Can I rehabilitate my chicken killing puppy?

[drumstick diva]

I'm sorry but I wouldn't call him an "awesome: dog if he insists on killing chickens. Do you want to choose between keeping one or the other? Which is more important to you? If you'd like to have a dog and chickens - I'd get a different dog. It's a horrible way for a chicken to die. First accident is his fault, second one is yours because you know what he will do.

 

[jason_mazzy]

shock collar can sometimes sway the tide. dogs learn best through nagative enforcement. look up the koehler method

 

[gretchenhau]

I changed my dogs ways, I worked at it, took them out out, yeled at them if they headed towards the chickens, I have no problem with both of them now. They look in the coop with me in the am, and go on about their business, and go "scope around the coop in the evening,

All is well,

They did bring me my 8old cochin that had wandered off to far, didn't hurt it, somewhat herded it back, and barked alot in my direction.

 

[ranchhand]

I have a really simple method. I never let the dogs and chickens out at the same time, and there is a very sturdy fence in between, in case someone forgets. My birds have decent size runs and get to range in the afternoons. The dogs get a run around outside then get put in the house while the chickens have their fun.

I have seen a few dogs break the best training ever- hence the saying, "instinct will eventually trump training".

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Quote:
No way............the diff is your dog didn't Kill one of your chickens, she just went for/attempted to go for them, maybe she wasn't even going to kill one. My collie who wouldn't hurt a flea went for my chickens when we first got them and I said NO don't touch and he never has been a threat since, there is a Huge difference. Im sure mine wasn't even going to hurt one anyway, he was excited and didn't know how to react.....When a dog kills and you know it is in their blood so to speak there is no rehabilitating that dog....I don't care what anyone says...that dog if given the chance will do it again and again.....So your Ghost( which sounded like a nice dog) was not a killer, a stern warning and she knew the deal, a dog that has done it will take that warning at that moment and 5 mins/a day/ a week will go on a rampage again

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Quote:
That is exactly what I do and it works just fine....my dog can be out alone as long as those chickens stay in the enclosure

 

[GeoKan]

Greetings FarmerCarl,

I'm sorry for your loss, but I have had first-hand experience with this exact problem, albeit I was much younger at the time. I may be ruffling a few feathers here describing the crude discipline we gave our German Shepherd after catching her killing our birds, but it worked for us.

This method came from my grandfather at the time. He told us to take the dead chicken our dog had killed and punisher her with it. Meaning smacking it in the nose if it went for the dead bird after enticing her with it holding it in front of her. After we had done this a few times during couple of days we hung the dead chicken around its neck. Tight enough that she couldn't bite at it for another day or two. I remember the rank smell it had and I'm unsure what kind of hygienic nightmare this could cause so, take it with a grain of salt.

I know this sounds awful and many of you here would never subscribe to this treatment, but it worked. I was rather traumatized as a child of 10 or 11 seeing this. As a result, our dog "Dusty" never came near a chicken again.

This was back in the late 60s, so I presume this would be classified as cruel and inhumane treatment today. This is why I don't have dogs and chickens together, because I would never want to do this again.

 

[Hhoky]

Just going to chime in a little. First off, pointing blame is unhelpful. Accidents happen, dogs are dogs. Saying emphatically NO the dog cant be trained to behave otherwise is a disservice to the dog and their family. And don't let Cesar Milan here you say that

I believe it comes down to this :
1. how much work are you willing to do?(put up fences, training, purchasing things to help, cost of recouping losses, etc)
2. which is your first priority? (Family pets become family, which is "more" family dog or chicks? hard question to ask, and no one can answer it for you.)
3. can you live with, and still be happy with the choices you make?

I have faith, in all my years of sharing life with all kinds of animals, Ive only had 1 scare me to the point I couldn't/wouldn't work with them. A lovely Sheppard/Chow mix who grew up with my infant son, a huge white bunny and a parakeet, they would lay on the floor in a big pile of fur feathers and skin watching Rugrats

But one day sweet Sara dog was dreaming, jumped up and snapped the bunny up, throttled it and flung blood around the room, then plopped back down and snored. In that case, there was no thought, she was put down. People have told me I was wrong, people have told me I was right, in the end, I did what I felt was best for me and I can live with that.

Co-habitation does work, but not every time! And sadly there is no "Always" or "Never" black and white set of rules, just as you have your own mind to make choices, so do animals. Trust your self, and make the best decision you feel you can. You'll get support either way.

 

[DAFox]

I have a 6 year-old GSD/Lab that is a chicken-killer. She hasn't killed a chicken in 4 years. If she's loose and unsupervised, the chickens are confined. If she is supervised, she has become great around the chickens. Just today, I fed the chickens some boiled eggs. The dog was laying down not 6 feet from the chickens eating. I went about my business 40 to 50 feet away. She did not move.
My 2 year old full GSD is another story. He's still way too interested in the chickens. I have him on a leash when he's with them. He killed one chicken about 2 years ago.
Dale-Ann

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
I agree.

I might still get an electric collar and train the dog or to exert control when you are outside with both, but I would never, ever, ever leave them out alone together again.