The Hamsters w/ My Dog
Like 3 Dislike 0 Published on 9 Jul 2016
Please read the entire description and watch the entire video before commenting. :) Also, please do not try this at home after watching this video.
Hey everyone, so today's video is showing something I do almost daily. Whenever I take the hamsters out for play time in the backyard, I let Max out too. Max is an extremely loyal dog, which also means he hates it when he sees me go in the backyard without him because he never wants to be where I'm not.
He has grown up surrounded by full access to hamsters, rabbits, tortoises, doves, parakeets, ducks, pigeons, and crows. He knows the difference between my pets and a wild bird/animal I may save or a wild bird/animal he sees outside of our backyard and house.
His sit, stay, out, gentle, and no commands are all very strong. He is also very aware of his surroundings when I show him the hamsters are out. He has never stepped on, tried to chase, bitten, or injured any of my pets. He has a prey drive, but he does not let it overcome his knowledge that he should not injure/catch/eat these animals. Though he comes very close to them at times, he has never stepped on them. He has spent far too many years around them for that to be coincidence at this point.
He also does not care to be around the hamsters, although sometimes he likes to look at them while he grazes. Clearly, the hamsters are also comfortable being around him. They will even groom themselves when near him (grooming is a sign of comfort since it is a vulnerable position to be in). He immediately backs off on my command if they ever start showing any signs of discomfort.
I don't try to make him "play" with the hamsters. They do not "enjoy" each other's company. I have only had one hamster that seemed to always want to be near him. He'll sometimes smell or watch them for temporary amusement. He is simply allowed to be out in the backyard and enjoy himself while the hamsters have their play time. I also never leave him alone with the hamsters. Any time together is always spent with me no less than a couple feet away.
Is there a risk he could still injure/eat them? Yes. But I trust this dog enough to where that risk is almost nothing to me. Everyone's situation is different, this is not a rule someone can follow by the book. It all depends on their judgement of their specific situation.
Thanks for reading before commenting. I will make a follow up video about this. :)
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