i was just wondering how aggresive a red tail or kesrel would be toward a small dog im not planing on letting them see each other but i know form other pet experiance that if it can happen it will. i would really like to get a red tail but should i go with the kestrel or just bag the whole thing?
Post by Falcon Boy on Sept 25, 2005 12:44:45 GMT -5
In most cases, as long as the bird is introduced to the dog during the initial manning and training and sees the dog on a daily basis, it should be ok. Some birds never come around to dogs. You should know however, that if you fly over a dog sooner or later the dog will get grabbed
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
You should let the bird see the dog daily, hourly, sleeping at your feet. It should be part of the normal comings and goings. Go for walks manning the bird with the dog on a leash. Oh yeah, teach your dog to heal to the right. For years I taught my dogs to heal to the left, never giving it a thought. Now that I have a bird, I have to retrain me and the dog. The dog is doing better at it than I am and she is 11 years old.
But of course make sure the dog is bird friendly.
Most of this is regurgitation from my mentor/sponsor and books but as of today is it now also from personal experince. My dog has been constant around the bird since I got the bird 5 days ago. The dog has been coming and going, wandering around the room, sleeping at my feet, drinking and slopping water all over the place all in front of the bird.
Today, day 5 of innitial manning, with the dog walking around the room behind the bird, the bird settled down, streched one foot slowly forward and took a quick rest on one leg for around 5 minutes. Half an hour later the bird was feeding on the fist for the first time. The bird believes the fist is safe enough even with the dog around to take a rest and eat. In future with more reinforcement, the bird will take little notice of the dog.
Of course your milage may vary. My bird is a captive bred redtail because I live in England right now. Your bird will be wild caught and may eat sooner or later with or without the dog around.
thanks for answering guys. not sure what bird i would get but i guess i better figure out someone in utah to show me the sport first. is a red tail or a kestrel nicer,which is easyer to train, male famale differences?