Best way to introduce dog with high chase drive to flock

[krthaymp]

Thank you all for the responses! I've learend a lot the past few weeks, and after reading all your input and consulting a dog trainer, we have made adjustments and have a plan of action.
The dogs are not allowed out in the yard with the chickens out, except for the tiny dog who's smaller than the chickens and afraid of them. I've started really working with the poodle on a firm 'leave it', while letting him around the coop. He's not been allowed to get over excited near the coop and at the first hint of too much interest or undesierable behavior he's removed. I will inlist the eCollar later to inforce 'leave it' as needed, but we're no where near that yet and may never be.
I've started working him on leash in the back yard around the chickens to help him learn to focus on me and ignore them.
Once his interest slacks and his recall inproves and he shows solid reliability on 'leave it', I'll start tethering him while they're out and me close by, or work him on leash with them out.
We've also started going on longer walks and hikes - half the problem is his energy level.
He may never be reliable enough to be off lead around the chickens, and that's ok.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Here's another tack to try. I don't know what your setup is or if this could work for you, but it sure did for us. Our "grow-out" pen is adjacent to the big chicken run. It's where our chicks live during the "see-no-touch" pre-integration period. When we got our Sheltie, then 15 months old, he was an obsessive, spinning, ball-chasing, don't-touch-me ADHD lunatic. Every day I put him in that pen for a couple hours of "down time." At first he was fascinated by the chickens and would run the fence barking at them. He SO wanted to play with the moving fluffy balls! Over time he realized he could not get to them so he would lay down and nap beside them. After about ... ooh, trying to remember ... maybe 2 or 3 months? ... he just lost interest in them entirely. So I put him on a 15-foot long line and took him into the run with the chickens. They were all around him (they were accustomed to dogs) and he ignored them. For a few days when the chickens were free ranging, I took him out and let him drag the long line. I was ready to step on it if he went after them, but he never did. I now trust him completely with my birds.

ETA: Here they are, all waiting for their afternoon snack. Sammy likes mealworms so he is as eager as the hens.

 

[addctd2plnts]

The first thing you need to do is teach the dog the "Leave It!" command. Make sure it understands that command very well with even high value treats on the ground and it will leave them. Then you can begin training it with chickens. You can repeatedly walk by leashed, use the "Leave it" command and reward for them showing no response. Never let them even look at the chickens. Once they can reliably follow the command you can test whether they understand by walking a bit slower with them leashed, and eventually tying them so they can see the chickens. Always reward for them ignoring the chickens. Poodles are smart enough, you may be able to overcome their prey drive. I'd only use the shock collar as a last resort and only with a trainer who knows how to use them because most people have the wrong timing. The timing needs to be when the dog looks at the chickens, not when it actively is trying to kill them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

To me I'm not comfortable until I see how they react when the chickens run away. Running away seems to trigger their prey drive. If they can pass that test they are probably OK.

 

[McChooky]

Thank you all for the responses! I've learend a lot the past few weeks, and after reading all your input and consulting a dog trainer, we have made adjustments and have a plan of action.
The dogs are not allowed out in the yard with the chickens out, except for the tiny dog who's smaller than the chickens and afraid of them. I've started really working with the poodle on a firm 'leave it', while letting him around the coop. He's not been allowed to get over excited near the coop and at the first hint of too much interest or undesierable behavior he's removed. I will inlist the eCollar later to inforce 'leave it' as needed, but we're no where near that yet and may never be.
I've started working him on leash in the back yard around the chickens to help him learn to focus on me and ignore them.
Once his interest slacks and his recall inproves and he shows solid reliability on 'leave it', I'll start tethering him while they're out and me close by, or work him on leash with them out.
We've also started going on longer walks and hikes - half the problem is his energy level.
He may never be reliable enough to be off lead around the chickens, and that's ok.

I have a wire fencing with a couple strands around it but you can use electric poultry netting. It may take years to train all your dog(s) but having obedient dogs is rewarding.Good luck!

 

[McChooky]

I use clickers to train all my pets. Even the hens can be trained if rewarded with treats

 

[Mo_fawaazzz]

This Saturday will make two weeks I've had my 4 adult chickens. They are used to dogs, but my dogs are not used to chickens.
Especially the standard poodle, who is extremely excited about them and rushes to the coop every time the chickens move too fast. I don't think he's being aggressive, but rather seeing them like large squeaky toys.
I started off with him leashed, progressivly closer to the coop until he could get a good look and smell, and he's now off leash and able to be called away from the coop without too much trouble, but I still don't trust him at ALL.
The chickens will be allowed to free range this weekend for the first time, now that they are settled.
What's the best way to train the dog to leave them alone?
He will NOT be outside unattended with them at any point ever, but I also don't want to leash him in the fenced back yard indefinatly.
I have an eCollar that I've largely never used, but not sure if that's going to be the route to take or not.

I would say that it depends on the breed and personality of the dog. If you want your livestock to get used to dogs and cats then introduce the babies to them. Keep the babies in a closed fish tank or cage with small bars and leave your dog alone in a room with them. The curiosity of both the baby chicks and the dog might allow them to establish a friendship.


Idk because this works with barn cats, but its definitely a risk. If you want the best bond then introduce the kittens and puppies to middle-aged birds.

 

[Carlyb22]

I got really lucky and all 3 of my dogs are super great with the chickens. They all share the yard and get along wonderfully. I will say though my dogs are pretty well trained and we introduced them all slowly.

My Cavalier thinks she’s one of the chickens and they LOVE hanging around her. I don’t know if they think she’s also a chicken or what but they will follow her all around the yard and she forages eats grass with them

I would take it slow, make sure your dog knows leave it, has an emergency down/stay command and work on being calm around them. Poodles are super trainable and smart luckily.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I got really lucky and all 3 of my dogs are super great with the chickens. They all share the yard and get along wonderfully. I will say though my dogs are pretty well trained and we introduced them all slowly.

My Cavalier thinks she’s one of the chickens and they LOVE hanging around her. I don’t know if they think she’s also a chicken or what but they will follow her all around the yard and she forages eats grass with them

I would take it slow, make sure your dog knows leave it, has an emergency down/stay command and work on being calm around them. Poodles are super trainable and smart luckily.

Perfect, one big happy family!

 

[Manson The Rooster]

You have a lot of advice already, I would just add I introduced my own dogs to chickens and one in particular has a very high prey drive. He will chase and bark at anything that moves and kill anything slow enough, which has included pigeons and other birds over the years. But he's perfect with the chickens and also disciplined my other dog if he ever tried to chase one. So don't give up, if you have a good bond with your dog it should be pretty easy. My only issue is aggression going the other way recently.