I'm proud of my little rescuer.

 

[SweetCody]

That is so sweet. It sounds to me that he was trying to get your attention to come and see what he found. I agree that if he wanted to eat the bird he would have already. Sounds to me like he is a little rescuer.

 

[sargboxerluv]

I think he wanted to show you what he found, and he had no idea what to do with it. I imagine he would have eventually brought it to you. But who knows, my girl is afraid of our toad and I don't think she would ever pick it up. She just cocks her head back and forth smelling and pawing at it.

 

[TysonsMoma]

One time Layla found a baby rabbit and picked it up and carried it all the way to the front step of the house and dropped it there. She didn't hurt it or anything. I think she was trying to show us that she found a little baby and that we should help it. It was the cutest thing ever, especially considering she is typically not very gentle.

 

[kathysboxer]

I think he knew it needed help. Such a tiny little thing, all alone. As you and everyone else said, he could have easily eaten it. Or even pawed at it and injured it. But he just laid there waiting for mommy to come help him out.
Good going Thor!!!

 

[ericamichele]

It's funny that I just happened across this post because a similar thing happened with Willie today. He was just barking and barking, and when I went out to look he was doing doughnuts, a million miles a hour around this poor little bird and nudging at with this nose. I don't believe he was trying to eat it, at least I hope not, but I brought him inside quick rather than find out!

 

[Bufords Pop]

My 3 Boxers just did something similar last week.. Last year a bunny sort of adopted me.. I know, it sounds weird, but in my front yard there was this bunny that would just sort of hang out with me.. I could ride the mower right next to him if I wanted, he NEVER fled from me no matter how close I chose to get.. I never actually tried to pick him up or anything- I always respected his space, but we had a sort of weird bond..

Fast forward to later in the summer & my lil bunny friend had a nest in my yard.. I ended up having a section of my lawn with grass up to my waist because it's where the bunnies nest was & I wasn't going to move it just so I could cut the grass- they were happy there.. So, I cut around it..

This year the nest is gone, but we obviously have a family of bunnies that have claimed the woods in our front yard as their home.. So, end result is we have our dogs & bunnies that seem to co-exist as one big happy family.. The dogs never go to the front yard, but the bunnies often make it to the back yard to play with the dogs.. They were all having a big zoomy session last week & one of the baby bunnies was looking back wondering where the dogs where & crashed into a tree pretty hard.. Looks like one of his hind legs was busted up pretty good.. The dogs stopped immediately & just sat there waiting for me to come & help the bunny.. They could have easily eaten this lil guy in one bite- but they weren't hunting him, they were playing together.. They let the little guy go back to the front yard & hopefully recover..

I was proud of them..

 

[LILYLARUE]

THAT is a great story, BufordsPop. Thanks for sharing!

I wish my dogs would develop a bond with our bunnies and not see them as lunch.

 

[Caney Creek]

My 3 Boxers just did something similar last week.. Last year a bunny sort of adopted me.. I know, it sounds weird, but in my front yard there was this bunny that would just sort of hang out with me.. I could ride the mower right next to him if I wanted, he NEVER fled from me no matter how close I chose to get.. I never actually tried to pick him up or anything- I always respected his space, but we had a sort of weird bond..

Fast forward to later in the summer & my lil bunny friend had a nest in my yard.. I ended up having a section of my lawn with grass up to my waist because it's where the bunnies nest was & I wasn't going to move it just so I could cut the grass- they were happy there.. So, I cut around it..

This year the nest is gone, but we obviously have a family of bunnies that have claimed the woods in our front yard as their home.. So, end result is we have our dogs & bunnies that seem to co-exist as one big happy family.. The dogs never go to the front yard, but the bunnies often make it to the back yard to play with the dogs.. They were all having a big zoomy session last week & one of the baby bunnies was looking back wondering where the dogs where & crashed into a tree pretty hard.. Looks like one of his hind legs was busted up pretty good.. The dogs stopped immediately & just sat there waiting for me to come & help the bunny.. They could have easily eaten this lil guy in one bite- but they weren't hunting him, they were playing together.. They let the little guy go back to the front yard & hopefully recover..

I was proud of them..

That is so awesome.

Caney and Creek love to chase the bunnies here. They are all over our neighborhood. The bunnies have pretty much learned to stay out of our backyard but we still see them during our walks. Caney gets SO worked up when she sees one -- one time she nearly jumped out the car window to go after a bunny while we were driving down the street! Crazy girl

 

[Jastra]

My boxer Layla eats anything. I came home one day to see her chewing on a possum. YUK!