Dogs and chickens

[bajabirdbrain]

Right from the start I must apologize for these many pictures. This thread gave me a chance to show off my little mini lap Lab. To contribute to this thread I have had 4 dogs virtually non stop since the early 70s and ALL of them have similar traits. All mutts, 50# to 30#s, one male, 3 female, 2 part Golden Retriever(I think), and 2 part Lab. None of them was allowed to chase wild life and they all were exceptionally well behaved and smart. All were constant companions to my wife and I, rarely left alone. Little dog treats were constantly in our pockets and were given for good behavior. Not sure if "working breeds", though smart, would be as easy to train to leave other animals alone. Never physically disciplined the dogs. Our basic initial training was to come when called or whistled for, learn to stay, no the word NO, given lots of play sessions. I hope this helps some. We never wanted our dogs to be trick dogs but would train them to do some tricks as our whim dictated. Dead dog, Habla Me(talk to me) for when we cleared Mexican Customs multiple times per year. Raven does a circle dance on her rear legs when commanded to Baille(dance). Shake hands, and so on.

This picture is of Raven as a young puppy enjoying quality time with Bajabirdbrain and the wild Mallard Ducks.

Another example of good training, squirrel on one leg, Raven on the other both after a peanut.

Squirrel up the leg for a peanut while Raven watches. Pellet gun was used for splashing pellets in the water near geese that would poop on the lawn.

Our training methods worked on a number of foxes. We did not have chickens then!!

Raven in our run when chicks were smaller. She is around the chickens all the time, when given the opportunity will walk up the ramp into the coop to search for "treats". When chickens are free ranging(under our supervision), Raven just goes with the flock. A couple of the chickens chase her but mostly they just go about their business.

 

[mixedbreeds]

It just takes some time I have a black lab he has hunted with me for years hunting ducks, pheasants and quail then I got chickens 2 years ago. At first he wanted them bad but I just kept bringing him to the coop door so he could see them but not get in there, the chickens were very curious and would come up to us then I would pet the chickens and pet and talk to the dog. This went on for a couple of months after that he wasn't wanting them anymore so one day I stood up and in the coop he went sniffed the birds and has never bothered them since. He is the dog in my avatar having dinner with a sick chicken and the chicken pulled through.

 

[JaeG]

Puppies see everything as a game so until your dog is showing a certain amount of maturity I wouldn't leave her unattended with the chickens. At this point any interactions between her and the chickens need to be controlled by you. Do lots of rewarding for ignoring the chickens and paying attention to you.

We've been lucky with our dog. She's naturally submissive and had the fear of smaller animals hammered into her as a pup by our very old and grumpy cat! Our deaf and half blind white cat has carried on the tradition - she put my sister's French Bulldog puppy in his place to the point he was terrified to go near her. He just had to keep trying his luck! We are also very strict with our dog. I can trust her even when our hand reared birds are flying round the house because she knows not to touch them. She also has a bed she stays on when she's inside and she's not allowed off it unless we say she can. She loves her bed and I can tell when she wants to go back to it.

One exercise you can do with your pup is tie her lead through your belt and ignore her. Wherever you go she has to follow. It's great for building respect and teaching her to pay attention to you. Also make her wait respectfully until you say she can eat her food - it's a good exercise for impulse control. Use toys with her and have play sessions using them as she needs to understand those are what you use to release pent up energy etc - not your chickens.

It will depend on your dog's personality as to what training methods will work. I've found this philosophy very interesting but didn't find it until our dog was older: https://naturaldogtraining.com/blog/
Since reading this philosophy we let her win tug-of-war (a big 'no, no' in traditional training) which gives her a lot of satisfaction. It's a lot to do with methods of releasing and satisfying a dog's natural 'predator' impulses in positive ways.

I remember trying some techniques that just didn't work with our girl so it's trial and error until you find what your pup will respond to.

Good luck!

 

[User395221]

as she is too excited when he is around.

I used to have a "flibbertygibbet" excitable dog (pomeranian/maltese cross). One of her commands that was useful to me was "settle". "Leave it"is when they are up to something you want them to stop, "settle" is just "don't go there at all". All of that leaping about, jumping up stuff can be discouraged through training. NO attention while they are doing any of that. When standing or sitting quietly, go nuts over them, you are SO GOOD, such a good settle, excellent job, food rewards. blah blah. You get so you can see the signs, the "I'm running over there and I'm going to go nuts" signs. Then "settle" and distraction with something else, reward reward reward.

Just as an aside, I've got a new (rescue) dog who hasn't had any training before. The chickens take a role in trying to "discourage" his nosiness/chasiness. If he chases, they'll turn around and peck him and chase him back. I don't use negative training techniques, but the chooks do. (this isn't something to be generally encouraged, but he's small and he responds by running away and "getting the message".)

 

[Kandire]

Like other have said, training. I have 3 dogs and when I started (they all had basic training and listened well) I would only let one out at a time. I would redirect if they even started to stare at the chickens and they went in the house immediately if they tried to chase. My small dog is always tied when he is out due to his roaming problem (dang beagles and their noses) but for the most part they no longer even look at the chickens when everyone is out together. Time and training will make it work!!

 

[chickens really]

Yes.....Training....Any breed loves a job to do....My Yorkie helps wrangle birds every night ...She is trained....I have cues and then she responds... she loves working and loves getting those Birds home...

 

[chickens really]

Lucy...My Chicken wrangler...

 

[sawilliams]

Does anyone have experience with free ranging chickens, but also happen to be the owner of a large breed dog? I recently moved to the country and wife wanted a GSD for while I'm away ( military) and such. She is only 4 months and my chickens are about 6 weeks. Trying to figure out how to keep her from chasing them, and it is not easy. So far I've been trying to keep her penned or on the other side of the house if chicks are out. Yesterday she discovered them and had a field day. She did not actually get one in her mouth or anything, I think she just wants to play but when they are old enough to lay, heard that they should not be stressed like that or they will lay before egg is ready? Any advice appreciated

I haven't read through the comments yet. But heres my story for you. I had my dogs first a small dashound mix named Roxanne and a large blood hound mix named Daisy May. Rpxanne was 2-3 years at the time and daisy was almost 1 year when we got our first hen (long story, but i quickly got 5 flock mates for her). We raised both dogs from puppys so neither had ever seen a chicken. We build our run with the intent that becuase of daisy' s breed they would never free range together, and if I did let the hens out of the run daisy was locked up inside for safety.

Roxanne being small quickly adjusted to the hens and learned not to chase them do i never had to worry much there. But right from the beginning er had 3 escapes. The first daisy bumped the coop latch and the door blew open. That was fun trying to catch a 70 pound dog chasing running fluff balls. She got a few tail feathers but never hurt the hens. The second time Daisy dug a hole under the run gate just big enough for the hens to escape. I want home for this one but my neighbor saw it. Again she chased but never hurt them. The third was later on I left the run unmatched the night before and the hens got out, same situation. I figured after the second time it would be in my best interest to at least work with daisy so that hopefully i would have to worry about a kill.

Becuase i did want the chickens to free range in the yard, I only let then out in the evenings so i could keep a better eye on them and reduce the time I might have to keep daisy inside. But as with all planing from time to time Daisy had to go potty. At first we started her on a leash. After she finished her business I would let her hang out with me a watch. She would start to shake with excitement and that's about the tinge I would take her back inside. Over time keeping her in the leash I would walk her around the yard to see and follow the chickens if she started pulling to much or seems over excited I would take her back inside. After about a year I was able to take her out with out a leash but i still kept her close not letting het leave the porch though she would walk over the check hens that got close to het area.
Then it happened not thinking i went back inside leaving daisy outside with the hens for about an hour. Once I realized I ran out side to find daisy laying on the porch and all my hens wondering around perfectly fine. Was a relief. So after that I slowly let her have more trust and more time to ger self untill eventually she would even go with me to let them out and check each one as they left the coop.

Overall it took well over a year but now 2 years past getting our first hen, daisy is just as much part of thier flock as they are part of her family.

My tips are to just take your time. Make sure you have an area to pen the dog where out can't see the hens so i can calm down if needed. Start with the hens only free ranging the last 2 hours of the day but make sure the dog can visit from at least one side of the run so they cam get use to each other. Keeping the dog leashed and removing the dog when he shows signs of excitement or anxiety will help the dog learn they aren't toys. Make sure the first time you let the dog off the leash he can follow your commands (at least stop or no) incase he does try to chase, again removing the dog if he gets to excited, and go back to the leash for a while longer if needed.
Unfortunately not all dogs will clam down enough to be safe to free range. Though we never planned to free range our dogs and hens together, I also feared that daisy would not be trainable due to her breed. So please keep in mind training might take longer or might not work. You just have to be ready to adjust accordingly. Whether that mean less time out for the chickens or more time licked up for the dog.

 

[Steve J]

Dogs are so smart. I have 5 that are in a 2 acre pen right against my chickens. They have never acted a bit aggressive towards the chicks. They are towards everything else that comes around though, like raccoons and coyotes. Somehow the dogs know the chickens are mine it seems. The other day I came in to find my barred rock hen had gotten over with the dogs. She was walking around with them and they all were just watching her. I wouldn't have expected at least one of them to not attack her, but they didn't. I got her back on her side and gave all of them high praise!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Seriously. Watch a few episodes of the Dog Whisperer. To better understand the dog hierarchy and how they basically function. First: Exercise to get in the right frame of mind. Discipline (if needed- a pull of the leash to redirect). Love and Affection/Treats lastly. Do not let them sit on your lap on the couch. That is dominance to them. They stay on the floor. They learn you are higher up than them. In every way. You are alpha above them. You need to Understand calm energy commands. The dog should not be ignoring you.

You'll want low calm stern voiced commands around chickens. Not screaming your head off ones. Once that is established. They are sitting. Staying. Listening to your commands and not ignoring you. They should get to go on leash to the chicken coop with you every day. Make it a 'Not a big deal sort of thing'. If they are 'birdie'. (Tail stiff and pulled up on a chicken eyes staring and bulging) that is predator behavior. Break it by breaking their attention on the bird. A Polk in the ribs and a firm low "leave it". "mine". (They will have heard 'No' about a bazillion times already.) Once they are responding nicely to 'leave it, mine' take out your calmest chicken with another person holding the bird. Bring the dog on leash closer. If it becomes too intense for the dog remove it from the bird. They do not get the reward of seeing the bird. If they do well let them sniff. They should be looking away from the bird a bit as well. Low voice. "mine". If you feel energy go up...remove the dog. I had a lab that started licking the chicken. I could feel her also tense up. That was not good. I removed her. Licking is nervous energy that is a precursor to lunch. It is not kisses. LOL.

I have been know to give a finger swat on the nose for redirection during the calm chicken encounter training. I know I might get holy heck for that but trust me our dogs are more than loved and pampered and I needed them to get along with my flock if I was to have them both.
Then before you know it ~2-3 months (maybe sooner) you do some off leash interactions While supervising. Keep the leash in your hand. Low calm energy. No "Look at your chickens" in high excited voices. They only need to walk by them and preferably look away from them. They should at the off leash point understand that the chickens are part of the "pack". Important to you.

We've trained two bird-hunting labradors (ducks & Pheasants) with these tips and methods. They still hunt and not a dead chicken on the premises. GSD should have similar approach I would say. We had German Shepherds on the Farm growing up with Chickens and so did DH's family.