Dogs

Groundhogs that stray into home gardens run the risk of colliding with man's best friend and dying prematurely. Larger breed dogs may be more likely to run after a stray groundhog and kill it quickly, but a groundhog may also manage a few bites of its own. Though smaller canines would not have the benefit of size to attack a groundhog, they are likely to stay their distance. Dogs are readily attacked by groundhogs with their sharp claws because they might be hazardous. Groundhogs also use their four incisors as a weapon. These teeth may induce an animal to bleed and grow up to 1.5 mm long.

Why dogs attack and kill groundhogs without provocation is a common mystery. This is a result of an inherited impulse from their forefathers. The "prey drive," which is the urge to seize any moving object, is the name given to this inclination. The movement of the target to be chased triggers the prey drive, which causes the dog to hunt its prey by pursuing it, jumping on it, seizing it, and dragging it till it dies before transporting it and eating it in a secure.