Collie x spaniel as livestock guardian?

[rockethoe]

Can I train my collie x spaniel for livestock protection?

She is very good with the hens, and just coming a year old. She has good obedience. She definitely has a nose for the fox, our only predator here. As I wrote she is gone chasing one from the property. My only challenge is to get her to stay with the hens. How do I train her to stay around them?

currently the last few days I have her tied near them as we have heavy pressure right now. Obviously this is far from ideal and can't continue as a permanent measure.

Obviously she will never bond with the hens in the same way that an lgd will, but so long as she stays around them, that's good enough.

 

[Penpal]

Neither breed is a good watchdog or guard dog.

A collie will generally stay around the homestead, not necessarily within two feet of the front door. Collies herd and if she was more collie like you would find your dog herding the chickens.

Spaniels hunt. It's why she chases the fox. I don't think she will wish to stay around them, they aren't interesting enough. If you had them all fenced in together the presence of the dog would probably deter most predators.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I spent my adult years training, competing with, and eventually teaching others to compete with their own dogs in a well-known dog sport. My chosen breed was not one expected to be competitive with top dog athletes including border collies, and yet we excelled. For that reason I never discriminated against any breed when handlers attended my classes, instead evaluating each individual dog on its own merits.

My first dog was a stray cattle dog mix, and she was the best chicken guardian I will ever have. She made it her special mission in life to guard and protect "her mama's chickens" and I have no doubt she would have defended them with her life if necessary, even though I wouldn't have wanted her to.
This chicken was safe while she took her dust bath.

And this chicken was safe while she hunted for bugs.

I agree with @Penpal that your best solution is good fencing. This won't keep climbing and digging predators out, but it will keep your dog in, and also allow her the chance to repel (and if needbe kill) any predators that breech the fence. Your dog (still a puppy actually) is doing what comes naturally by chasing wildlife intruders away, but fencing will allow her to understand and establish her boundary perimeters. Also, foxes are notorious for tag-teaming a single dog, with one luring the dog on a chase while the second rushes in and grabs a chicken. Fencing will make that very difficult for foxes to accomplish. With time and training all my flock guardian dogs have learned to stay in close proximity to the chickens, but good fencing to help them understand their boundaries is a great aid.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

You could definitely train her!
Any dog can learn to be and guard chickens.
My familys female golden retriever loves to watch and be around the chickens. I would put my trust completely in her to stay with them. Although she wouldnt defend them from predators.
My male golden would rather chase and eat them, but he is all hunt driven.

Fences are a great way to start

 

[cassie]

Probably not. Collies are herders, not guards and spaniels are bird dogs.