Any paintballers? I have questions about using a pb gun on dog.

[DeannaOR]

Exploring options here...

Neighbors nicely bred unaltered male hunting dog keeps coming onto my property to check out my chickens and turkeys. He hasn't done anything yet...
The first time I caught him out there at the run I called the owner. He came and got the dog and told me he wouldn't "let him out for a while". So my assumption here is that the owner is actually letting the dog out to roam. Today the dog was here three times before the owner heard me yelling at him and hollered for him.
I do not wish to have a crappy relationship with this neighbor, but I don't want his dog here either.
I was wondering if there is a low powered paintball gun on the market, that would not hurt the dog, but would leave a nice big splat of pink on his butt? Maybe scare the dog into not coming back. I understand the risk of hitting him the eye or something, but it beats outright shooting him to kill.
Open to ideas.

 

[War Chicken]

Electric fencing would probably be a better investment...

 

[JimnTer]

I agree with war chicken, assuming your birds are in an enclosed run. Shooting the dog with a paintball gun may only teach him to be scared of you, rather than teach him to stay away from your birds. In addition the paintball gun (or even a real gun) is only effective when you are there to keep an eye out for trouble. The electric fence will work 24/7, works on all predators except birds of prey and no danger of injuring the dog.

 

[Debbi]

You didn't say if it was legal or not to shoot a gun in your area. I would go have a discussion with the neighbor. Let him know, nicely, but firmly, that his dog is NOT welcome in your yard. If he is a "hunting dog", it is against his best interest for the dog to be running loose any way, he will pick up on all sorts of scents to chase, and that is hard to break. I would not suggest a PB gun. That can be constrewed as animal cruelty, and YOU could be fined or imprisoned for it! If you have Animal Control out there, call them and report the dog. Take pictures of the dog, if you can, on YOUR property, and keep any remains if the dog kills one of your birds as proof.

Out where I live, it is a written and unwritten law, meaning everyone knows it; that if a dog is caught chasing, harrassing, or killing livestock, and that includes poultry, then it is within your right to shoot the dog to save your livestock...period.

 

[DeannaOR]

I was thinking about the paint mark on the dogs butt sending a clear message to the owner.... I can use electric fence around my chicken coop, but that doesn't stop him from coming on the property. It's not just the birds, I also have horses and I have 4 of my own dogs who bark when he comes around. My dogs are contained on my own property.

 

[DeannaOR]

It is legal to shoot a gun where I live. I'm way out. It is also legal for me to shoot the dog for harassing livestock. I don't want to shoot the dog. It makes me angry that the neighbor is purposely letting his dog roam. We have talked..he knows I have poultry. He asked concerned if his dog had gotten any of them the first time I called him to come get his dog. But he followed it up with "I won't let him out for a while". Maybe I'll just take the dog to animal control myself. If he has to pick it up and pay a fine...maybe he will get a clue.
I'll keep thinking on it.

 

[Debbi]

Tell your neighbor to invest in an E-collar or a kennel, so he has control over his dog, or to put up a yard fence. It is not your responsibility to worry about HIS dog. The more this dog gets loose, the bolder he will become. One day it will kill or maim something, you try to intervene, and the dog comes after you! I have seen this before. Don't get me wrong, I am a dog owner and lover, but this doesn't mean I won't defend my animals from someone else's. I have had numerous dogs and cats dumped by careless owners out in front of my property. One person dumped 3 starving Coon Hounds out here one afternoon. Two I was able to get close to, the other one would growl at me. I fed them up some as I couldn't stand to look at them so thin. Finally the third dog came around for me, but would growl at my kids, not going to happen. Put an ad in the classifieds, and a nice man came and got them, all 3. I have found homes for some other dogs and cats too. Then one day, someone dropped off a starving Pit Bull male. He was in my front yard when I came home, and snapped/lunged at me when I got out of my truck. Not a smart thing to do...he didn't make it. I would make it abundantly clear to your neighbor, that his dog will not be tolerated on your property, and that you will take matters into your own hands if need be.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I like it, paintball, go for it...obviously the guy doesn't care about this dog, it may ruin him to hunt it so what, it'll be fun!

 

[animallover505]

shoot it NEAR the dog the fist few times to scare him, if he comes back more then 5 times, make SURE the dog will not get hurt before you shoot it, and descuss it first with your neighbor.

 

[centrarchid]

Go for paint ball option. Try to make it so dog does not know you did the shooting. Best training session would be when dog is actually interested in chickens, not simply being in yard. Despite no real harm, neighbor might reconsider effort to control dog in future upon seeing paint splotch.



With respect to fencing, for long-term it is the way to go since next loss could just as easily involve another dog or one you do not know.

For me the business of dealing with neighbors on this issue has been touchy but with most I am getting it so most of the local dogs are not a threat even when loosed. I have lost birds in process but not many.