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

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

My dog has killed SO MANY of my chickens, and I am at my wits end. I have heard of training methods using an e-collar, which I have and he is trained on in other areas of his life, and I am wondering, has anyone used an e-collar to teach their dog not to kill chickens? In more depth, the method is this: put a chicken in the yard, and then release the dog while you hide and watch. Once the dog tries to go after the chicken, you shock him on a very high level with the e-collar. Basically he will associate chasing chickens with pain, and he wont do it anymore. Does this work? Is it "abusive" to do this to your dog? My thinking is that a moment of pain for my dog is worth it if it means the life of all my birds.

 

[DemeterAD9]

I think it could very well work. We had issues with a beagle going after the mail truck (not aggressive) and we simply didn’t want the dumb dog getting hit so we did the same thing. Put the shock collar on the dog, wait around while looking at the window and once the mail man comes by and the dog starts going after them, re-wire their brains with a bit of a shock and she never did it again.

A lot of people will say “oh no not the poor puppy!” and claim it is abuse but those are likely the kind of people that never got spanked as a kid so there’s that. If it was so terrible to use shock collars on dogs then they’d be illegal, as would cattle prods and the like. But I’m sure the shock collars and cattle prods have saved many lives.

Luckily I have had no issues with our dogs messing with the birds. If anything the dogs are in more danger from the birds going after them!

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I'm hoping that it will be a one and done type deal. I am going to try it today or tomorrow and see how it works. I will update if anything happens.... Wish me luck!

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Good luck! Please let us know how it goes!!

 

[talkinboutchickens]

That would work, unless he is so instinct driven that he ignores the shocks and goes for the chickens. It's not inhumane or animal abuse.

Sometimes individual dogs need different kinds of training than others because they don't learn with a particular method. Strictly positive reinforcement does not work with all dogs. Like my mastiff. Instead some individuals or breeds need to associate their behavior that you don't like with something the dog doesn't like such as a simple shock.

You have to think that it's either you train him, or he will kill more of your birds. It will likely take more than once to teach your dog to stop going after them.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

A few questions before I do it: Should have the e-collar on the highest level (100)? Or should I have it a little lower, like 80 or something? Also, should I let the whole flock out during this, or just one hen? Should I treat the hens for stress after this? How would I do that?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

A few questions before I do it: Should have the e-collar on the highest level (100)? Or should I have it a little lower, like 80 or something? Also, should I let the whole flock out during this, or just one hen? Should I treat the hens for stress after this? How would I do that?

I would make sure that your dog is on a slackline or something to ensure that he cannot get to your chickens when he tries to attack. Him trying to get to your chicken is enough to warrant a shock. Start with a lower lever. If he keeps doing it, pump it up. Electrolytes in their water. Shouldn't be that stressful as long as the dog doesn't physically attack. I would let a few out so that the he isn't focused on one poor chicken.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

In more depth, the method is this: put a chicken in the yard, and then release the dog while you hide and watch. Once the dog tries to go after the chicken, you shock him on a very high level with the e-collar. Basically he will associate chasing chickens with pain, and he wont do it anymore. Does this work? Is it "abusive" to do this to your dog?

It does sound like an inappropriate use and misunderstanding of an E collar..

It should be used before he's in the chasing process and at a lower level.. like an extension of your reach.. the minute he pays too much attention is when to give the correction.

Consider starting on a leash and walking near the chicken yard.. giving a mild correction anytime the dog focuses on the chickens..

Consider looking up some GOOD e collar training videos.. such as Tom Davis on you tube.

Consider using a high reward immediate payment for anytime the dog does exactly what you want.. looking away from and avoiding the chickens, looking to you for guidance, etc.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

It should be used before he's in the chasing process and at a lower level.. like an extension of your reach.. the minute he pays too much attention is when to give the correction.

Good to know. I will start lower (maybe 50 or so), and build up if he continues. He is trained on the e-collar using a balanced approach (like how Tom Davis does it), and I don't usually use it like this, but I have tried the "slow introduction to the hens with lots of praise" method, and it didn't work. I am at my wits end, but I want to do it right.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

So I just tried it, here's how it went: So I started by letting all my hens out into the yard, and then I let my dog out, e-collar on and set at 50 (for reference, his usual corrections for day to day things is 21). I casually walked out with him (off-leash), and I was just standing around and sitting about. One hen in particular was following me around. At this point, Ranger (the dog) is steering clear of all the chickens, but that's just because I was there. I then got up, went inside, and hid and watched by a window. Now that I am gone, Ranger is showing more interest to the hen that is by the door I just went through. He starts putting his head low, and trotting towards her (not a full on chasing run, he was only moving closer to begin the hunt), as soon as he moves towards her, I tap the e-collar. That stopped him dead in his tracks. He gave out one yip, and then sat down, looking away from the hen. Maybe a minute later, I walk back out again, ignoring Ranger. Once I get away from the hen, he trots over to me. A few minutes later, he is across the yard from me, and again I step inside. This time nothing happened. He didn't move. I step back outside and call him, and this is where I realize the correction really meant something to him (although he isn't foolproof yet). He lopes over to me, and to my right, there is that same hen that he had gone after earlier maybe 7 or 8ft away from me. When he is coming to me, he glances at the hen (no interest, only avoidance in his eyes) and then makes a half circle to the left in order to get to me without going ANYWHERE near her. He deliberately avoided her. I praised him for coming to me and then went inside and ended on success. I will continue to do this with both my dogs (I have two, and they have both chased chickens) and update if it works long term.

Should I do this 2x a day, 1x a day? Less? Let me know if I did anything too wrong! I will change it next time if I did, but my dog fully recovered from the correction and was not at all shook by it after it happened. Again, he is trained on the E-collar, so he knows what the correction is, and he is also fully aware that HE caused it, and HE can make it stop.