Sponsored Post Keeping Dogs and Chickens - Tips for a Harmonious Introduction.

[ShrekDawg]

I had my chicks since they were a day-old in their brooder in my living room. I used a rabbit/guinea pig cage as their brooder. I had bricks on top so it couldn't be accidentally knocked off, and the heat lamp clipped so it couldn't be knocked off either- but my dog isn't the type to get into stuff. But because the chicks grew up with us, and our dogs, until they were about 9 weeks old, I think it greatly helped acclimate everyone to each other. I think having your dog seeing you interact with the chicks makes them realize that they are not toys or prey. I also would let them out to bop around on the floor to stretch their wings as they got bigger while we were waiting for our coop to be built, and my dog would be laying right there watching. But some dog breeds are highly predatory so I think everyone's experiences can be different.

Do you have access to an old baby bed? I used our old one to make what my husband calls the "Chicken Jail." LOL I was putting our babies in it outside while I was out there with them. We reworked Saturday night and they have spent the last two nights out in it. Our dogs can see the babies but not get to them. Doing this our oldest dog has lost all interest in them. Our smallest dog is still a little interested but not as much. The youngest dog is the one I'm going to have to watch the most, but I've been warned that it is also because of her breed.

Great ideas

 

[Yrat]

I'd go with a firm but gentle verbal "NO" or "ah ah", a light tap on the back or side, and/or reward (praise, treats, toys, "good", whatever) for ignoring the chicks and being nice, before I just start bopping them on the nose for no reason.. don't want the dogs to be scared of the chicks. Well, maybe some people do, but I don't. Especially if they haven't yet been taught how to properly behave around the chicks and don't know why you're hitting them. Yes hitting. IMO even if corrections are used in training there's really no reason to touch their nose, even lightly.

Not sure where you see me suggesting hitting their nose for no reason... because there was nowhere where I advocated that.

By "bop," I mean a light tap and a NO, just a touch. Definitely not a punch, which it seems you are assuming I meant. If you think a dog's nose is off-limits, you've probably never owned a bully breed. Their face is their main tool for just about everything, including pushing you around during play time.

 

[duluthralphie]

Not sure where you see me suggesting hitting their nose for no reason... because there was nowhere where I advocated that.

By "bop," I mean a light tap and a NO, just a touch. Definitely not a punch, which it seems you are assuming I meant. If you think a dog's nose is off-limits, you've probably never owned a bully breed. Their face is their main tool for just about everything, including pushing you around during play time.

I agree with you, there is a large difference between a light tap to remind them they did wrong or should stop what they are doing and beating a dog. It is like a pat on the rear or fingers when a kid reaches for a open flame.

It can be near impossible to "reason" with a dog.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Not sure where you see me suggesting hitting their nose for no reason... because there was nowhere where I advocated that.

By "bop," I mean a light tap and a NO, just a touch.  Definitely not a punch, which it seems you are assuming I meant.    If you think a dog's nose is off-limits, you've probably never owned a bully breed.  Their face is their main tool for just about everything, including pushing you around during play time.

Sorry, I guess I didn't exactly say that right. What I more meant wasn't that it was for no reason for us but that it might be for the dog, that they might not know what it's for. But I guess if you timed it right they might.

And sorry, that makes more sense but surely you would have to do more than just touching it? Or no? But I guess lightly it might be okay. It's just usually when people say it they mean harder plus it's easy to get out of control but if you don't mean that then I suppose it's different.

I agree with you, there is a large difference between a light tap to remind them they did wrong or should  stop what they are doing and beating a dog.  It is like a pat on the rear or fingers when a kid reaches for a open flame.

It can be near impossible to "reason" with a dog.

That's a good point too, never really thought of it like that cause like I said above most people mean harder than that and it's easy to mess up but maybe not.

But anyways, for both of you now, I still think a no or something else before touching them might be better but maybe for some dogs not. I don't know.

But I will say a couple years ago before I knew any better I tried the nose thing a couple times, which I know may seem weird considering what I just said but I didn't know better, and mine didn't do well with it even though it was only couple times (and no I didn't do it harder than mentioned) so I stopped but I guess it depends on the dog. Mine is more sensitive plus responds well to treats and praise and that stuff anyway but maybe for a bully breed or different minded dog the nose thing might work well I guess. Mine has also always been somewhat head shy since we got him as a puppy so that could have been another reason he didn't like or respond to it. He doesn't like people touching his feet either. Maybe it's the Great Pyrenees, that might be how threats go after him? But he's Lab too so I don't really get it but oh well.

But I guess I just still think other stuff should be tried first especially when first introducing. But I guess if he's about to do harm then I'd do something about it but if it's just wanting him to ignore them

 

[pipAchick]

Really like this thread&catching up on all your opions&experiences. Def will have to try incorporating some into my version of a back yard.thanks,to those who shared!

 

[justus85]

I thought I had my dog trained to co-exist with my chickens. Then one day after having been around them for months(with no incidents), she just randomly started mauling them when I was gone. I guess she decided that the chickens were chew toys when she got bored. No amount of spanking or other punishment has really helped. Unfortunately I think I'm gonna have to throw in the towel on being able to trust her around the chickens alone like I used to. I already lost one hen and just had to doctor a second one up yesterday. I originally suspected a raccoon to be responsible for the first hen until I discovered my dog in the act of tearing up the second. I thought my training had worked until now. I don't know why that would become a temptation after having been around the chickens unsupervised for so long without incident. The moral of this story is; don't underestimate the predator instincts of your pets. We tend to anthropomorphize dogs and forget that they are still animals and cannot always 100% be controlled. There will only be supervised interaction from here on out, none of these shenanigans happen when I'm home.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I thought I had my dog trained to co-exist with my chickens. Then one day after having been around them for months(with no incidents), she just randomly started mauling them when I was gone. I guess she decided that the chickens were chew toys when she got bored. No amount of spanking or other punishment has really helped. Unfortunately I think I'm gonna have to throw in the towel on being able to trust her around the chickens alone like I used to. I already lost one hen and just had to doctor a second one up yesterday. I originally suspected a raccoon to be responsible for the first hen until I discovered my dog in the act of tearing up the second. I thought my training had worked until now. I don't know why that would become a temptation after having been around the chickens unsupervised for so long without incident. The moral of this story is; don't underestimate the predator instincts of your pets. We tend to anthropomorphize dogs and forget that they are still animals and cannot always 100% be controlled. There will only be supervised interaction from here on out, none of these shenanigans happen when I'm home.

So sorry about your chickens

I personally find rewarding for good, calm behavior to be much more effective, although you can still mix with corrections once they know how they are supposed to behave, which it aounds like she does. I just don't find strictly corrections to be effective with mine and sometimes it even makes it worse although that's my dog and I don't know if you do or don't also reward but yeah.

But either way I think it's kind of like dogs and kids, no matter how well they seem to get along they shouldn't be left alone together. Though of course it's not your fault since you went without incident for so long but like you saud, dogs are animals and kids, or chickens, can provoke them.

Mine is good with the chickens in the run but still occasionally gets over excited and does a half jump/lunge towards the pen or run laps around it. For the most part he lays around the yard. However, like your dog, he only behaves when I'm out there. He knows he will get in trouble for that behavior. At first it was stricter, a hard tug on the leash/choke collar, or yelling NO!, but now it's just a much quieter (not yelled) NO! Or a much lighter gentler pull on the leash if he doesn't respond. In fact, it's not even a pull on the collar anymore usually. Usually it's just picking up the leash and he has learned that if he doesn't come when I call him, even before we got the chickens, that I will just pick up the leash and reel him in so to speak, so now even just reaching for it is enough for him to stop and come over. But if he lunges when I'm next to him it's a swift yet gentle collar/leash pull (to stop him in his tracks) and NO! and he's real sorry usually. But anyway, he's mostly an angel when I'm out there but if I go in and leave hkm he will behave and then in a matrer of minutes or sometimes less he is lunging at the fence or running laps around the pen and it's a big game, he's smiling while he's doing it. I usually run out, say NO! and pull the leash if he doesn't already come over when I go outside. sometimes if he really doesn't stop he gets sprayed with a water bottle. He hates that.

But what I have found to be most effective and most efficient is his e collar. I hate using electronic collars but it is very effective in teaching him to behave even when no one is out there. With the squirt botle or me running out and saying no there is a delay because I have to get out there plus he usually stops as soon as he sees me or even if he doesn't, I have to tell him and that's me telling him and him behaving with me there. With the collar, it's not me telling him to behave, it's the universe and God

LOL we don't even need to use the shock part, just a buzz. Of course we try not to leave him alone with them but when we do it works. I have only used it once so far since we just started using it but he went to chase the chickens again after a squirt bottle correction so I went and put the collar on him and when he looked like he was about to do it I gave him a gentle vibrate, no shock, and he immediately looked up, shook his head like "what was THAT!?" and then walked away and rolled in the grass. Instantly forgot to chase the chickens.

Yesterday I put him on a short walking leash and walking him in the yard when they were free ranging and to my surprise he just sat there watching them, even laid down. Of course as soon as the dumb birds saw me they came straight for us so I went around the corner then went back to see where they were. When they got close he fixated and tried to lunge but I pulled him back and made him sit. They came closer, I too him around the corner again then back near them again. Made him sit and watch a few seconds longer so we ended on a positive note and not a negative one and then we went inside. But I really thought he would try to kill them even from a distance. Surprisingly the most he did was fixate and lunge once all that time. Didn't even have his e collar or even food, which usually makes him focus on me and not distractions I was really surprised. But of course I still don't trush him alone or even on a longer leash with me there. But he has to get used to being around them when free ranging too.

 

[justus85]

Thankfully I intervened in time to save the second one. She had a rip on her neck and wing. I cleaned her up, and super glued the larger wound that had too much separation due to the length of it. I don't mean to be a Debbie downer compared to the other stories; but I just want people to understand that your chicken and dog snuggling up and becoming best of friends may not be a realistic expectation; regardless of what you do. Possible? Yea, but don't get to comfortable like I made the mistake of doing. A chicken would be a strong prey candidate for a dog in the wild. Caution is the word of the day here.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thankfully I intervened in time to save the second one. She had a rip on her neck and wing. I cleaned her up, and super glued the larger wound that had too much separation due to the length of it. I don't mean to be a Debbie downer compared to the other stories; but I just want people to understand that your chicken and dog snuggling up and becoming best of friends may not be a realistic expectation; regardless of what you do. Possible? Yea, but don't get to comfortable like I made the mistake of doing. A chicken would be a strong prey candidate for a dog in the wild. Caution is the word of the day here.

That's great you were able to save her! And no, dont worry about being a debbie downer or anything! You werent! You were just trying to help other people. I think a lot of people don't realize the reality that both are animals and anything could happen even if they seem like friends. I personally am maybe a little too cautious as he's proven me wrong but I'd rather be too cautious than not enough. With him he tends to get more riled up when they start flapping about and making lots of noise. I think for him he thinks it's a game and grand fun, though I'm sure he'd eat one if he caught it. He's half black Lab and half Great Pyrenees so calmer and wayyyy less energy than your typical Lab (in fact he sleeps all day lol only gets bursts of energy) but he does fixate on them and give chase like any bird dog. My hope is the Great Pyrenees can override that and for the most part it works, he used to constantly chase but now that he's gotten used to them he will just go lay in the yard near them and keep watch, but he does still have his moments. I know he may never be able to br trusted fully but I am working towards it and he is improving so there may be hime for mostly good eventually. But he also is 130 pounds and 30, 31 inches, he's a big dog, so even if he doesn't mean to he could easily do damage by accident. I think the key to any dog and chickens is to keep an eye on them. Of course good training and a good personality to begin with does help but a dog is a dog. And a bird dog is an even bigger challenge

 

[justus85]

Yea, my dog is a pit bull-labrador retriever mix. So I'm dealing with bird dog instincts too. I've been meaning to invest in the e-collar you mentioned. She has other behaviors I'd like to discourage. I might be able to stake her out and make chasing the chickens have unpleasant results without the perception of me actually being there. Like you said, when it's the universe punishing you it has a different effect.