WILD DOGS Aug09

With the onset of Winter, the singular time of year for Wild Dogs/Dingo Hybrids to produce litters of pups also commences.  The traditional mating season occurred around Easter and with approximately 60 days gestation, most litters would be born now.  Some early litters may even be almost a few months old.

With age, comes the requirement for food, and while dog sightings may be less over winter, it’s probably because you’re still tucked up in bed on those darker winter mornings while they’re doing their final rounds.  If dogs are running as a pack, there will always be an Alpha Male and an Alpha Female – the pack leaders.  Dependant upon food availability, the Alpha female may even kill any pups that her pack companions produce, increasing the chances of survival for her own pups – survival of the fittest so to speak.  With adult dogs requiring several kilograms of meat daily, that’s a lot of little critters (and potentially livestock) that contribute.
If you are lucky enough to live on acreage with mountains surrounding you, there’s a fair chance you have heard dogs howling at some stage.  Next time you hear them, try and determine the direction and distance they are howling from.  Make a note of any replies and keep a diary – if you ever require the services of a dogger, this information will prove extremely useful in identifying territories.
Over the previous month I have been undertaking a trapping program in the Mount Pleasant area for a private landholder.  This includes a monitoring program to determine dog activity from commencement, through to duration and completion, utilising specialist motion activated observation equipment and sand pads.
Using soft jaw traps, several dogs have been caught that have been utilising habitual routes through the property.  While these dogs had not yet attacked livestock, their frequency and proximity to a number of new calves was cause of concern, as juvenile pups will soon be running with them.
If anyone would like to discuss options available for dog control, or simply obtain an understanding of dog activity on your property, I can provide this service at a reasonable rate – initial costs generally cover fuel for up to 3 weeks, including daily monitoring if traps in place, and you only pay a small fee for any subsequent dogs destroyed.