Aaarrrgghhhh...my GP puppy turned predator!

[NotTheMomma]

At 6 months old, I'd have her on a leash, and only allowed supervised contact with the flock. In no time she'll be older and then can work. Right now though, she's only a puppy.

If you decide to rehome her, let me know. I'd like her.

 

[cgmccary]

johnwilly1962:

Cetawin wrote:

Why are you blaming an untrained puppy? They must be trained for their job and at 6 months old she is barely 1/4 of the way to maturity and certainly not ready for Livestock guardian training, she has the attention span and retention of a gnat.

Have you ever owned a GP previously? They do not reach maturity until they are 2 years old. Your puppy probably killed the chicken trying to play with it because at 6 months old that is all she wants...to play.

Sadly, this is not the puppy's fault. I am sorry you lost your girl(s).

Perfect information that I agree with. Being big dogs, people just don't realize they are still JUST puppies. Give her the time and training she needs, I bet she'll be the best dog ever. And sorry for your loss.​

NotTheMomma:At 6 months old, I'd have her on a leash, and only allowed supervised contact with the flock. In no time she'll be older and then can work. Right now though, she's only a puppy.

I agree with all the above. Very good advice.​

 

[ducks4you]

DOn't give up so soon on your puppy! If ya didn't read it, I posted about a rescue GS, < 1 yr old. He was very lovely towards us, but had had some attack dog training. My oldest cat rubbed against him and then he tried to kill the cat. He tried to maul anther of my cats, now no longer with us. Then, he attacked my horse iN HIS STALL!!!! I took him back to the shelter before he started a massacre. It was PAINFULLY obvious that this behavior wouldn't fit in with our property. It is important to me that ALL of my animals respect each other.

I do not trust one of my dogs with the chickens, ALONE. My dogs live inside and help with the chores, so we have a great deal of daily interaction. This dog wouldn't dare kill a chicken in front of me, or bring it dead to show me. In fact, at 2 1/2 years old a dog should know what behavior is acceptable.

If you haven't buried the chickens yet, tie one around your puppy's neck for a day. These are BIG puppies so don't be afraid to bring her around your birds and smack her on the rump (ALWAYS avoid the face) the tell her definitively "NO!" when she is aggressive. Please spend TIME with your pup. He wants to please you. My dogs won't let ME out of their sight. It wasn't that way when they were puppies.

Stop free ranging your birds, because something is gonna get them, if your dog doesn't.

Sooner or later Americans are going to get tired of paying shelters to keep dogs and cats for months and months, so the next person who might own him might dump him at a shelter, and he might be euthanized. This sounds like a good natured puppy, but still, it's not going to be easy to rehome him. Horse people are very cognizant of re-homing (buying and selling horses) because hardly anyone gets their horses as foals and keep them until they die--it can be over 30 years, you know. We are in a line of previous and future horse owners of the same animal.

Dogs are much more sensitive than horses, and can become mean or very shy with subsequent re-homing, IF they are lucky.

DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS ONE!!!!

 

[Bizzybirdy]

>>If you haven't buried the chickens yet, tie one around your puppy's neck for a day. <<

I did that as posted previously until it started to smell really bad.

She did not attempt to eat the dead hen and just slept alongside it, very remorsefull. So maybe there is hope.

I do not free range my chickens, however there are a few that roost in the barn...have for years...and these do wander about in the field next to it. Nothing will get them in the barn at night as they roost over the horses stalls...horses in them! And they mingle with the geese during the day.

This dog is great with the cats and horses, is well mannered...just think she was into the chase mode that afternoon. So far she has not attempted to do this again...except for chasing the ducks to the pond for which she was remprimanded verbally by my stall man. Am watching her MUCH more closely for the time being.

Like you I will NOT have anything around that injures or kills my other animals. The dog has another chance because she is still a playful puppy.

 

[jywel417]

Quote:
Go with known name brands like Petsafe or Innoruk? I am pretty sure I spelled the 2nd one wrong but . . . Also, if you can find one that has a "tone" button and then a "shock" button with adjustable shock those work well because you can hit the tone first then hit the shock afterwards so that they start responding to the tone. Can even do something like Verbal, Tone, Shock. Then once they get the hang of it Verbal then tone, then eventually fading to verbal should work.

On another note one of our clients at the vet was talking today about how her grandfather had chickens when she was a teenager. One day his dog went and killed one of the chickens so her grandfather tied the corpse to the dog's collar and made him drag it around for a week or two, they said the dog never chased/killed another chicken. idk if that would work, sure as heck would smell to high heaven in this heat tho

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I have an almost 5 month old GP. She is really really playful and immediately wants to play with the chickens. We flip her over onto her back and tell her NO firmly. She's not old enough to guard the chickens, ducks, geese, or guineas, but we bring her around to their pens and get her accustomed to them.

I'm glad that you've agreed to give her some more time.

Our GP just brought me a mouse about 3 hours ago. It was running, she wanted to play and she decided to bring it to mom.

Good luck with your pup!

Laurie

 

[ducks4you]

I am happy to here that you'll give here another chance. I'm betting, in a few years, she'll be the shining example that EVERYBODY wants to own.

Also, pics, please?