Dog attack

[TimBaumann]

I'd hate to be living anywhere close to a dog of that size that was not trained!! Are there any kids in your area?
We have a golden retriever and free range chickens. No problems since we got the e-collar 18 months ago....(well, now and then one of the RIRs will put the run on him if they feel he is in the way)

He is a very gentle and careful dog around people unless I personally play ruff with him! When there are people with kids he usually just walks past them and if they pet him he just walks on smiling! He also doesn't kill cats! He once cornered our ex-neighbors cat and just smelled her and walked on! When he sees a bird or even just a feather he tries to eat it! He doesn't like water but when he saw a bird in the ocean he went far out and swam! I trust him with anything other than a bird or smaller than a cat!

 

[bigoledude]

If he has killed a chicken already, he will kill them again! It is not one bit unusual for them to be cool around the chickens when you're around and then go on a killing spree when he thinks no-one is watching. I had to choose my chickens over a very expensive, very smart and very lovable Jagd terrier I that was precious to me.

My neighbor lost about 20 chickens to a weeny-dog! Twice! The e-collar worked only when the owner was there and saw her about to attack the birds.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I don't buy into the "taste for blood" idea. Yes, dogs have a prey drive but they are also domesticated pack animals with a huge desire to please. You can train any breed of dog but it needs to be a big time commitment on your part. Set aside a full hour or more EVERY day to work on impulse control training. Shock collars only work until the dog builds up a tolerance to the pain but real training lasts forever.

Good luck. Sorry for your loss.

 

[nzpouter]

It's not the taste of blood folks... it's the thrill of the chase. All my dogs are fed raw and they are required to live amongst their would be food walking and living around them.

 

[centrarchid]

I have trained too many chicken killing dogs not to kill chickens over years. Sad but had to stop their fun. Most of those had to go after other critters that killed chickens tended to be more fun. I also had to get dogs trained to point where they could run about protecting chickens while I was away or asleep. Takes effort but can be reliably done. I do not use shock collars or chickens tied to dog's neck.

 

[jak2002003]

Some breeds of dog can not be trained to never kill the chickens.

However, ALL breeds can be trained not to kill or chase them when you are there to supervise.

BUT, when you are out and the dog is alone with the chickens and something happens, like the chickens start fighting, or they start flapping about something, then the dog may well get triggered to kill them again.

Dogs that I would class in the 'untrustworthy' group (only once they have offended once before), are hunting dogs such as terriers, huskies, and greyhounds, whippets etc.

 

[centrarchid]

Some breeds of dog can not be trained to never kill the chickens.

However, ALL breeds can be trained not to kill or chase them when you are there to supervise.

BUT, when you are out and the dog is alone with the chickens and something happens, like the chickens start fighting, or they start flapping about something, then the dog may well get triggered to kill them again.

Dogs that I would class in the 'untrustworthy' group (only once they have offended once before), are hunting dogs such as terriers, huskies, and greyhounds, whippets etc.

What about hunting breeds like bird dogs and coon hounds? Mine are are out with birds now and all have killed at least a couple birds during training phase.

 

[gg706]

I have 2 Weimaraners...they run around my 2 1/2 acres all day with the chickens free ranging. I worked with them relentlessly when they were pups! My chickes DO NOT run from them. As a matter of fact if the dogs get too close and annoy the chickens in some way, my Wyandottes will peck and flog them sending them running back to the house with their tail between their legs. NOW can my Weims kill the chickens? YES...but the chickens were raised as chicks and the pups were raised together. So they don't know any different. I think a HUGE part of my situation is the fact my CHICKENS don't run. If they did my dogs could possibly become a problem. I go out of my way to be sure my chickens do not become fearful of dogs. If I have a friends dog or relative in town that bring their dog/dogs with them.....I lock my chickens up beause I do not want them to become fearful of dogs if something were to happen, then start running and being fearful of my dogs which would then be a huge problem.

 

[centrarchid]

My dogs run with young birds (5 weeks and up) with a new batch coming off at roughly 4 week intervals. The dogs at this point have little concern with behavior of birds except when stags are fighting which older dog promptly breaks up. Juvenile chickens can also run with respect to predators like to cover with hawk and dog promptly scans for hawk to run it off. Dogs can tell bird species apart easily. At night when free-range young adults where being knocked roost by great-horned owl, older dog will stand over chickens stumbling in dark as he looks up at owl 15 feet or so above him. Dogs trustworthy with grounded birds at night is the holy grail for me and indication training is complete. When Mr. Fox comes over making a brief chase causing a major commotion, the dogs chase Mr. Fox not birds. My dogs in use are German Pointers; one short-haired male adult and one long-haired female adolescent. Younger is nearing the end of trouble making stage with juvenile birds and is fully reliable with adult birds. German pointers are otherwise very similar in nature to Weimaraners, very active and looking for something to chase. They can chase, just not chickens or neighbors waterfowl.

 

[gg706]

Yes I agree. My weims chase squirrels out of our yard all day! I have not seen them protect my birds but I have not seen a threat to my birds yet. I am a little curious what would happen if a threat were to enter the picture IF my dogs would protect the chickens or join in the fun and learn bad behavior. My neighbors dog would be a HUGE threat if he found a way to get into the yard. But so far he has not gotten in, I have caught him attempting to dig in under our fence and promptly called the neighbors and let them know IF he continues and gets into my yard they will not have a dog anymore. I would feel bad disposing of their dog but he has already killed neighbors chickens and it was a HUGE uproar in the neighborhood over the man shooting the dog to protect his livestck. So this is round 2 for these neighbors, they don't take any of it seriously. Not to change the thread.......It would be MUCH more difficult having the threat coming from your own pet family!