Dogs & turtles

[Zxsong]

Is there any way that I can train my pups to get along with my sulcata so as she grows bigger I can have them in the same yard? I want to prevent anything bad that might happen. They don't need to be friends they just need to not kill each other. Is this something that can be taught or is this something that a dog would naturally have. I have a puppy right now so I feel as if I have a better chance to teach him rather than my 4 year old chihuahua who is an instigator.

 

[mike taylor]

I would say you can teach a dog alot butt .... I dont think you can teach them to not eat your tortoise . You may need to pm Mr Tom on this one he is a animal trainer .

 

[Yvonne G]

Aw, what a cute picture.

They may live together for years with no interaction, then one day for no seeming reason at all the dog will chew the tortoise. However, with two chi's I think you need to worry more about the sulcata hurting the dogs.

I have solved the dog/tortoise problem by never allowing the dog outside unless I go with her. Sometimes that's a hassle, when I'm not in the mood to go out, but its worth it to keep the tortoises safe.

 

[kathyth]

I agree and found out the hard way. It makes no difference how great the dogs are.
They treat turtlesa nd tortoises like slow moving rawhide bones.

Your dogs are darling.

 

[Kele7710]

I've learnt the hard way too 3 days after getting my tortoise my dog stole him from his tort table luckily Stanley survived, with huge vet bills later he's getting there

 

[bouaboua]

Dog and Torts don't mix. So I have only Torts, no dogs.

 

[T33's Torts]

No, no, no.. This screams disaster.

 

[Zxsong]

Thanks for the advice! Oh no I hope your little one gets better soon! I probably never leave them alone with each other. I don't want to give my pups a chance to be a murderers and I certainly don't want this little one to die. Maybe I will just have them socialize just a little only under my watch.

 

[nicholas_13]

Pitbull

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Hi nicholas13,

Having your tort next to your dog is ok WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT THERE. It's another story if you left them like that and left the room...

I have a tortoise with 3 legs because someone left it alone with a Pitbull. Please, don't leave your tortoise alone with the dog.

 

[littleginsu]

Your tan dog looks almost exactly like my Vixen!

 

[thatrebecca]

Our dog and torts will *never* be alone together, but they did get their first sniff of each other today.

We adopted the dog -- a Doberman/Lab/Corgi mix (according to the DNA test we did) -- in December. Today we brought our juvenile DTs out of their brumation boxes and Dude the dog was terrified of them. Kind of amusing to see a 55lb canine afraid of 12 oz of tort.

 

[Tom]

Is there any way that I can train my pups to get along with my sulcata so as she grows bigger I can have them in the same yard? I want to prevent anything bad that might happen. They don't need to be friends they just need to not kill each other. Is this something that can be taught or is this something that a dog would naturally have. I have a puppy right now so I feel as if I have a better chance to teach him rather than my 4 year old chihuahua who is an instigator.

The quick answer is no.

There is no dog, not matter how well trained or by who, that I would leave alone with access to tortoises.

While your tortoise is little, he is the one at risk. Once he gains some size, your dogs will be the ones at risk.

They should each have their own area.

 

[katrvt]

'Hit by dog' is easily in the top two to three things we treat tortoises and turtles for at the Hospital I work at. Most offenders are dogs who have lived uneventfully with their future chew toys for years. Most of the time, thankfully, we can patch them up, but never unattended is the best policy when mixing species, No matter what combo is being suggested.