corgis and chickens.

ShrekDawg

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Jan 18, 2008
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we're looking to get 2 puppies in the fall. we currently have a 12 yr old neutered male Yellow Lab and a 7 yr old neutered male cat. we're thinking maybe corgis or something like that. we don't have chickens yet but hope to get some soon. i am 14 yrs old and i have 2 bros, one older and one younger. my older bro is 17 yrs old and my younger bro is 12 yrs old. any help? ideas, suggestions, anything? questions, comments, concerns? thanks.
 
They're a herding breed, and one that was developed to "nip" at cattle...so at first blush, I'd think it's not a match made in heaven. BUT, I wouldn't let that keep you from having the kind of dog you want. Corgis are wonderful dogs. I just wouldn't ever leave them unsupervised with my birds. But then, I feel that way about any dogs.
 
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Start the corgi with the chicks when they are young, and they will be hers to protect, I have never had a problem with mine, but if yours will be a puppy(as you should with all dogs) I would not leave it with chick(ens) unsupervised till your sure about how it will react to chickens.
 
thanks for your help guys. i probably won't leave the chickens alone with the dogs anyway, except maybe to go to school but then the dogs would probably be inside during school anyway. maybe my lab can keep them in line, although he's a lab and they're bird dogs, plus he's never ever seen chickens before only cats and parakeets, which he wasn't supposed to know about them. he kinda came upstairs after detecting them one day and broke in. ooopppps. thanks guys.
 
My grandparents (who live next door and share the yard with us) have a little corgi. He's about 5 yrs old now. I've never had any trouble getting him to leave the chickens alone. In fact he's a little afraid of them. I believe any well trained dog can live near chickens. I've trained 1 lab/border collie, 1 Lasa Apso, 1 teacup poodle, 1 poodle mix, and my neighbors mutt. Make sure they know that chasing the chicks is wrong and just like all puppies they'll be begging to get back in your good graces.
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I don't recommend getting 2 dogs at one time. It can cause problems with them bonding with you, and I can't imagine trying to train 2 at once. People always think they will keep each other company, but what usually happens is they get into trouble more often, and they don't get the individual training and attention they need to be properly socialized. A dog should be fully raised before adding another in my opinion. I'm sure others though have raised 2 at once successfully.

I don't have a corgi, they are on my wanted list. I do have Australian shepherds, and have had a border collie. I would assume corgis are similar to Australian shepherds. Mine totally ignore poultry unless they are asked to herd them by me.
 
it's called littermate syndrome. It can be done successfully, to the full benefit of the dogs, but it requires keeping them almost entirely separated until you are done - only short play periods a couple times a day.
All training, exercise, etc should be done separately until they are older. Then, you are going to be doing everything 3 times - once with each puppy separately and then practicing with both dogs in the same room (one confined and one free and working with you). A fourth time if the dogs have had a bit of experience working in the same room so that they learn to obey you and ignore each other with both dogs free.

What a "pet person" views as raising two dogs at the same time successfully is often very different than what a "dog person" would view as successful though.

Also, 2 or more dogs together will often react to chickens very differently than either dog does alone. So, even if you have an older dog that has never been a problem around livestock, that can change when you add another dog to the mix.
 

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