can you train a dog to not hurt your chickens?

[ccabal]

thanks for all the replies. I'll need to give these suggestions a try.

 

[mamabear72]

This is such an interesting thread! We have two dachshunds that are polar opposites when it comes to our chicks. One wants to eat them, she seriously reminds us of the weasel in the Looney Tune cartoon. She gets a glazed look in her eye, shakes and practically salivates. Then theres our other dachshund, we cannot keep her out of the the chicks brooder (its in our family room now) she loves the chickens so much that several times she's snuck past us, crawled up onto the arm out the couch and made her way in with the chickies. She's now earned the nickname chicken poop dog. As much as I'd love both doxies to be able to be around the chickens, I don't think we could EVER train our "weasel doxie" to be nice around the chickens, it's in her blood to hunt and she doesn't differentiate between badgers and chickens

in case you don't remember or you're too young to even know what a looney tune is, here's a pic of what I'm referring to hee hee hee

 

[nzpouter]

Not sure this is the right forum for this question.., but I'll ask it here:

I have a 60lb shepherd mix dog. She's older, (about 8yrs old) She looks like a fluffy wolf.  She is a great dog, but I know she is a hunter.  I had seen her catch and kill rats and rabbits that stray into our yard, and always tries to catch the squirrels.  I have never let her around my chickens without any protection.  My hens stay in their coop/run most of the time, and so my dog is quite familiar with them.  But when I let the chickens free-range I always tie her up. Every time she sees them, she licks her chops.
I wonder if its possible to train a dog to protect rather than kill chickens?  Esp. an old dog like this?  Has anyone done it, and can give any tips? I would love to let my chickens free range more, but I worry about them wandering close to the tied-up dog, and getting killed because they got too close.  They seem pretty ignorant to danger, so I am not sure they'd know better than to stay away from her. 

yes you can.... all my dogs hunts any unwanted pests among my ducks and chickens.... give them some credit, they know the difference.

 

[Gingersnap722]

My two German Shepherds are excellent with our chicks and chickens. We've always had them around the chicks, so maybe that's why. They definitely know the difference between the chickens and birds and other animals. They'll chase squirrels, cattle egrets etc., but won't harm the chickens.

Here is Jackie three years ago with one of the chicks from our first little flock.

 

[Alia]

This is such an interesting thread! We have two dachshunds that are polar opposites when it comes to our chicks. One wants to eat them, she seriously reminds us of the weasel in the Looney Tune cartoon. She gets a glazed look in her eye, shakes and practically salivates. Then theres our other dachshund, we cannot keep her out of the the chicks brooder (its in our family room now) she loves the chickens so much that several times she's snuck past us, crawled up onto the arm out the couch and made her way in with the chickies. She's now earned the nickname chicken poop dog. As much as I'd love both doxies to be able to be around the chickens, I don't think we could EVER train our "weasel doxie" to be nice around the chickens, it's in her blood to hunt and she doesn't differentiate between badgers and chickens

in case you don't remember or you're too young to even know what a looney tune is, here's a pic of what I'm referring to hee hee hee

That... Is amazing. What I mean is that it's amazing that you found a hound who is NOT that weasel. You have something special and wonderful. Hundreds upon hundreds of generations went into making that dog a born killer of anything smaller than it that moves, and it isn't.

 

[smarsh]

I think the point is, most dogs can be trained, but I don't know if I would ever trust them, unless they grew up with chickens. The dog I had as a kid let young chickens roost in the dog house with him. He loved eggs, but never broke one; he would bring eggs to me asking me to break it for him, never puncturing the egg himself.

 

[centrarchid]

I have the high prey-drive dogs that both killed chickens during early stages of training. I do not have complete trust until dogs are about two years of age when starting with pups. An older dog will be quicker since you are not dealing with puppy play.

 

[littlekatzz]

I would think a lot of it comes down to the dog itself and it's genetics along with personality. I can take anyone of my five dogs out with my Chickens...if I'm there with them. But I know one if not two of them would help themselves to chicken dinner without thinking twice if they didn't see me around. They know better and might even feel guilty about it they were caught but I don't trust them. My two mini aussies are more interested in exploring the yard and they are used to helping me put the chickens away in the coop. And my 13+ year old Pomeranian is just to old and fat to really have the energy to chase. So again it really comes down to knowing your dogs, their temperament, their prey drive, and always accept that there is a risk.

 

[mamabear72]

The dog I had as a kid let young chickens roost in the dog house with him. He loved eggs, but never broke one; he would bring eggs to me asking me to break it for him, never puncturing the egg himself.

Ahhhh how cute that must have been, him bringing you eggs, what a sweetheart

What kind of dog was he?

 

[smarsh]

he was half cocker spaniel and half border collie, a very sweet dog that loved me very much. Best of buddies, going everywhere together. Most people don't spend as much time with their pets as I did that dog. When I went away to college he died. My dad said of a broken heart.