Do you trust your dog around your chickens?

[cluckcluck42]

So we are thinking of getting a Sheltie puppy, and this has got me wondering about peoples experience with dogs and chickens. We are babysitting a german sheperd who would never dream of hurting one of our chickens. I would trust him in their pen alone.

What breed of dog do you have and do you trust them with your chickens? Oh and also, how did you go about training your puppy to be nice to chickens? Our current dog just inherently knew not to touch anything that is "ours" but he would slaughter a chicken in the wild, that is for sure.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I have 2 Pit Bulls that don't touch them. We leave them out when we leave and never a feather out of place. They know better. We trained them the first day we got chickens. They sniffed too hard or made one squawk, smack on the nose, and a warning beep from the shock collar. They figured it out that they were or chicks and to not hurt them pretty quick.

 

[eenie114]

Well, my Havanese-beshan 'adopted' our ducklings

and loved one to death. Litterally.

We have 3 Great Pyraneses, so I don't worry about them. Just be careful.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

Yes and NO. I have a yelow lab right now I trust her most the time she has killed a few chickens over the years but I can not blame her since the chickens like going in her dog house or trying eating her food I think she gets tired of it and grabs one every once in awhile doest eat them either just kinds of mauls them to death. I have went out there and found one she had mouthed it but it was still alive just covered in slooper.

I have had to get rid of couple other labs I had 0ne kill 20+ and the other 40+

 

[Illia]

Honestly it is all about training and the breed of dog. We have an Akita, a Boerboel x Dane, and a Pitbull who all get along great with the chickens. . . But they're not herding or hunting dogs (well the Akita originally was back in the day) and they've been trained not to chase any animal.

Ours weren't around chickens as puppies though. . I think it is just in their nature to be curious unless the chicken runs, then we use whatever method necessary to punish them if they go after the chickens. They listen really well.

(punishments include a harsh no, a quick and harsh pinch on the shoulder, or if necessary - a shocking collar.)

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I trust my dog around my girls but he is a chihuahua and the girls flog him everytime he even thinks about barking or chasing them. Usually pet dogs don't intend to kill the birds they just like moving toys. They play too rough and once it stops moving they move on to another one. If I was to have any other dog besides my little chihuahua I would not trust them alone with my birds without extensive training.

 

[Higins00]

I have a french bulldog and a boxer. I held the chick up the them let them sniff and say NO, easy to them. Did this over and over again and then put the chicks down and held the dog on a leash. If he moved to fast I'd say No again. Eventually they get it. They now lay in the sun with them with out supervision.

 

[NurseELB]

My dachshund is afraid of our big girls- they chase HER and peck at her! Our Rottie/Aussie mix took about 3 days of training with a herding stick and a long lead. She got the idea pretty quick, could care less about them now. Presently we have new babies that I won't let the Dachshund near until they are big enough to look like chickens and not snacks. The Rottie/Aussie is up on the bed with both of them and me. She scoots away when they get too close

I won't leave them alone, but by the time they are older I'd be willing to bet she'll protect them with her life.

 

[OutInTheStiks]

I trust our Australian Shepherd, Callie with the chickens. She and the bantams spend all day together in the backyard while we are at work. I do not trust Callie with the geese without supervision. The geese pick at her and I don't blame her for wanting to bite back.

 

[popcornpuppy]

I think the picture says it all. The dog's temperment plus training can give you this: