I REALIZE THIS IS A POULTRY SITE BUT! - Page 3  

also..just to explain..i have a Great Dane..he loves children, was raised around 6 kids...from babies on up, and has never shown any aggression towards children.....but..i can see when he looks at my birds..he wants to chase them...then i'm assuming eat or kill them....its just what they do sandra...

my lab mixes are the same redhen but my beagle loves them. He protects them and shares his food with them.

True story. I have a pittbull who used to love my birds. He chase them and they chased back. He used to let them climb on him. Such a gentle pittie. He passed away form parvo but it shows that all breeds have different personalities.

I think dogs are one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet.  They want to be a part of a pack, and do what the pack does.

If they live inside with you, they will be your pack and do as you say.  If they live outside, they make their own pack and different rules. 

My dogs live inside with us, and I trust them completely not to hurt my kids, chickens, birds, cats etc.  But those are my rules and I am the leader.  In another yard, who knows?  The rules change off our property-and although I think they are sweet dogs, I do not let them run off and do what they want.

If somehow they left home- which they won't do even with the gate open- and  then hurt anything I would be devastated.  I would love them still, but could I trust them ever again? Hmmm.

Surely other dog owners would feel the same.

You're saying that if I have a fenced in yard, I shouldn't let my three and a half year old out to play?  That if someone else's dogs break into my fence (dig under, etc) that it's *my* fault for letting my child play in my private yard?

...they DO know the differance..honest..unless they are prone to attacking humans...then its a very differant story...

Some dogs do.  Some don't.  My ex-upstairs neighbor had a young german shepherd who regularly tried to chase and tackle my sons because they'd panic and start to run.  Now, I wasn't letting them around the puppy unsupervised, but that's not my point.  The point is that even the best intentions can still lead to an injured child.  And these animals had a HISTORY of violence.  So no, I don't really care if it was "only" other dogs and poultry, they need to stay the hell away from my kids.  Rehomed or put down, no negotiations IMO.

My sister had a rottweiler who was always very gentle around everyone.  Didn't have a mean bone in his body.  My sister was watching my daughter while I worked - every day for 3 years.  DD went in to use the bathroom before she left with her dad and the dog attacked her.  Why?  We don't know.  My daughter loved animals and still does.  She required plastic surgery in her face where the dog clamped on.  She was 4.  Fortunately he didn't do any major disfiguring and she didn't suffer any long-term trauma - physically or emotionally.  One of the options after quarantine was to put the dog down and we didn't push that but my sister could never trust the dog around her own children after that.  She found him a good home and he eventually died of cancer.  My point to this story is you never know what is going on in a dog's mind and I've heard that once they get the taste of blood, they will be back.

I agree. Sometimes a dogs brain will just snap. You dont know when it will happen. Thats very scary to hear about your DD. I am so sorry that happened.

I agree with the OP.  I feel like the first line of defense is a sturdy run and coop (and for us, our only line).  If I choose to free-range, I am taking that risk on and I get what I get.  It does seem that for some the first line of defense is a gun.

My dogs got out in the yard today when I was out there with the birds.  I had them in their kennel (as I always do when the birds are out), but didn't close the back door all the way, it got caught on a rug and I got careless.  It turns out, that I only latched the top latch of their kennel and somehow they squeezed out through the bottom.  I was simultaneously screaming at one to stop as it went for a chicken and diving for the other that had a bird cornered.  The birds weren't hurt and the dogs got stashed away again.  Though shaky and freaked out, I was in no way angry at the dogs.  I know they have a high predator drive, and that I was the one that did not secure them.  Just like if a predator gets into my coop, that is on me and not the animal.

BTW, my dogs have never shown any aggression to humans or to other dogs, but those squeaky little featherballs are too much to resist.

I agree with the issue being with the owner not the animal. We must be responsible to those around us including all creatures with whom we share our "home."

Michelle

No sandra..thats not what i was saying...lets not twist words..okay?..why would it be your fault if a dog came in your yard?...that dosent even make sense....i was simply saying that a toddler shouldnt be left in a yard unsupervised anyways...thats all...but thats just my opinion.....also..you are right!...if your neighbors dog is chasing a child because the child is running..that is scary!....but thats not what happend in this case....these dogs have only gone after other animals....AND i'm not saying they ARE safe.....i'm just saying.. that just because they have attacked other animals it does NOT mean that they will ever go after a human.....thats all i was saying...