can you train a dog to not hurt your chickens?

[Gingersnap722]

I think a couple of people have touched on something here that is something I'd consider first. If a child plays with a dog with a squeaky toy, it is very possible that the chick, especially if it was cheeping, was perceived as a squeaky toy and the dog wasn't actually out to kill the chick. Once it had the fuzziness or feathers of the chick in its mouth, it may have wondered "what the heck?" and shaken its head, thus flinging the chick. Or not. I wasn't there and didn't see. But, you cannot correct a dog for something it doesn't know it did. It has to understand first. It has to be taught that the chick is a living thing and not a toy -- IF the toy idea is what the problem is. When my kids were toddlers, they'd have their toys all over the living room. Toddler toys and dog toys are sometimes very similar. At the same time, the dogs would have their toys all over the floor, too. I successfully taught (within just a day or so) the dogs that the kids' toys were off limits.

My point is that, if the dog thought the chick was a toy, and if the dog usually plays with squeaky toys (or any toy) with a child, it hasn't done anything wrong. It has to be taught the difference. If it still grabs a chick and flings it after it has been given ample time, exposure and teaching, THEN it needs to be corrected.

Another thought that came to mind almost immediately is that dogs that are bred to hunt have a very high drive to do just that and even to kill. A cheeping chick is very likely to incite a dog that is meant to hunt, to follow its instinct and drive. It can be trained not to follow the instinct and drive, fortunately. It is no coincidence that squealing, running kids are often chased and even bitten by dogs. That behavior is often perceived as distressed prey by a dog. So, too, a cheeping chick or one that it flapping its wing(s).

There are a lot of good answers and ideas in this discussion. To me, it doesn't sound like dog was trying to be dominant.

It has occurred to me that by the time this thread settles down, the chicks won't be chicks anymore.

Very, very good points, thanks for your input.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I don't believe that dogs possess the brain neurons to see a squeaky toy as a chick or vice versa. I only see dogs acting like dogs especially if the dog has a lot of terrier or hunting blood in his or her DNA. I have had farm dogs & barn cats act in just as aggressive manner to young chicks, to the point of snatching them from human hands and making a beeline for the tall timber with the unfortunate chick still in the K9s or felines' mouth. These dogs and cats had never even seen a squeaky toy. I certainly expect the same reaction to a young and helpless chick, whether you have an American Alligator, a Burmese Python, or a French Poodle for a pet.

 

[bird-brain]

It never ceases to amaze me WHAT a dog will teach itself. My rough collie came here as a 1-2 year old 35 POUND starving animal. I don't know why she was roaming around starved or what broke her hip or how she ended up on my property in that condition. She may have had prior herding training or she may the best instinct I have seen or heard of in that breed in 20 years. She designed the birds ranging area herself so she can see the horses, the rabbit enclosure and the birds from a single area that allows her, sun or shade or cover from rain. Brilliant dog.

My dogs will chase every cat that doesn't live here, every dog that doesn't live here and anything else that doesn't live here until I SAY not to. They allow deer to graze a certain spot and one doe will retreat from coyotes into the apple orchard and bleat to call her herd because the dogs defend against the yotes. It's crazy.

On the flip side, wild turkey's are fair game to them. My pit mix rescue is the only dog that will run through the radio fence to chase and has only done it when bear get to close for comfort. Then the silly thing will sit at the perimeter and howl for me to let him back in once the bear has run what HE thinks is a safe distance because no way he's getting hit by that fence again. He has snatched hawks out of the air twice for flying low near my chicks. And lays down to nap in the sun with the horses.

My shepherds never do anything wrong. They were well trained young, and understand what I require often before I tell them.

It will always amaze me the difference from one breed to another and one dog to another how they reason and solve problems. In the end, I do agree that it comes down to respect and boundaries and teaching your dogs that your herds and flocks are an extension of you and of their home. Once that is established, they should without fail treat it in accordance with the respect they have for you.

 

[aunt sissy]

So glad I am not the only one with this issue. My have two labs that are both hunting dogs, the first night the girls were out in their coop we learned it wasn't as secure as we thought. Our youngest killed one of our girls but there was no blood so I'm assuming she gave it a heart attach. Coop is fixed but I'm still a little nervous about it

 

[EeyoreD]

I agree with a lot of what's been said here.

In my experience it depends on the dog AND the birds. My border collie mix knows what is "friend" and "not friend". She's great with the chickens and ducks and turkeys (though the turkeys tend to hide from her which makes her more curious and them more nervous). She might try to play and chase them but I'm pretty sure she'd never actually hurt them.

And now we get to the "both sides" bit. She knows that the geese are "friend" but the problem is the dang geese don't act like "friend". When they ignore her all is well but sometimes they'll attack her. She will actually go into submissive mode for a long while but if the geese keep it up or hurt her... she will retaliate. She's never really hurt them but probably only because I was on top of it.

I trust her implicitly with the chickens and ducks. I'm wary of her with the turkeys. I don't trust her with the geese, not because I don't trust her but because I don't trust THEM. I love my geese but let's face it, geese are absolute jerks.

 

[ShockValue]

I know this is an old thread, but it's been weighing heavy on my mind for the last few months.

Here is our dog that ate the baby chicks. For the last week we've been bringing him down near the coop on a leash. He seemed OK, but I was still worried after his past history.

Today our 3 year old let him out of the house. He B-Lined for the chicken coop, but after he got there he saw the chickens, took a sniff around, and went back to his usual routine of looking for deer poop to roll in (we HATES this!)

So, with some serious supervision, he hung out all day with the chickens. They were wary of him at first, but after a while stopped caring. He was almost obvlivious to them, although the little "snacks" that they left behind were very interesting (GROSS!)



He still won't get free-range to hang out with his snack-makers for quite a while, but I was very happy to see he wasn't immidiatly aggressive.

 

[GOLDENSEABRIGHT]

its hard to but It can be don

 

[GOLDENSEABRIGHT]

one

 

[GOLDENSEABRIGHT]

fone

 

[GOLDENSEABRIGHT]

done!