Expert: Jill Connor, Ph.D. - 1/21/2008

Question
My daughter recently (5 months ago) got a rescue dog from the north (Malamute/German Shepherd mix 3 yrs old).  He is a very large dog, gentle in nature, likes to play, likes to be around people.  Today, my daughter took the dog to a park and let him off leash.  He caught a rabbit and brought it to my daughter (dead).  Should we be concerned about other small dogs/cats/children?  What should we do (if anything) besides keeping him on leash.

Answer
Dogs with high prey drive (and both purebred contributors to your dog's mix have high prey drive) chase small animals that run from them.  The dog "retrieved" the dead bunny as a token of rank to your daughter.  His intention was most likely not to kill it; he may have shaken it (as he would a stuffed dog toy) and broken its neck.  However, no dog should be allowed off leash unless the owner knows s/he has full control over the dog, as in total recall (dog ALWAYS comes when called) and knows whether or not the dog is friendly toward other dogs.  Allowing a dog off leash in a public place can pose a nuisance and danger to others and is most likely illegal, unless the area is a designated dog park.  Even in that venue, you have to know how your dog is going to interact with other dogs or you will be held legally liable should your dog do harm to someone else's dog.

I suggest you take this dog to a socializing event with other dogs, such as a training venue in an obedience club, to see how he interacts with other dogs ON LEASH.  Because he is a gentle, sweet natured dog, he is very unlikely to pursue to kill any living object, but there is no guaranty he won't chase cats and do a cat some injury.  Introduce your dog to obedience behaviors using positive reinforcement.  Go to Karen Pryor's website and learn about clicker training.  Get a solid recall with a solid sit in front of you before taking him anywhere and allowing him off lead, and be certain that he is totally safe around small breed dogs if you take him to a dog park.  Many dogs will exhibit what appears to be "dangerous" behavior around smaller animals but this does not indicate a problem with the dog's temperament, per se.