Im so upset!!!

My puppy Pippin is now 4 months old and today she managed to break into my sisters rabbit hutch and killed one of her guinea pigs. I was so shocked. She has never really shown much attention to the rabbits and guinea pigs and has certainly never attempted to get into the hutch. I left the yard door open for a while and when i went out she was sat on the floor, licking the guinea pig who was by then already dead. Bubbles the guinea pig wasnt bleeding and didnt appear to have any bite marks on her, so i dont know if pippin hurt her or maybe just fear killed bubbles. My mum says i should get rid of pippin (which i have no intentions of doing) because she will turn into a vicious dog because of this. Im so confused and upset. Thanks for reading this, i needed to get all this of my chest.

on the positive side,maby bubbles died already and she sensed it and broke in to try stimulating bubbles to breath...

im really sorry to here that.

It really doesn't sound like Pippin did the deed . . . What kind of dog is Pippin? (I'm sorry - I should remember but, well, there are a LOT of us here and sometimes I just can't quite get all the dogs and owners in the right order )

Even if Pippin HAD done the deed it wouldn't mean she was going to turn into a vicious dog . . . I've got three right now who like to supplement their diet by catching "fast food" out in the pasture - and they are far from being vicious. Dogs hunt. That's just being a dog.

I have to agree with Renee on this. If Pippin did the deed its normal for dogs to have prey drive no matter the breed. Prey drive has nothing to do with being vicious. People often make the mistake of thinking that dogs are like humans. They arent.
I hunt with my dogs but they arent vicous. Just something to think about

Pippin is a labrador and is usually such a big softy. It was such a shock.

nearly all dogs have a pray drive as thats what kept them alive before they were domesticated, this wasnt your fault the guniea pig might of had a heart attack before, from what you say i think that was probaly what had happened.

Just make sure the hutch doors are locked in the future. It really doesn't sound like Pippin was trying to hurt Bubbles. He may even have been trying to get him out and "play" with him.

It would probably be a good idea not to play with Pippin with stuffed toys . . . it's just too easy for him to get confused.

thanks princess poppy, i was just thinking the same thing. its just such a shame as bubbles was only 10 weeks old. ill have to keep a closer eye on pippin from now on and i certainly wont be leaving her in the yard on her own again.

good idea renee, thanks

Wow....it's a lab. They are hunters and retrievers by nature. If she had killed the guinea pig there would have been evidence of it. Bite marks..blood..etc.
Try not to worry too much, it's hard to see your softie do something that it shouldn't, even tho I don't thikn Pippin is responsible. It was just being a dog.

That reminds me of what Shilo did to mine when she was little, I had my guinea pig outside in a cage so he could get fresh air and play in the grass. Well Shilo tipped over the cage and she didn't bite him nor hurt him, but she was chasing him so I ran outside and pick up my Guinea pic and later that night he had died!.....So maybe thats what happened?

It doesn't sound like Pippin did it. Our Lab, Tira, got a hold of a turtle once (that was our pet at the time) and managed to kill it by picking it up. One single tooth went through the back of the turtles shell. Tira was trying to play with it (as far as I'm concerned) and the poor turtle couldn't handle a big ol' puppy dog's tooth.

IF Pippin had killed the guinea pig there would be SOME sort of evidence. If the guinea pig died of fear (which is a possibility since they are very skittish most of the time) it's not Pippin's fault. It's his fault for getting into the hutch (btw, was the door opened forcibly or did someone forget to lock it?) and taking the G.P. out, but not for it dying of fear.
I don't think Pippin deliberatley did anything otherwise there would be marks on it.

Yah it does not sound like pippin killed the G.P you said that pipin was licking it when you saw pippin and the G.P maybe pippin was trying to "save" it?

I completly agree with what Renee said!!!

thanks guys. i know now that it wasn't pippins fault, i am more to blame for letting her play outside on her own. The hutch was closed properly but it isnt very secure, so i bought new locks for it today.

A german shepherd I fostered years ago 'killed' my brothers hampster by following it around the house, poking it with her nose, and nearly inhaling it. She was a very prey driven dog, but once she got a hold of it she didn't do anything... I'm guessing the poor little thing had a heart attack or something - I didn't see any evidence of trama otherwise. It was constantly trying to get out of its cage, my brother had locks and duck tape rigged all over the cage...
It's sad, but it happens.
Sorry for your loss

Thanks Brattina