Training/Teaching a dog about chickens

[Tacampbell1973]

I love dogs too. I love my dog as much as my chickens. I wish they liked each other as much

 

[Karelp38]

This is a short video my dog. He's got no training. He does everything cause he wants to.

 

[mstricer]

Nice my border collie mix also will do that

 

[Juley]

How surprising. Would have never thought a boxer would have that kind of herding instinct. Very good! I'm putting up with all this Aussie shedding for nothing.
I have to say that I really enjoy this community on BYC. It is really interesting to be able to share chicken raising experiences with someone half a world away in S. Africa.
Btw, Karelp38 what sort of chickens are you raising? Orpingtons? Just curious as to what is suitable for your climate. Couldn't tell from video.

 

[Karelp38]

Hi Juley

Yes, they are orpingtons. The are doing fine here, although we sometimes get into the high 40's during summer.

Boxer are the BEST. Mine does the chickens, as well as cattle and sheep. The sheep is a bit of a problem, cause they think he is one of them He works the cattle better than the collies we had. As soon as one of the cattle turned around, the collies backed off. Pilot stood his ground and eventually he would win the stand-off. I've seen him stand his ground to a really p'ed off bull. Pilot won

 

[BoereMeisie]

Hi Juley

Yes, they are orpingtons. The are doing fine here, although we sometimes get into the high 40's during summer.

Boxer are the BEST. Mine does the chickens, as well as cattle and sheep. The sheep is a bit of a problem, cause they think he is one of them He works the cattle better than the collies we had. As soon as one of the cattle turned around, the collies backed off. Pilot stood his ground and eventually he would win the stand-off. I've seen him stand his ground to a really p'ed off bull. Pilot won

Just wanted to say hi Karelp38. I'm also from outside Atlantis!

Here is a nice thread if you're looking to connect with some SA chicken people: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...rs-or-folks-in-south-africa/180#post_12276316

 

[Gifa]

Hey guys... Thought you'd like to see our new little bundle...

Meet, Flynn. He's an Australian Cattle Dog (mix?) we adopted from one of our local shelters... he's 12 weeks old and 11 pounds at the moment.





The chickens are not a big bad secret to him... and neither are our two cats.

We've shown him the chickens... sat in the run and held him so that both the chickens and Flynn could get a good look at each other. And we've had him out in the yard on a leash at the same time as the chickens... Every impulse he had to get up and chase was shut down until he just calmly laid on the ground and watched them... and eventually started chewing on leaves and sticks. He follows me out in the mornings when I scoop the coop. This will be the regimen until at least January or February until we are confident he has the rules down pat.

In the mean time, we will be working on fun things like basic commands (he has mastered sit already) and recall/return commands.

 

[centrarchid]

Hey guys... Thought you'd like to see our new little bundle...

Meet, Flynn. He's an Australian Cattle Dog (mix?) we adopted from one of our local shelters... he's 12 weeks old and 11 pounds at the moment.





The chickens are not a big bad secret to him... and neither are our two cats.

We've shown him the chickens... sat in the run and held him so that both the chickens and Flynn could get a good look at each other. And we've had him out in the yard on a leash at the same time as the chickens... Every impulse he had to get up and chase was shut down until he just calmly laid on the ground and watched them... and eventually started chewing on leaves and sticks. He follows me out in the mornings when I scoop the coop. This will be the regimen until at least January or February until we are confident he has the rules down pat.

In the mean time, we will be working on fun things like basic commands (he has mastered sit already) and recall/return commands.

With a dog like yours, once he is about 6 months old start taking him out on little nightly walks around where chickens are kept and the property perimeter if it is not too large. At very least dog will then start taking interest in acting as an alarm which can help you head off losses to predators if they challenge the safety your engineering provides.

 

[joyfulkeeper]

I was so worried about our dogs killing our chickens, as they protect our property from everything that moves, including the neighbors chickens if they happen to free range onto our land. We have 2 labs and 1 mixed border terrier/corgy. We started training them by introducing the dogs to the chicks as we brooded them in the living room in big bins. The dogs got praised for leaving them alone even when the chicks were put next to them or even on them. Everything seemed to go well in the house, the dogs got used to them (chicks & ducklings) and even seemed to want to protect them. I was still very worried about how things would go when we moved the flock outside and started to let them free-range. After taking the flock outside to a pen, we took the dogs out to them on leashes. The labs were very excited and wanted to run at the pen, but we made sure they walked slowly to it and then made them lie down. One of the kids was inside with the flock giving them attention while we had the dogs lay and ignore them. Lots of praises and treats for the dogs when they were calm and ignoring the flock. We then let them off the leashes and again praised them when they ignored the flock, and had to give only a couple sharp reprimands when the labs got too energetic or showed any type of aggression. We spent several hours like this on the first day and then the next day we let the flock out of the pen and started the day with the dogs on the leash again. We spent several hours praising them for ignoring the flock even when we interacted with them and by the end of the day, they were all out together with no worries. They all seemed to want to be near each other and the dogs are happy to help me find the flock if they have foraged too far from the house. Our chicken killing/eating dogs are now mother hens (even though the dogs are all males) to the flock.

 

[kar-bear]

I also have two dogs who are curious about my chicks, I allow my dogs to be around the chicks to get used to them, in hopes once they go into the coop and are free range they know they are not a harm and will only protect them as family members. The dogs are curious and only in curiousity have gotten close to the chicks, I have the in a temporary coop in a spare bedroom and leave the room door open so the dogs and go in and out as they wish. I play and talk to my chicks and they dogs sit right next to me, the dogs just smell. I want them to be used to the chicks.
The dogs have been pecked on their noses a few times and only pulled away, never attempted to go after the chicks.