Here’s an adorable video of a little chimp hugging on a dog. Knowing how mean chimps get when they get older, I wondered, is a sizeable dog like this something they would likely see either as food or maybe some toy to take out agressions on?
[No, don’t need answer fast.]
Chimps are dangerous but generaly not real brave when it comes to a fight. They like to feel like it is a sure thing and they won’t get hurt. I doubt they would attack a large dog that appeared healthy.
I think that would apply to a single chimp versus a single healthy dog who is on the defensive. A well fed Chimp isn’t likely to take on an average sized dog, however a hungry group of chimps in a hunting pack, given the right circumstances, might try to corner and kill a dog, especially a wounded dog. If it was a a group of chimps versus a pack of dogs I would think the chimps would look for some easier prey. Remember that chimps can use crude tools, so a chimp beating a dog to death with a large stick is not out of the question.
In their natural habitat they don’t normally eat canines. One kept in captivity developing abnormal behaviors might do anything.
I’d eat a dog, and I’m sure my dogs would eat me if need be, in an emergency. It stands to reason that a dog would eat a jimp and a jimp would eat a dog in a similar situation. As for actually hunting and killing as regular prey, I doubt it.
Chimps are known to hunt and eat Bushpigs in their native environment, which can grow to 150 kg. However the chimps have always been observed hunting in packs. A lone chimp probably wouldn’t attack a large dog unless it was attacked first.