On the Wrong Track: A Squirrel Dog Running Deer

Rudy

Rudy, our nine month old Treeing Feist, has taken to running deer.  I almost hate to scold him.  There is such an exuberance in his high-pitched bark when he is hot on a deer’s heels.  His short legs and ample belly keep him from pushing the deer too hard.  All in all it would be really cute if it wasn’t so aggravating.

Early yesterday morning Rudy woke me around 4:00 needing to go out.  I padded into the living room and unzipped his crate.  He shot out like a Jack-in-the-Box and headed to the backdoor.  I opened the door and he popped out onto the back step.  His ear perked up immediately and I knew he had spied a deer.  As I gave him a forceful, “No!” he took off like a top-fuel drag car with me screaming his name at the top of my lungs.  I yelled and whistled for five minutes before giving up.  I figured finishing the night outside in single digit temperatures would be a fitting punishment.  Amy felt sorry for him and let him in when he returned 20 minutes later.

Secondary Fun
Destroying Bedding

Everything settled down until 7:00 when he wanted to go out again.  He ran around to the front porch and jumped into his house.  Within 30 minutes I heard him bark and I got to the porch in time to see five deer bounding off with Rudy on their heels.

I pulled on my insulted bibs and vest.  From the back steps I could hear Rudy’s joyous yips.  I ran a couple of hundred yards into the woods and stopped.  A deer loped by within 50 feet and I saw Rudy coming my way.  He saw me and hunkered down to hide. 

His first movement was rolling onto his back in submission.  Then he decided I was far enough away for him to make a break for it.  I cut him off and lifted him off his feet by his collar.  Normally, he submits to this dominate treatment.  This time, he decided that he wasn’t going peacefully.  His kicking and squirming left my hands cut and bleeding.  I whipped him with a switch as he hightailed it to the house.

Signs of struggle

Back home, we made up.  I wanted him to associate running deer with things that are bad (whippings, near strangulation, etc.), but being at home as something good (pats on the heads and reinforcement that he is a good dog).

I thought afterward as I cleaned the gashes on my hand how the whole episode relates to life.  I want Rudy to tree squirrels, but he enjoys running deer.  So, when he has the opportunity, he does what he wants even though it isn’t part of the plan to make him a squirrel dog.  In fact, it almost runs completely counter to my desires.  Even when I try to call Rudy off of his deviate behavior, he ignores me, choosing to follow his own desires.  And when I try to correct him, he vigorously fights to resist my discipline.

I could plug in numerous examples of this in life.  We resist leaders whose vision is counter to ours.  Most of us thought we knew better than our parents, especially in our teenage years.  We even arrogantly think we know a better path for life than God has for us.

There is even a parallel for one doling out discipline.  As much as I wanted to kill Rudy at 4:05 am, I actually love the little guy and can’t stay mad at him.  But, I know that ranging out from home at night puts him in danger of the coyotes that wake me howling on the hill.  There is risk that he will chase the deer so far that he can’t find his way home.  The deer even stop occasionally to face Rudy down.  A well placed hoof would be devastating to a 20 pound dog.  

Since I love that little pooch so I will continue to run after him through thick woods in sub-freezing weather when he goes astray.  I will struggle with him in a clash of wills to show him the ills of his ways.  Maybe I can even get his energy and abundant testosterone focused on squirrels.

I will do all that even though the easier path is to hope Rudy will figure it out on his own. But I know that rarely happens with dogs or humans.  Hopefully there will always be someone who doesn’t give up on me when I decide my ways are best.

Rudy and Polly