Can border collies live with silkies and silkie chicks?

[pardygwyn]

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^^ This. A breed only increases your chances of getting a certain type of dog, it doesn't ensure it. There are papered border collies down the highway from me who could pass as English Shepherds with their upright herding and guardian instinct. I've also rescued a rough collie who could pass for a badly bred Lab puppy, behaviorally. :x My main suggestions: look for a mellow, submissive dog and bring him or her home when you have at least four days off so you can be there to watch and discourage behaviors like chicken chasing. If there isn't progress by the end of your time off, well... might want to spend the last day putting up some fencing for the chickens. If you're not going to be home all the time to train your dog, it's up to you to keep your birds safe when you're gone.

 

[SillyChicken]

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Thats a good CC you got then! I don't think you can beat them for a guard dog.. but I'm totally bias!

 

[RiverOtter]

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Bwaha bwahahahaha

Snort, sigh. Ok, I'm ok now.
Darling, if you want protection from burglers, why are you wanting a Border Collie?
It's kind of like saying, "Hey, I need eggs for breakfast, I think I'll get an African Gray parrot because they're pretty and smart" and then arguing that African Gray parrots are clearly capable of laying eggs when someone points out it's not the best choice.

Please don't get me wrong - if you could see my Deacon pup you'd know how much I LUV me a Border Collie, but ...guard dogs they are not. Eventually he will learn to go after a coon that is after my birds, and in another couple of years of training he'll learn it really is his job to bark once when a car pulls in the drive, but not to alert me to every car, everywhere, everytime.

But to think he would actually be protection against burglers? Pbbf, pbbff

Ahem, sorry. What I mean is as a breed, BCs are not known for being "guard against unsavory human" kind of dogs.

About the chicken question. They are a herding breed. The Sun rises in the East and Things in motion are to have that motion directed. If I plan on bringing a BC home, I plan on losing at least one bird before that instinct can be clearly, properly channeled. With the best of intentions, a pro trainer and the dog on a lead, I still figure I'll lose at least one to the training process as the dog learns that "gripping", charging and body blocking are not for poultry.

Since you are looking to adopt an adult dog (kudos to you!!!) I suggest you go in there "breed blind" and find a dog who already acts the way you want it to act.

 

[L0rraine]

We have also just adopted a 5 month old Border Collie, 'Max'. He's already had a few 'bad habits' very successfully modified (i.e., barking and nipping at the grandchildren). But, I seem to be paralyzed with the problem of the chickens and ducks. I'm so in awe of his amazing herding abilities I don't want him to lose them. I've even decided to pay big bucks and take him to herding classes next month.

So ..., I've significantly reduced the 'free-range' time of my 'birds' who normally are outside a good part of the day in the protective custody of my Rough Collie. If I keep the new little guy in, my Collie feels left out and so I've been bringing him in too -- and just like that an eagle had one of my ducks. I've tried supervised 'visitation' with Max and the ducks, but it's heart-stopping. He really dives in quickly and I'm afraid my 'barking' a big 'NO MAX!' at him won't be in time. He will back off a bit, and do the Border Collie lying down, eyeing and circling thing - but it's really hard to maintain things at that level.

I guess I'd been wondering about putting him on a leash in the chicken pen and doing some 'leave it' training, or even bringing one or two of the ducks and chickens into a confined situation where I can better exercise a bit of control. I feel that I should be able to eventually appropriately train him because he's gotten so good with the grandkids and cats, I just don't want to break his little spirit in the process.

Guess I'm just thinking out loud, but any other thoughts and suggestions on this subject would be welcome. Glad I found that someone else had just broached the topic.

 

[ultasol]

HI lorraine! Having a dog who really understand 'leave it' and will obey that order with even high value items (like a treat) has saved birds from my dogs. That said, my dogs are NOT chicken worthy and never will be- but they aren't border collies (they are .5 english bulldog, .25 sheltie, .25 JRT), but they will usually drop something if I say leave it.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

L0rraine Gentle and leave it are fantastic commands for any dog to understand.

Since you want to do herding with the pup, I would contact them today - and state you are enrolled in upcoming classes BUT have fowl now and want to know the correct way to get the pup's attention when around them.

 

[Roy]

I have 2 Border Collies, I trust my dogs with my chickens and also trust them with with the security of my property. My dogs are very trust worthy and follow my every command. If you don't have Border Collies, then you have no real idea what your talking about...

 

[BeccaB00]

Well. I'd get somthing different for a gaurd dog.
I'm not no expert on training (obviously) or with dogs,
but I can tell you right now a border collie would probably
be a bad choice for you. All dogs are different, just some
breeds have a higher chance of being chicken killers.

 

[L0rraine]

Thanks to Roy, Ultasol and Horsefeathers for the encouraging feedback to my post. I've never had a dog quite so eager to learn and to please, and Max actually seems a bit more mellow than some Border Collies I've met. Just had him out on the leash with the ducks, doing a bit of work with 'leave it', (we've got a long way to go though). The mention of teaching the 'gentle' command was a good reminder as well. And, I will contact the herding woman, she's been pretty responsive by email so I'll see what she says.

Note to Ultasol: Where's the March 9 event?, maybe I'll try to find my way there. We've got some beautiful weather here and I've been enjoying doing 'chores' in it.

 

[chena16c]

This may be a little too late but I figured I'd put my 2 cents in anyone, being a border collie owner and whatnot.

As with ANY dog, training from the start is always best for the most well behaved dog. Adopting and older dog is great and with some training problems that are currently around will go away (eventually). My border collie was a puppy when i had chicks, so he was raised around them (I don't think that makes a difference though. He goes after squirrels and he's seen them since he was a pup). He's GREAt with the chickens. In fact he ignores them unless I ask him to help me "herd"them into their coop or to "go find the babies" for the chicks that are hiding in the yard. I'm usually out in the yard when he is, but there are times he's out there with the chickens unsupervised. If we're inside and he hears a chicken squawk in a way they don't usually, he's the first to be on alert and looking into the backyard for whatever is "after" them (though usually it's just them fighting among each other.

As a guard dog? He alerts me when he hears a sound out front that I might not hear at first. But he doesn't go all barking mad. more of a low growl and a "woof". I'm not sure how he would act if someone broke in though. Thank you ADT for keeping me secure!

I ask you, does this look like a chicken killer?