Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Beekissed]

Here's a Cesar Milan episode that may help you.... http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/gorillavid.php?id=7m9pmkl17wcx

I'd search out his episodes that deal with obsessive behavior...he has some astounding techniques for these kind of dogs and they really work. I have a Lab/BC mix that gets quivering excitement over some things but he can be corrected and redirected with these methods with ease now...it just takes practice, practice, practice. With Jake, after all these years of being trained to respond to my wishes, it no longer takes practice. About 2 times and he's got it from there on out.

If you think the dog is worth putting in the time to train it, then I'd train it...then make a decision about the dog's ability to respond to the training.

Or..you could concentrate your efforts on breeds or dogs that are more easily trained and will be a better use of your time.

I've always wondered about how folks choose to take on a dog. To me it seems that most folks are very random and motivated by emotion and not so much common sense about the potential of the animal fitting into your lifestyle. Am I wrong in thinking that?

 

[smyers32]

Here's a Cesar Milan episode that may help you.... http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/gorillavid.php?id=7m9pmkl17wcx

I'd search out his episodes that deal with obsessive behavior...he has some astounding techniques for these kind of dogs and they really work. I have a Lab/BC mix that gets quivering excitement over some things but he can be corrected and redirected with these methods with ease now...it just takes practice, practice, practice. With Jake, after all these years of being trained to respond to my wishes, it no longer takes practice. About 2 times and he's got it from there on out.

If you think the dog is worth putting in the time to train it, then I'd train it...then make a decision about the dog's ability to respond to the training.

Or..you could concentrate your efforts on breeds or dogs that are more easily trained and will be a better use of your time.

I've always wondered about how folks choose to take on a dog. To me it seems that most folks are very random and motivated by emotion and not so much common sense about the potential of the animal fitting into your lifestyle. Am I wrong in thinking that?

Funny you mention Cesar Milan, I was actually reading his articles on obsessive behavior before we started this convo. I remember seeing him work with a severely ball-obsessed dog at one time, but I don't remember how he handled it.
I think you're probably right about people not putting practical thought into their choice in dogs. I wanted to buy a pit puppy about 12 years ago, but I was living with my mom at the time and she said no, so I got my dobergirl instead. I'll have to say, if it wasn't for DH loving pits so much I would've gotten another dobie. But I have always kinda wanted a pit bull, as I've been good friends with 2 different breeders and have known multiple people that have one or two as pets. I've only ever met one that I didn't like, and that was actually a mix breed. My pit is the first dog that I've ever not raised from weaning. She was about 6 months old when we got her and she was found running stray with a harness embedded all the way around her girth, so obviously not from a responsible home. I have a feeling she would be a very different dog if we had gotten her at 2-3 months instead of 6. No amount of training would make me trust her as an LGD, but that's not what I got her for and she's not physically suited for living out in bad weather anyway. We have gone back and forth on trying to find her another home, but at this point we feel like it would just be pawning our problem off on someone else. I really want to commit to putting some time into training her. I think it would make her happier as well, to be more well adjusted and less crazy. We really do love her, and I do think she has potential to be a great family/companion dog, she's very smart.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
So, what DID you get her for and how does that fit into your life with small livestock? How difficult is it to live with dogs that cannot be trusted around your chickens? Was the need for the dog so intense that this problem could be easily overlooked or worked around? Just trying to get a grasp on the mindset of folks who get animals that aren't necessarily consistent with their lifestyles....

Inquiring minds wanna know!

 

[smyers32]

Fair question! I got the dog before I got the chickens. We got the dog to be a companion animal and kind of as a pre-emptive replacement for the doberman who is really getting up there in years. I like to get my next dog before the old one kicks the bucket, I think a good old dog is the best teacher for a younger one. And I trust her around the chickens as long as I'm nearby to kinda keep tabs on her and them, so far so good. But I wouldn't leave her out unattended anyway, on the off chance she should leave the farm and kill someone's cat or something...I don't want to perpetuate the breed's bad rap. I think it's very important for pit bull owners to be THE most responsible dog owners there are. Unfortunately, the opposite is more often true, and the dogs suffer for it.

 

[TeriO]

I tried to post but system shut down on me so I will attempt once again. First of all I wanted to thank all of you that posted on this thread. The information is invaluable to someone new to chickens. A little background. I have always wanted to raise chickens but never had the time until I got laid off of my job of 20 plus years. Yes I live in suburbia but do have a 1/2 acre for them to roam. I don't like to do anything unless I am armed with the correct information to get the job done. So before I got chicks I found this site and more importantly this thread and read, and read, and read some more. I got everything before I got the chicks, supplies, coop etc.

I then ordered up 4 Buff Orpington chicks and received them at 2 days old. They are now 7 months old and healthy as can be. I use the deep litter method, have Braggs ACV in their water, 16% layer feed, give them pumpkin, BOSS and melons in the summer, also free choice oyster shell. I read that sometimes you get lucky with your chickens and maybe I did, but really think I was lucky to find this thread and you all. (I have followed the Gnarly bunch and it is awesome).

Anyway my chickens started laying at 23 weeks, averaging 4 eggs a day most days, eggs have always been hard shelled from the get go. They forage from sun up to sun down everyday and are locked in coop at night. They range on grass and sandy soil. No wormers, no antibiotics, no poopy butt, no snootty nose, no bickering just happy healthy chickens that run all day long. They all come when I call and are just a joy to watch.

I am so glad I found you. From some of the other threads I thought I might be in for a nightmare with the HELP posts. And none of them wear clothes, diapers or come in my house. Thanks from sunny CA.
ReplyQuote Multi
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/posts/add/threadId/723743/editorType/basic

 

[Beekissed]

Welcome to the forum and to the thread!

So glad you could join us and got some use out of our dusty ol' information.

 

[al6517]

Mornin', Al!

Almost killed a dog in your honor this morning but he ran too fast when I opened the back door....will have to skinny open a window on the low low the next time he shows up to get in a good shot on him. If I see him again, he'll die. The gun is loaded and waiting by the back door, a bullet with the word "stray" right on the rim is in the chamber and sweatin' to get OUT.

Almost............ almost!!!!!!............. just a hint here mind you Bee, but erase the word stray on the bullet and scribe the letters al6517 on the rim. swab yer tongue on your thumb and rub it across the front sight, just before you let out a breath squint one eye and squeeze the trigger, and dust his A33 and send him head over heals into the dirt nap pile. Then send Ole Al a pic and I will smile a big Ole grin.

The dog's that got my birds have been out and about lately, saw them chasing calfs this morning on the way into town, I have pulled the plug out of the Remington 10 gauge automatic goose gun to hold 5 shells of 3&1/2" buckshot hot loads I loaded myself last week, that when shot will dislocate a champion MMA fighters shoulder. It's in the rack in my truck and I got an eye peeled, I will shoot every one of the five of them and then hang them on the owners T-post's by the jowl's like we do catfish right in his front yard. This is War I tell ya and he has no idea what rain is about to fall upon his world and those pot lickers he calls dog's LOL. Yeah it's on.

 

[Beekissed]

Fair question! I got the dog before I got the chickens. We got the dog to be a companion animal and kind of as a pre-emptive replacement for the doberman who is really getting up there in years. I like to get my next dog before the old one kicks the bucket, I think a good old dog is the best teacher for a younger one. And I trust her around the chickens as long as I'm nearby to kinda keep tabs on her and them, so far so good. But I wouldn't leave her out unattended anyway, on the off chance she should leave the farm and kill someone's cat or something...I don't want to perpetuate the breed's bad rap. I think it's very important for pit bull owners to be THE most responsible dog owners there are. Unfortunately, the opposite is more often true, and the dogs suffer for it.

They are rather known for killing cats, aren't they? I don't think I've ever known many dogs that kill cats before hearing of my sister's pit bulls and my other sister's Doxies, who would not only kill them, but would eat them as well. So, why don't folks contain these pitties in an electric system if they are known for leaving the property? I've often wondered that.

 

[Beekissed]

Almost............ almost!!!!!!............. just a hint here mind you Bee, but erase the word stray on the bullet and scribe the letters al6517 on the rim. swab yer tongue on your thumb and rub it across the front sight, just before you let out a breath squint one eye and squeeze the trigger, and dust his A33 and send him head over heals into the dirt nap pile. Then send Ole Al a pic and I will smile a big Ole grin.

The dog's that got my birds have been out and about lately, saw them chasing calfs this morning on the way into town, I have pulled the plug out of the Remington 10 gauge automatic goose gun to hold 5 shells of 3&1/2" buckshot hot loads I loaded myself last week, that when shot will dislocate a champion MMA fighters shoulder. It's in the rack in my truck and I got an eye peeled, I will shoot every one of the five of them and then hang them on the owners T-post's by the jowl's like we do catfish right in his front yard. This is War I tell ya and he has no idea what rain is about to fall upon his world and thos pot licker he calls dog's LOL. Yeah it's on.

I LOVE it when you get yer mad on, Al!

The world is sadly lacking in men with resolve and nerve enough to act on their convictions. Nothing makes me madder than folks who abuse their neighbors by letting their dogs rampage across the land. Those people deserve public flogging using their own dead dogs as the whipping tool. Makes ya wanna beat their heads against the wall until the dumb leaks out....

 

[smyers32]

They are rather known for killing cats, aren't they? I don't think I've ever known many dogs that kill cats before hearing of my sister's pit bulls and my other sister's Doxies, who would not only kill them, but would eat them as well. So, why don't folks contain these pitties in an electric system if they are known for leaving the property? I've often wondered that.

My dobie has killed a couple stray cats (funny, she knows to respect the barn cat and any house cats when we visit people...won't even look at them) she's killed a few rabbits, tons of moles, squirrels and a ground hog. I've known lots of dogs that kill cats. Dogs are dogs, and individuals differ within breeds. I've been around more pit bulls than any other single breed. I've been bitten by 2 GSDs, a jack russell and a bullmastiff, but never a pit bull. The most dog aggressive dog I've ever known was my friend's chocolate lab, killed a chihuahua in a matter of seconds once and would kill any smaller dog given the chance. We lost some sheep to a chow chow years ago. Why don't folks contain their dogs period?? And a lot of pits may not stay in electric fence, high pain tolerance and all.