Growing up our family had a dashound. She was a big ham. I could go on and on about her showmanship, but will spare you. Anyway, her favorite thing to do was to chase squirrels.
Every morning she’d sit by the sliding glass door and watch and when she saw a squirrel, she would bark and we would let her out and she’d chase the squirrel around the patio and always, the squirrel got away. Year after year. Then one day the squirrel went the wrong direction and ended up nose to nose with the dog. The dog screeched on her breaks and fell over backwards... The ruse was over.
This is exactly what my German Shepherd does all day at the back door.
I throw out peanuts a few times a day, the squirrels come, she pounds on the door with her paws at them, and I come let her out to chase them.
They always get away.
But two days ago one of them took a similar direction as she did, and the squirrel refused to break off. it ended up about 2 inches away form her running parallel with her.
All my dog had to do was reach down and bite, and she would have had it, but she did not.
I now think she just wants to herd them.