• Zombiepirate@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          10 months ago

          Many professional trainers believe that hard mouth can be a hereditary affliction. When selecting a puppy, by all means check out the parents first. Still, there is really no surefire way to tell if a dog is going to be predisposed to damaging birds once it grows up. That part likely falls in the luck-of-the-draw department. There are, however, precautions you can take while training your retriever puppy that may help prevent the dog from developing hard mouth. Common sense applies in most cases.

          • Itsamelemmy@lemmy.zip
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            6
            ·
            10 months ago

            If you don’t know the dog, you’re probably right that it’s not worth the risk. I’d guess those 2 have been friends their whole life though. I know with the golden I had that she was always great with any person or animal she came in contact with.

            • Zombiepirate@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              arrow-down
              2
              ·
              10 months ago

              It only takes one time being surprised.

              It’s always a risk. Would you want your best friend to go into a polar bear enclosure alone even if the bear had never mauled anyone or acted like it wanted to?

              It’s never worth the risk if you value the little bird’s life.