Two weeks ago tomorrow, we adopted a 4 yo doberman rescue. He's a wonderful boy but has certainly been a challenge! Whenever I think I've broken him of chasing chickens, next thing I know, he wants them again!
My training method: every couple hours we walk the property. When he gets into stalking posture I tell him, "higgins, no. We leave the babies alone." Most of the time now that works and he'll break focus and resume walking. When he actually lunges for them, I hold fast on the leash, grab his harness with my other hand and sharply pull him backwards while saying, "higgins, NO! we LEAVE THE BABIES ALONE!" Then I hold him in position until he calms his urges, breaks focus and continues walking. Sometimes this doesn't work, though, and he lunges again, at which point I repeat the correction. If it doesn't look like he'll break focus on his own, I do it with a light tug or nudge and a, "come on, let's go this way. Leave the babies alone." Occasionally I will haul him into the house and make him lie down.
Now, there are times when he'll lay down in the yard with the chickens in full view and can't be bothered by them! Many times he also crosses their paths and simply ignores them. I can sit him down just outside the coop, tell him "stay", and he won't budge until I'm done my duties and tell him he can get up. He also will not hurt a chick when I bring one to sit with us on the couch!
I did find out that the chase instinct is part of the doberman breed. I'm thinking he's probably only chasing them (trying to - I never actually let him) because, as a doberman, he HAS to chase SOMETHING. That being said, I'm thinking we need to give him something else he can chase. Problem is, he doesn't know how to play (we're working on that!) and flat-out refuses to fetch or chase a frisbee or ball. He's already eaten most of the bees so I'm kinda running out of them, too
Can anybody give me some tips? New methods? Other advice? Thanks!
My training method: every couple hours we walk the property. When he gets into stalking posture I tell him, "higgins, no. We leave the babies alone." Most of the time now that works and he'll break focus and resume walking. When he actually lunges for them, I hold fast on the leash, grab his harness with my other hand and sharply pull him backwards while saying, "higgins, NO! we LEAVE THE BABIES ALONE!" Then I hold him in position until he calms his urges, breaks focus and continues walking. Sometimes this doesn't work, though, and he lunges again, at which point I repeat the correction. If it doesn't look like he'll break focus on his own, I do it with a light tug or nudge and a, "come on, let's go this way. Leave the babies alone." Occasionally I will haul him into the house and make him lie down.
Now, there are times when he'll lay down in the yard with the chickens in full view and can't be bothered by them! Many times he also crosses their paths and simply ignores them. I can sit him down just outside the coop, tell him "stay", and he won't budge until I'm done my duties and tell him he can get up. He also will not hurt a chick when I bring one to sit with us on the couch!
I did find out that the chase instinct is part of the doberman breed. I'm thinking he's probably only chasing them (trying to - I never actually let him) because, as a doberman, he HAS to chase SOMETHING. That being said, I'm thinking we need to give him something else he can chase. Problem is, he doesn't know how to play (we're working on that!) and flat-out refuses to fetch or chase a frisbee or ball. He's already eaten most of the bees so I'm kinda running out of them, too
Can anybody give me some tips? New methods? Other advice? Thanks!
I didn't know about them being illegal in some areas...i'll have to keep that in mind and check into ordinances. Chasing cars is pretty dangerous.....Good luck with him!!!!
) but then, they had some ENORMOUS pigs that were much more fun to bother! I don't happen to have any pigs, though, lol!
