D**n dog! VENT

[Okie Amazon]

I would get a long line (those small clothes lines are perfect) and have that on him whenever you go out. If he heads for a chicken, give a correction (a jerk on the line) and tell him "leave it" or "No" or whatever you want to use as a command. When his attention gets back on you, praise, treat and reward. A few sessions of that and he'll be good. I wouldn't push it on the freedom though. Better to keep going with the line for a while than to have to start all over because he gets freedom too quickly and goes for a chicken again.

 

[nicokl502]

i have a dog that does the same thing it makes you so mad but he is small and would go into to the coop so i had to put up a electric fence and now he doesn't care about them, but i did have a 13 yr old golden retriever that i had to put down last weekend it was so sad, he was a pain when he was younger but as he got older he was the best dog ever he loved the chickens and would never hurt them they were best buddies so just wait and when he gets older he wont care about them. for now what i do with my other dog when i have the chicken out to free rang i tie him up and ever time he tries to go for them i go and tell him off over time they get that the chickens are not something to go after, odd thing with my dog is that when/if the chickens are inside he will go right up to them and does nothing he kinda of freak out of them and runs away but outside he crazy and want to just run after them. it will take time but in the end he will get golden are great dogs but as puppy they just don't know yet its so hard and makes you so made i know ( i have a little gal that hasn't lay a egg in a month after the dog got to her she didn't get hurt but now there no eggs will you let me know if that happen to you too ?)

 

[Firefighter Chick]

I have a year old yellow lab mix. Today I had her out with my three year old boy and had about 13 of our BO's free ranging while I watched. I had a shock collar on her (the kind that you can either shock or just do an audible beep alert) primarily because she likes to chase the cows and can get underfoot. I sat there with her and she tried to mouth a couple of the chickens and i sent a beep sound and she quickly stopped. I know many people don't like the idea of shock collars but if there's a danger i use one and it's a great tool if it's not abused. I think my dog is going to be a good chicken guardian. She let the chickens walk on her, walk past her, and she even made sure they didn't walk to far away and herded them back closer. Good luck with your dog and don't be to hard on yourself, it's easy to get mad at pups like that. i'm glad everything turned out fine. now sit back and enjoy the day.

 

[AuroraSprings]

Poor Chickens! Glad it was a soft-mouthed Golden and not a crazy Siberian Husky like ours. She (after a $6,000 back surgery) tore a hole in the fence then snatched and ripped up 11 show quality Runner ducks, 2 young mallards, and an Ancona duck. Our Pit Bull watched in horror, he knew we'd be LIVID. He was already belly up whinning when we finally made it out to them.

 

[FiveAcres]

Another reason that it is better to vent here than to take it out on your loving dog.... Looking back with some time passed allows for clearer thoughts to occur....

 

[bryan99705]

Bird Dog! Retrevier!

Electric fence

 

[Moochie]

When he was a wee puppy did you let him sleep with the chickens?

I have a labrador pit mix, with the pit you would think a killer, no? At 5 weeks I let him stay with the chickens. I let him live with them, only scolded him a few times for going after younger chickens. He learned to stay away from broodies lol.

He also doesn't enjoy the hens pecking his nose. And a young roo pecked his eye when he was laying down. They kinda learn themselves.