Chicken guard dogs

[uncertainty]

The three of us have been going to the coop minimum 3 times a day. The brooder is on a table waist high. Female pup just noticed the chicks a few days ago and is a little too interested in them. The male either doesn't know or doesn't care, he is usually outside, chewing a stick.

 

[Birdydeb]

My advice.... Wait till your pups have matured. That should be at least a year, took 3 for my great pyrenees... Not a quick process eh? Better safe than sorry. If a chick/en decides to flap it's wings and this excites the pups, may be all over for that bird. 

I agree. In the meantime work on commands and teaching them control. Set them up for success by taking it slow and easy. Reward all good behavior that you see between them and the birds but make sure they are under your control and not left alone with the birds. My vet always told me that an excited bird flapping it's wings was just too much enticement sometimes even for the best trained mature dog much less a puppy.

 

[xxRaniz]

We had a Bouvier when we lived up North . He would watch the chickens like a hawk ! Whenever they went to the road he would heard them back into the yard.Back then we had ten acres so fence was not an option.This was all instinct on his part. He even brought a herd on escaped heifers into the yard ! That was a very Happy dairy farmer.Teddy kept them out of the woods where it would have taken weeks to find them.He also kept our pigs on property when they escaped the pig pen.I guess some people done here in Florida use Emu to guard their flocks?

 

[uncertainty]

Many thanks for the good advice. The pups are trying so hard to be good dogs but it is tough when the world is so exciting. We will err on the side of caution and keep the chicks out of harm's way.

 

[Birdydeb]

Many thanks for the good advice.  The pups are trying so hard to be good dogs but it is tough when the world is so exciting.  We will err on the side of caution and keep the chicks out of harm's way.

Good luck and I really mean that. My female Pyrenees as we have discovered over the last two days is not going to be allowed around the chickens until we can work with her. In fact she tried a time or two to dig under. Ugh. Those flapping wings are just too exciting. The male however is doing well though not allowed unsupervised....yet. But he was raised with chickens at his old home and is paying them no attention even when they flap and run. So basically pretty much what I expected.

 

[two j farm]

I have 1 rooster that runs the yard all day with 2 labs I was worried at first but now I think he thinks he is a dog everywhere the dogs go he is right there with them. When they was puppies we would hold the chickens so they could smell them. Just take it slow it can take time. Hope it works out!

 

[uncertainty]

I am not too worried about the male, he is a pretty mellow guy, it is the female with the mischief gene... I couldn't contemplate chickens without dogs as there is a pretty big predator population here, many of whom were getting way too comfortable on the property.

 

[Birdydeb]

I am not too worried about the male, he is a pretty mellow guy, it is the female with the mischief gene... I couldn't contemplate chickens without dogs as there is a pretty big predator population here, many of whom were getting way too comfortable on the property. 

You and I have the very same situation: mellow male, mischievous female. We will get there!

Eta: yeah good deterrents for most predators.

 

[ShannonR]

I have a Pyr cross who does very well guarding the poultry, just show them what you want and your dogs should do it too.