Poultry Guardians May Have Gone Too Far

[centrarchid]

I got home today with kids letting them out to play. Dogs greeted us then daughter and I began checking on pens. Son then hollered about a strange dog but gave no details. He is only three so not much expected. He said "It sleeping and not get up". I went over to see what he was talking about and saw what he was talking about. It was a smallish dog laying dead in the grass just of the porch. I did not recognize it. Size intermediate between Red Fox and Coyote (real not the wolf-hybird of the eastern U.S.). My daughter of 22 monfhs then tried to wake it up. Son asked if it was dead and what that means. Dog appears to have been killed by bites to throat and cervical dislocation with possibly bites to the abdomen. Both my dogs ran over to it as I looked body over. I think they did it. They have killed foxes, raccoons, opossums, snakes (even been bitten a Copperhead requiring vet visit), mink, and weasels but this is not something i expected to ever see. If so, they may have been primed by pitbull incursions that have resulted in outright fights to repel trespasser. Like this dog, the pitbulls have been in very good health but owner not known.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

awe, that's sad...i hope he dosen't have an owner missing it. That's so sweet that your kids tried to wake it up...that must have been a sad conversation. Guardian dogs can be pretty protective...that's really sad

 

[centrarchid]

The conversation was a new experience. The rash of dogs running about is of greater concern and some have demonstrated an interest in being a problem with respect to birds belonging to me an a couple of neighbors. The dogs not trustworthy with livestock need to be confined promptly.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Sounds like your dogs did their jobs....

They are protection dogs and see no difference between a fox a coon or a stray dog.

I'm a bit surprised about the sad responses, would it be better if the dog killed all your chickens and you came home to that? Make no mistake a domestic dog is far more dangerous to your flock than any wild predator.

I say you have some pretty good dogs

 

[DesertBrahma]

Out where I live we have a problem with people allowing their dogs to stray. Some people don't care what havoc their dogs cause. I have never willingly allowed my dogs to stray. If the dog had an owner then it was their responsibility to try their hardest to ensure their dog didn't stray. I've had people's dogs attack my dogs, try to attack me, and in general make a big nuisance of themselves on my land. Not on the road or close to a fence line but right by my house. So I can understand why you need to have dogs as guardians for your birds. I applaud your dogs for doing their job, but at the same time I understand the weird conversation you had to have with your babies. Our old dog recently passed and I had to explain why she wasn't going to be around anymore to my 3 yr old. I also understand why you might think your dogs went too far and killed another dog. To them this smaller dog was a potential danger to their charges, needing to be eliminated before it could harm what you entrusted to them. Plus it was invading their territory. Also please don't think all pit bulls are dangerous dogs. My Maggie was a lab pit mix and she was the sweetest dog. The only time she ever growled at someone was because they raised their hand to my oldest son. A lot of people don't care for these beautiful sweet dogs right. So in retrospect of your four legged sweeties don't be mad at them. They were doing something that was instinctive, protecting their vulnerable pack.

 

[nzpouter]

give your dogs some extra treats, they did their job.

 

[aart]

Do you allow your dogs to 'free range' when you are not at home?

I got home today with kids letting them out to play. Dogs greeted us then daughter and I began checking on pens. Son then hollered about a strange dog but gave no details. He is only three so not much expected. He said "It sleeping and not get up". I went over to see what he was talking about and saw what he was talking about. It was a smallish dog laying dead in the grass just of the porch. I did not recognize it. Size intermediate between Red Fox and Coyote (real not the wolf-hybird of the eastern U.S.). My daughter of 22 monfhs then tried to wake it up. Son asked if it was dead and what that means. Dog appears to have been killed by bites to throat and cervical dislocation with possibly bites to the abdomen. Both my dogs ran over to it as I looked body over. I think they did it. They have killed foxes, raccoons, opossums, snakes (even been bitten a Copperhead requiring vet visit), mink, and weasels but this is not something i expected to ever see. If so, they may have been primed by pitbull incursions that have resulted in outright fights to repel trespasser. Like this dog, the pitbulls have been in very good health but owner not known.

 

[centrarchid]

Free-range while I am away and all night, yes. Dogs generally stay tight while we are gone with brief expansion of ranging habits when we return from work and early morning hours. Altercation almost certainly occurred during period when dogs avoiding heat of sun.