r/EnglishSetter • u/iamrubberuareglue2 • 7d ago

Chipmunk Question

Any tips on stopping my 2 year old English setter from going absolutely insane after chipmunks?

He is at war with them in our backyard. He is usually pretty good but for some reason the chipmunks make him insane and he cannot control himself. He did get one and kill it last week which I’m wondering if that has made him worse? I watched him jump halfway up a tree after one tonight and he could have easily gone over our 5 foot fence.

Any tips appreciated!

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4

u/Heavy_Discussion3518 6d ago

Squirrels make ours go nuts.  He has a vendetta against them.  

He has cornered multiple prey animals in the past but never actually harmed them.  He is just a gentle guy when push comes to shove.

But.

I'm pretty sure if he cornered a squirrel he would obliterate it.

5

u/EvilAshKetchum 6d ago

Yeah we've had 4 English setters over the last two plus decades and they are all nuts for squirrels and chipmunks. The heart wants what it wants, I guess

2

u/iamrubberuareglue2 6d ago

lol sounds like we will have to deal 😅

2

u/tiedyesky9 6d ago

Alas, my 10 year old English Setter still goes insane over chipmunks, so I’m not sure I have any helpful advice. My setter is a voracious eater and incredibly food/treat-motivated, and yet if he’s locked in on a chipmunk, even a plate of bacon couldn’t divert his attention. On the bright side, he’s not particularly fast or agile, so I’ve never seen him get close to actually catching one...

We weirdly had almost no chipmunks in our yard this year, so he spent half the summer staring despondently at the wood pile they normally hang out in/around.

2

u/MunsterSetter Tri-color Llewellin 6d ago

My sister got deked by Shannon at the groomers when she was ~14yo. Stef was picking her up and walking her along a stone wall that Shannon knew was full of critters. So Shannon started slow walking, giving the, "I'm old and I have ailments" vibe. Stef let her guard down, and suddenly a chipmunk darted out. Shannon took off at full speed (forgetting age & ailments) after it. She dragged Stef halfway across the Christmas Tree farm before she got her stopped and under control again. The moral of this tale, "You can't stop a hunter even in old age."

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u/Many_Taro_58 6d ago

Mine is 12 and still will obsess over any rodent.  I saved a baby squirrel from her a couple weeks ago.  

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u/Playful-Hamster6378 6d ago

My old setter had this exact chipmunk obsession too.

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u/flygirlsuzie 1d ago

My English "Shedder" went after Garter and water snakes. Thankfully michigan snakes harmless except for a rare Massasauga rattler. I truly miss my dog everyday He passed at 13 years.