Do you have a dog that's good with chickens? Please share!

[geepy]

Our dogs (pitt hound mixes and mutts) are pretty good with the chickens. Only one of them will chase them. We have six dogs all together. One of them is blind and 13 yrs. old he really don't do alot but lay around.

Now my horse is a different story. I have two hens that limp now because she thinks it is fun to run through the flock and make them run. Bad, bad horse.

 

[happytxchick]

I've heard good things about German Shepherd...plus ohiofarmgirl confirms that in this discussion -- THANKS, I was planning on getting a GS soon.

I also found this website www.lgd.org - this will give you some good ideas, too.

There are two Great Pyrenees down our road who lives with chickens and GPs are mentioned on the website above.

 

[Chickens n' more]

I have a chocolate lab that is WONDERFUL with my chickens! She has been making rounds through my coops with me 3x a day since she was 8 weeks old. Now when I walk outside, she takes me to the coops and looks for eggs! My husbands male black lab and my Papillon are a different story! The black lab has had a few chickens, a goose, and a duck or two for lunch.

And the Papillon, at 4 whooping pounds, just thinks he is tough. Pretty sure any chicken on the place could take him...lol!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

silkiefan - all good points! especially about showing them the chicks - i'd add to make the dog sit or 'down' and hold the chicks above them - dogs understand a physical hierarchy.

you can also search on the command "leave it" or i use "thats mine" and use this in all situations that you have your dog. for instance, give them toys to play with then randomly walk over and say 'thats mine' or "drop it" or "leave it" - take it then walk away. do the same with food - after giving them a bowl of food walk over and take it from them.

DO NOT EVER EVER EVER PLAY TUG OF WAR WITH YOUR DOG EVER

this is not a game to them - its dominance behavior. the dog will learn that you 'own' everything. when you take the toy/food/whatever make sure they dont bounce around or 'test' you to get the toy/food or whatever back. they should not paw at you (say "NO!" sharply) or wag all around or spin in circles or try and muscle you. work your way up to taking the toy/food walk a short distance, put it down and when Mr Woofy bounces up to it - say 'thats mine!" or "leave it!" and make them walk away from whatever it is. make sure whatever you give them they GENTLY take it from you - not snatch it away.

because we have such big dogs - and oh about a million cats - we also maintain 'dog space' in our house - dogs can NOT roam around or get up on the same level we are (in the bed, on the couch). i dont ever wrestle with them, they may not 'mouth' on me or play bite, or push or shove. you should be able to stand over your dog, one foot on each side of him - and he should NOT wiggle around or push you off. the Monks of New Skete have an amazing training exercise where they make all their GSD's 'down stay' in a row - and one of the monks steps over each dog.

dogs also have to sit quietly by the door and not shove ahead of us when we walk out - honestly walking out ahead of them really works! they understand that i set the tone for their behavior.

they need to see you as the boss and they are more than happy to follow the boss. the hard thing - and what i think frustrates a lot of people - is that dogs are 'social climbers.' they are always trying to be the 'top dog' which is why they will act up. you need to be the boss of them every single day, every single moment. that doesnt mean you have to be cruel or harsh...they just need to know that you are the boss. when our dogs have 'ants in their pants' and act up - or dont listen - we exhaust them with exercise, work them more, then exhaust them again. a tired dog is a good dog.

we keep them alert and engaged with new jobs or commands. the best advice i ever got was to move from verbal commands to hand signals - which i use most of the time now. if i could whistle i'd use that as a tool.

know too, that this takes a LOT of work. if your dog naturally is good with livestock - great! but dont every underestimate their prey drive

good luck! and pm me if you need more help with where to find training info

 

[Ferngully]

Very good post ohiofarmgirl.

I can second what she has said.

All of our dogs have been trained using these methods from the day each one came home. The kids were all taught the rules of how to play with and train the dogs as well. It is because of this training we are able to live in a well balanced home with so many with no problems from them, or between them. I think giving a dog a job to do, a purpose, helps keep them physically and mentally stimulated in the positive way. Less destructive behaviors as some breeds can be when bored.

My GSD has been taught hand signals to go with all of her commands as well (can't whistle either), and it is much easier when we are in public for me to tell her to do something without the verbal commands and it isn't always feasable to yell a command from across a room or large area. She learned "focus" which is like "watch me" early so she knows to always have an eye on me for commands that I may give at any time.

We only have a couple who have bed priviledges, but that is part their "job"

These training tips are all very good and with a little work and polishing of them for any dog, they could earn their Canine Good Companion certificate, besides having a well behaved dog that listens makes having chickens so much easier (a bit less stressful).

We always said a tired puppy is a good puppy, lol.

 

[The Wolf Queen]

I have 6 dogs total 4 of which so far are chicken safe (just got 6# so shez a puppy and hasnt seen the flock yet) I have a lab x who guards them a lh chihuahua who is a fraid of anything smaller than him, and 2 chiweenies who just ignore them.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

it is much easier when we are in public for me to tell her to do something without the verbal commands and it isn't always feasable to yell a command from across a room or large area. She learned "focus" which is like "watch me" early so she knows to always have an eye on me for commands that I may give at any time.

amen, ferngully!

i use "look at me" and use a hand signal which is pointing to my eye

this, of course, is all very well and good until i'm in the grocery store with my HUSBAND and i tell him to 'look at me" and "go around" and "bring that to me"....which never ... really ... works out very well. but it is kind of funny to see The Big Man get all huffy and say 'i'm not the dogs' hee hee hee

but then again, when i was really sick and was supposed to lay down all day but i was all restless and got up to do something.... and he told me to "lay on that bed"....which is, of course a dog command too

hee hee hee oh well!​

 

[Ferngully]

Quote:
amen, ferngully!

i use "look at me" and use a hand signal which is pointing to my eye

this, of course, is all very well and good until i'm in the grocery store with my HUSBAND and i tell him to 'look at me" and "go around" and "bring that to me"....which never ... really ... works out very well. but it is kind of funny to see The Big Man get all huffy and say 'i'm not the dogs' hee hee hee

but then again, when i was really sick and was supposed to lay down all day but i was all restless and got up to do something.... and he told me to "lay on that bed"....which is, of course a dog command too

hee hee hee oh well!

If only the hubbies and kids could be trained so easily, sigh in a perfect world maybe.
Bring me my purse, pick up my cane, etc. then again haven't taught the dogs to pour and bring me coffee yet so 2 legged beasts still have their uses

 

[BCMominMD]

Interesting discussion!
I have 4 border collies. I work two of them on sheep and the other two older girls were trained in obedience/agility. I felt they were too interested in the chicks when I was brooding them in the house, so they were not allowed in that room. When I finally got them outside at around 12 weeks I felt they were big enough to let the dogs out with them. I supervised for awhile and made it clear that they were to leave them alone. And they have done so ever since.

 

[sundance]

i have a pitt bull, a poodle mix and a yorkie, all get along well with both the chickens and guians. marrie