robins v german shepherd dog!

[DIANE]

Hi Everybody, Advice needed please! Last year 2 robins nested in our garden and 6 x babies were successfully reared.At the time we had an elderly german shepherd who unfortunately was put to sleep in August.We now have a lively 3 year old Shepherd who prances around the garden. I have noticed Mr and Mrs Robin in our garden over the past weeks and tonight I saw Mr Robin flying up to our feeder and feeding Mrs Robin who was perched on our fence (I know this is courting) Does anyone know if this is usual behaviour prior to planning to use the nestbox in the garden?? If so, we will put up some sort of screen to keep the dog away.Help please!!

[Hevva]

Hi Diane. I really don't think you have a problem. Birds and dogs seem to tolerate each other very well and I'm sure a robin who was thinking of nesting in your garden wouldn't be concerned about the presence of a dog, however large and boisterous. My labrador spends time running up and down our garden and some of the birds don't even both to stop feeding, whereas when I make an entrance, everything disappears!! We have several pheasants in the garden at the moment and the dog went down the garden as a large male pheasant was coming up and they passed each other, about 10 feet apart, with just sideways glances. Hope you're lucky and get some more babies this year.

[DIANE]

Thank you for your reply Hevva! You are so lucky to have pheasants - you must have a big garden!

[squeek]

hi Diane, sorry for your loss and its great you have a new dog, we lost ours a few yrs ago, and just lost our cat both reached old age.
we never had problems with the dog and birds and our cat was indoor.
but we do have a problem with the neighbours cat ! always on the prowl looking for unsuspecting baby rabbits or birds. we have pheasants too and a fox and not seen anything bad happen there, they both look at eachother and the pheasants keep a distance. dont think fox could catch them anyway, the birds are too fast and can fly.
expect your robbins will be ok, hope so :)