"Community" dog- potential friend, or definite for?

[SomeChickinTN]

When we moved into this house, the neighbors down the street introduced us to a dog running around, and said their neighbors moved out about 10 years ago and left him, and now he's "everybody's dog". He hasn't bothered us, he just roams the road. Anyway, he's old, and I have no idea what kind he is but he looks like a black lab mixed with another large dog. I've seen him go back down the hill with a critter in his mouth from the field next to my house....Is there a chance he might cut down the predator population for me, or do I just need to make sure he doesn't get my chickens?

ETA: autocorrect sucks. Title supposed to say foe.

 

[centrarchid]

You can work on such a dog to keep it from messing with chickens and still have it running about killing and eating other things. It will function like a pariah dog. You may loose birds before dog gets into groove. I had to train a neighbors dog recently that was a chicken killer. Dog now helps mine deal with coyotes.

 

[aart]

Is there a chance he might cut down the predator population for me, or do I just need to make sure he doesn't get my chickens?

Both.
Does anyone feed him and/or provide shelter?

ETA: autocorrect sucks. Title supposed to say foe.

You should be able to edit the title....or 'report' your first post and ask mod to do it.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Both. A dog that eats things can keep critters out of your garden and away from your chickens. It can also eat your chickens if you don't give it a reason not to.

Hotwire, or maybe a paintball gun or rubber bullets like they use for wild wolves if it gets too close to the birds will go a long way. Leave some sore spots without any real damage. It may be that the dog doesn't want any trouble and may even react to just being yelled at if it gets too close, or a hose or something.

Chances are good, especially because the dog is old, that you can find a way to coexist with this dog.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Both.
Does anyone feed him and/or provide shelter?

As far as I know, most of the neighbors feed him, I'm not sure which one he sleeps at


You should be able to edit the title....or 'report' your first post and ask mod to do it.

 

[MotherOfPeepPeeps]

Do you have any dogs of your own?

 

[PirateGirl]

I have trained my neighbor's dog to stay out of my yard and away from my chickens, so yes, that is possible.

Also this neighbor dog is outdoors nearly all the time and I have seen it try to scare of predators.

Just be wary as this dog you are talking about doesn't belong to anyone directly and may not be up to date on vaccinations.

 

[PirateGirl]

Oh, and I just saw @ChocolateMouse mention a hose, that is exactly what I did. All summer I have the hose running out to the chicken/duck coops and any time the neighbor dog got too close I'd blast it with the hose. Other times I yell at it and clap and wave my arms. Fortunately this was enough to do the trick. Some dogs have a higher prey drive than others though.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Oh, and I just saw @ChocolateMouse mention a hose, that is exactly what I did. All summer I have the hose running out to the chicken/duck coops and any time the neighbor dog got too close I'd blast it with the hose. Other times I yell at it and clap and wave my arms. Fortunately this was enough to do the trick. Some dogs have a higher prey drive than others though.

Yeah, he hasn't been mean to me, but he's definitely not afraid of me. Seems to be very protective of his territory.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Do you have any dogs of your own?

No. I prefer to just pet relatives dogs... some part of me is afraid of them.