Prey drive

INDogs have high prey drive and were in fact used for hunting by villagers - mostly aboriginal peoples - for hundreds if not a few thousand years, judging by rock art hunting scenes. They are still used for poaching in areas where law enforcement is weak. They are also used for livestock-guarding in large parts of rural India; and in those areas village dogs rarely attack goats or other domestic animals, even though they kill wildlife if they get the opportunity. Click here and here for images of flock-guarding INDogs.

When dogs aren't socialized to livestock this is what happens. Kiran saw this incident a few days ago in Assam. Luckily his companions shouted and chased the dogs away. 

This kind of behaviour does not make free-roaming dogs popular and these two might well get poisoned by villagers if they make a habit of livestock-killing. In this case the goat lived to be killed another day, but possibly not by dogs. (Reminds me of the Don Marquis poem 'aesop revised by archy'.)

Photos: Kiran Khalap

Assam

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