Anyone trained their dog to stay away from chickens like this?

[Redbrush]

Well done. You may find he needs to be wearing the collar to remember the lesson. I jokingly refer to the collar as the dog's hearing aid. My Airedale listened much better when he was wearing it.

 

[McChooky]

I built my coop in the dog lot and kept my chickens contained until my dogs were fully used to them and trained.The first time I let them out they approached them but obeyed my commands.I didn't have to use an e collar but it took a long time because both hounds were adults

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Well done. You may find he needs to be wearing the collar to remember the lesson. I jokingly refer to the collar as the dog's hearing aid. My Airedale listened much better when he was wearing it.

I put the collar on long before the lesson, so I don't think he really connected the collar with being corrected.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think you did very well, correcting the dog while you were in the house. You never want the dog to associate you with the correction. He should always associate the correction with the unwanted behavior. He only gets zapped when he's going after a chicken. Hence, don't go after chickens. He needs a few more corrections though, and preferably on more than one chicken if you can arrange it.

But wow, 50? My Sheltie reacts on 8! I only use the shock for "don't leave the property/ chase vehicles." (We live in the country, mostly it's our cars he chases.) I've used the "beep" feature" for "be nice to the cat!" (We have two and he doesn't like one .) And finally, the vibrate setting is for "Stop that barking or I will make stew out of you!" That one is definitely a work in progress, sigh.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

put the collar on long before the lesson, so I don't think he really connected the collar with being corrected

That's good too.

 

[Seaslug]

I suggest you put the e-collar on your wrist with the connection to your skin and trigger it on whatever setting you are going to use on your dog to make sure that it is appropriate for use.

Next, I would read about how to shape a dog using a clicker and watch some videos of someone teaching a dog to do a new task through shaping. Look at videos of someone trying to shape a dog who has no experience learning this way and one who has learned through shaping before. Make sure that they are video from actual dog trainers. Note how quickly a dog can be shaped just through the skilled use of a clicker and some treats.

Now realize that you are doing something MUCH stronger by using powerful positive punishment rather than positive reinforcement, and if you should happen to associate that punishment at the wrong time things can EASILY go off the rails. How can that be? Just look at those videos on shaping. All it took to get dogs to complete tasks were reinforcements of incremental actions.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You can also use voice or whistle instead of clicker to train. (Clickers are for dolphins, IMHO). Whistles are great for distances, just ask @sourland. You always have your voice with you, but darnit, where IS that clicker when you need it?!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I suggest you put the e-collar on your wrist with the connection to your skin and trigger it on whatever setting you are going to use on your dog to make sure that it is appropriate for use.

Next, I would read about how to shape a dog using a clicker and watch some videos of someone teaching a dog to do a new task through shaping. Look at videos of someone trying to shape a dog who has no experience learning this way and one who has learned through shaping before. Make sure that they are video from actual dog trainers.

I have trained many, many dogs, including the dog that I talk about in this post. Actually, this dog is my Cardiac Alert service dog (that I trained), so I have indeed trained him through shaping, markers (my voice rather than a clicker), and treats. But I use a balanced method of training, meaning I reward good behavior (like ignoring the chickens) and I correct bad behavior (like chasing and killing my chickens). I know how to time corrections, along with rewards, so don't worry about that. Additionally, I know the corrections aren't too heavy for my dog because he recovers right away from it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I test my e-collar in the palm of my hand, very sensitive there. My Sheltie rssponds when it's on 8. Collar goes up to 100. The Aussie needs a stronger level, he's less sensitive both physically and emotionally.

 

[saysfaa]

Be aware that you may have taught the dog to avoid that hen in that location. Maybe, if you have taught a lot of similar things in many locations, he can generalize but most likely, you have not taught the dog to leave any/all your chickens alone wherever and whenever they are.

For what it is worth, I think e collars can be used humanely and effectively and can be very good tools. Or not so much.