Chicken Proofing my dog

[redinator]

Up until today my dog has been great with my chickens, so I don't know what started the problem. She had a chick (9 week old RIR) cornered and was teasing it. I don't know if the chick pecked her, or if it had wandered off from the flock and she saw an opportunity and went after it. As far as I could tell she didn't do it any harm, just scared the crap out of it. Needless to say she got a through telling off, and isn't allowed outside without supervision on leash until I feel I can trust her again.

Any advice?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Personally, I would never trust my dog around chickens (and she's a sweet little bug-eyed Pug). Chickens are just too reactive and skittery (is that a word?), which can trigger a chase response. Also, I see a lot of chickens that seem to think they're tough , and that in itself can get them into trouble with dogs if they're too trusting.

 

[redinator]

Personally, I would never trust my dog around chickens (and she's a sweet little bug-eyed Pug). Chickens are just too reactive and skittery (is that a word?), which can trigger a chase response. Also, I see a lot of chickens that seem to think they're tough , and that in itself can get them into trouble with dogs if they're too trusting.

I hatched and raised to the chicks in the house for two weeks and acclimated them to our dogs. The chickens free range most of the day when I'm home and the dogs have a dog door and come and go all day. I've had chick(en)s in the yard since February and this is the first incident.

Edit: You may be correct about the chick thinking it's tough. This little RIR cockerel is slated to be culled since he pecks me every chance he gets. I'm just waiting until he reaches 12 weeks.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It depends on what motivates your dog. My pug I trusted 100% with my chickens even though he would kill a mouse for me in a heartbeat. My bulldog was never to be trusted around anything small or squeaky because he had a high prey drive. My doodle is a toss-up. She can be trusted with grown hens but that’s about it. I’m not convinced she wouldnt try to herd a pullet and take a bite if she cornered one. But she is very eager to please me so if she thinks I will dismiss her to the house if she sniffs a chicken she will be on her best behavior. That wouldn’t have bothered my bulldog. If your dog is food motivated you can use that to positively reinforce proper behavior around chickens. If she is praise motivated you can praise her for sitting/laying down near the chickens. You can punish bad behavior by immediately and consistently giving a consequence for being too interested in a chicken. For my doodle as soon as she stood up from a stay position and moved to sniff a chicken she was banished inside. Consistently for a few weeks until she figured it out. It will depend on your dog’s individual personality what will work best

 

[thecatumbrella]

I hatched and raised to the chicks in the house for two weeks and acclimated them to our dogs. The chickens free range most of the day when I'm home and the dogs have a dog door and come and go all day. I've had chick(en)s in the yard since February and this is the first incident.

What breed of dog(s)?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I do let my doodle out alone with the chickens and haven’t had an incident like you’re describing. But I reinforce good behavior regularly when I am out with her

 

[redinator]

What breed of dog(s)?

Huskey/chihuahua and the other is a Maltese mix

 

[thecatumbrella]

Huskey/chihuahua and the other is a Maltese mix

Do your dogs know "Leave it!"?

I'd supervise and squash any interest the dogs show towards the chickens. You want them to think twice before they even go in for a sniff. Aside from that, I wouldn't consider leaving them unsupervised until the young ones are at least 16-20 weeks. Get them close to full size and at point of lay. They'll have a lot more attitude and will hopefully get the dogs to back off should it come to it.

 

[redinator]

It depends on what motivates your dog. My pug I trusted 100% with my chickens even though he would kill a mouse for me in a heartbeat. My bulldog was never to be trusted around anything small or squeaky because he had a high prey drive. My doodle is a toss-up. She can be trusted with grown hens but that’s about it. I’m not convinced she wouldnt try to herd a pullet and take a bite if she cornered one. But she is very eager to please me so if she thinks I will dismiss her to the house if she sniffs a chicken she will be on her best behavior. That wouldn’t have bothered my bulldog. If your dog is food motivated you can use that to positively reinforce proper behavior around chickens. If she is praise motivated you can praise her for sitting/laying down near the chickens. You can punish bad behavior by immediately and consistently giving a consequence for being too interested in a chicken. For my doodle as soon as she stood up from a stay position and moved to sniff a chicken she was banished inside. Consistently for a few weeks until she figured it out. It will depend on your dog’s individual personality what will work best

She is very food and praise motivated. She's currently sulking in her bed because I rarely have to give her a harsh correction. I believe in ignoring bad behaviors and rewarding the good behaviors, unless it's something serious, like going after a chicken, jumping on children, etc.

 

[redinator]

Do your dogs know "Leave it!"?

I'd supervise and squash any interest the dogs show towards the chickens. You want them to think twice before they even go in for a sniff. Aside from that, I wouldn't consider leaving them unsupervised until the young ones are at least 16-20 weeks. Get them close to full size and at point of lay. They'll have a lot more attitude and will hopefully get the dogs to back off should it come to it.

Yes they both do.