Do you have a gaurd dog?

[Lenny loves chickens]

Well i am getting a gaurd dog for my chickens since my 12 year old saint is old lol so do you have a gaurd dog how do you teach them? Also will the puppy be ok outside and when would you fully trust it with your flock sorry lol its been 12 years

 

[21hens-incharge]

The biggest thing is understanding that each dog is unique. Some may never be ok alone with the flock.

My current dogs all fall onto that category.

Start young, be very consistent in what command you use had how you use it. Things cannot be ok then suddenly a no or a no now but not a no later if that makes sense how I put it.

It will take a long time and a ton of patience.

 

[AmeraucanaHank]

I have 2 great pyrenees one is about 6 years old and is awesome at guarding and the other is 8 months old, she is definitely not great at it she has killed at least one of my little birds and has eaten eggs. But I agree with @21hens-incharge

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

The biggest thing is understanding that each dog is unique. Some may never be ok alone with the flock.

My current dogs all fall onto that category.

Start young, be very consistent in what command you use had how you use it. Things cannot be ok then suddenly a no or a no now but not a no later if that makes sense how I put it.

It will take a long time and a ton of patience.

Ok perfect i currentlybhave a flock that free ranges and all 3 of my dogs fo great but i need one for them all the time

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Heres the new gaurd dog, adopted her from the shelter today, someone had surrended puppies

 

[Aunt Angus]

I have a guard cat. His name is Seamus. He'd be a snack for big predators, but he's taken to hanging out on top of the coop and chasing off birds, lizards, moths, rats, skunks, and foxes. And falling leaves. He's absolute murder on falling leaves.

 

[Jalloway]

Well i am getting a gaurd dog for my chickens since my 12 year old saint is old lol so do you have a gaurd dog how do you teach them? Also will the puppy be ok outside and when would you fully trust it with your flock sorry lol its been 12 years

Maybe not your standard guard dogs BUT I did introduce them to the chickens the day the chickens were brought home. I allowed them to be around the chickens but to respect their space with “leave it” as they already knew that command. Eventually they became used to the chickens and all can commingle without issue

 

[janaintexoma]

Well i am getting a gaurd dog for my chickens since my 12 year old saint is old lol so do you have a gaurd dog how do you teach them? Also will the puppy be ok outside and when would you fully trust it with your flock sorry lol its been 12 years

I have an Anatolian Sheppard. He’s been hanging with the chickens since he was 12 weeks old. He’s great with his family (other pets and kids) but he definitely defends against other animals and people. He’s never chased the chickens. My lab is another story. He loves to chase anything. So, he’s had to have an attitude adjustment towards the chickens.

 

[Sussex19]

We used to have pair of Maremma dogs.
They were lovely, and although we didn't have chickens then, they took care of our goats, and also us.
I have no doubt they also would have been good with chickens, as where we got them from they were kept for that purpose.
One of them once killed a fox, and they also protected us a couple of times.
Now we have a shar pei x Australian Cattle dog, and mix that is anyone's guess. Both to be trusted with chickens, but they don't really protect them very much either. (although just having them keeps the foxes away)

 

[centrarchid]

I'm using English Shepherds. Combined with a fence, the dogs make so I can free-range chickens on about 8 acres without issue.