How To Train Your Dog Not To Kill Chickens

[TXchickmum]

-can't imagine that hanging a chicken carcass around a dog's neck is of any benefit regarding training. -pretty much useless. -also, can't imagine having hunting breeds (large or small) around chickens with the reasonable expectation that they won't "hunt"/kill the birds. Why punish a hunting breed for doing that for which it is bred? -makes no sense.....

 

[kota1369]

I have chickens and dogs and goats. The "best" way to teach them is to TEACH them! Its no different then teaching them not to pee in the house. Consistancy and with patience.
LOL My dogs would eat the chicken off the other ones collar. Its dead! Dogs eat dead things.
An electric collar can be usefull but they are a tool that you know how to use. Just putting it on the dog and busting it, is not teaching the dog. You can ruin a dog with the wrong tools.
Training, training, training..........
Will bring you amazing rewards.
And yes, I have had a chicken killed by one of my dogs. It happens. Move on. And continue to teach your dog the correct behavior around a chicken.

 

[aggiemae]

Dachshunds were breed specifically to hunt badgers. It's a dog with a very high PREY DRIVE as are most burrowing and hunting breeds.

I agree that training and constant re enforcement and practice is the best way to train a dog but in some breeds the prey drive is hard to overcome and it becomes even more difficult if you have more that one dog of that same breed since they compete with eachother.

One of our dogs has a strong prey drive. She is very obedient when I have eyes on her but I would never trust her out of voice distance and she is never allowed near farm animals without supervision.

PS: I just heard (somewhat frantic) "singing"...I think that a RIR just laid her first egg! Our chicks hatched around 4/1 and started laying on Tuesday. Now we have three laying and this would be out 8th egg.... Almost enough for a $500.00 omlet!

 

[centrarchid]

Dachshunds were breed specifically to hunt badgers. It's a dog with a very high PREY DRIVE as are most burrowing and hunting breeds.

I agree that training and constant re enforcement and practice is the best way to train a dog but in some breeds the prey drive is hard to overcome and it becomes even more difficult if you have more that one dog of that same breed since they compete with eachother.

One of our dogs has a strong prey drive. She is very obedient when I have eyes on her but I would never trust her out of voice distance and she is never allowed near farm animals without supervision.

PS: I just heard (somewhat frantic) "singing"...I think that a RIR just laid her first egg! Our chicks hatched around 4/1 and started laying on Tuesday. Now we have three laying and this would be out 8th egg.... Almost enough for a $500.00 omlet!

This is not a prey drive or herding drive issue. I use high energy hunting dogs and always have. The dogs are expected to free range simulataneously with poultry (mine are juveniles) without supervision. Too many people that have read up on dog breeds but not actually put them through their paces are saying what can and can not be done. It is a combination of training and conditioning that is needed.

Keeping a dog penned up or in house except to use bathroom is not putting it through paces. Neither is keeping a dog for show purposes. Get to know your dogs. Develop communication so you have control. The dog needs a focus of interest that is not directly chicken / livestock oriented. Give the dog outlets for energy so it is not expended on poultry. You can realize a situation where poultry are safe like household furniture in the company of the dogs.

 

[Flfirecracker]

I have a Jack russell that can never be trusted around anything chicken or 4 legged and 40 pounds or less. He has took down 40 pound wild swine. He is the most lovable 22 pound dog I have ever had and is quite docile for his breed, but was bred to kill vermin in the middle ages and that triat will never be lost. Certian breeds just have such a strong search and destroy drive it cant be broken. You may be chasing nirvana trying to educate a hunting breed not to hunt.

 

[TXchickmum]

Exactly! ^

 

[centrarchid]

I have a Jack russell that can never be trusted around anything chicken or 4 legged and 40 pounds or less. He has took down 40 pound wild swine. He is the most lovable 22 pound dog I have ever had and is quite docile for his breed, but was bred to kill vermin in the middle ages and that triat will never be lost. Certian breeds just have such a strong search and destroy drive it cant be broken. You may be chasing nirvana trying to educate a hunting breed not to hunt.

My brother kept a jack russell that free ranged along side a black and tan coonhound. Both patrolled pen area and free-range area supporting gamechickens and as a team were very effective against all small vermin such as raccoons, oppossums and foxes. Jack russell also did well for rats around horse stalls helping to keep their numbers down. During coldest part of winter an old hen not able to get into trees with others would roost in dog house with jack russell on dogs back benefitting both for warmth.

Nirvana is an easy place to reach if you know how to get there.

 

[Gofygure]

I was lucky enough to have some chicks in the house while raising one dog. He spent so much time with them as a puppy that he got bored with them by 12 weeks and was more interested in vacuuming up spilled chick feed. Now they barely warrant a cursory sniff from him.

My Boxer was not raised with poultry, however, and has a respectable prey drive. I started by harnessing her and bringing her to the chickens. Every time she stopped staring at the birds and paid attention to me, she got a treat. Eventually I started drilling her on a leash next to them, going over all the various tricks she knew. Basically, I gave her a choice between the reward and fixating on the chickens. When I felt like she had a strong "leave it" down and she consistently watched me, she was allowed to approach and sniff the chickens to satisfy her curiosity. I spent hours showing her how to relax around the chickens, and now I trust her off-leash with no hesitation. I always recommend positive training, rather than motivating through fear or shocks.

With that said, neither of my two was bred to hunt, and every dog should be evaluated on a case by case basis. Some dogs simply cannot be around free-ranging chickens.

 

[bonharv]

We have 2 chihuahuas-one weighs a hefty 8+ lbs and the other is a 3-legged-3-lbr! Both of them were excited when the chicks arrived. After about 3 days of constant watching and telling the dogs to quit chasing the chicks, they laid off-or so I though. Within the next 2 days, 2 chicks lost their lives to my over-excited and extremely 'playful' pups. I didn't punish them, because they are taught to keep trespassers out of the yard, these chicks, in their minds, are no different. I must admit though, we have a duck and she pecked the dog in the face-that could be why she is leaving the group alone. We have had them for about a month now, and no more tragedies have struck. Like the previous post said, chicks get killed-you have to move on. I don't think shaming your dog is really going to fix the problem, I think lot's of time and energy training the dog that the chickens aren't to be touched is the answer. My dogs love sucking on their stuffed animals, so I took their toys and put them over with the chicks. That drove them nuts and finally they realized that when they misbehave, someone else gets their toys. They are now protecting the brood instead of attacking them.

 

[centrarchid]

It should be apparent that multiple approaches can be taken to get dogs safe around poultry. I have not used the chicken tied to neck trick but neighbor I thought was a bit crazy and does appear to have been successfull although other activities associated with process may have been important as well.

Ideal scenario for me is to have dog of any breed acquired as pup at about fives weeks of age. Begin exposure then. Place pup in with adult good natured rooster and let them hang out. If pup gets overly sassy, rooster is expected to put pup in place. As pup grows it needs to be exposed to other birds. Do not delay to much. Also the imprinting process for adults does not extend to include chicks. I use a broody hen for that stage. Hen acts like a mother dog protecting her younger pups from other pack members getting too nosy by flogging over interested pup. Pup can be nearly full grown for this to work so long as hen is already respected. Later training will concentrate on getting dog to operate around mobile chickens in dark which is my most sensitive measure of how safe a dog is around birds. During this hole process I try to sensitize dog to chicken alarm calls. Everytime chickens give alarm I get up quickly and move to location with dog in tow. The dog will learn very quickly to do this without me being present. My dogs even learn enough of the chicken language to look up or down for appropriate source of alarm to birds. Dog can even be trained to disrupt between roosters and do som much better than I can. If all goes well dog is not only not a threat but also a guardian and even a realtively small dog can deal with small to medium predators like foxes. With predators dog can not handle, dog can simple be an alarm system, especially at night bringing you into picture to deal with bigger problems. A lot of trouble makers like a raccoon in tree I have to intervene to get since dog can not get up there and I want such buggers gone.

Starting with an older dog can be done using multiple methods and the starting points for each individual can be a much a function of dogs past experience as its breeding. Best scenarios are faster than with pups and worst case scenarios process takes much longer and is more likely to involve loss of a couple birds in process.