Dog Chasing Chickens

[Salve&Fluffer]

Quote:
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were not exactly hunting dogs. They retrieved game for their owners but did not actually kill it. Most people did not and do not hunt with Cavalier Spaniels because they are too small.

 

[emvickrey]

I have a Lab, which is a bird dog. She has never attempted to do anything to my chickens. I've seen her sleeping with them. At first it scared me, I thought she had killed them and was just keeping them near but when I got closer they jumped up. I have seen her let them walk on her and not even do anything other than turn her head to look what was on her. I also have a chow mix that at first wanted to go after them but all I did was tell her that she is to protect them and not hurt them. I told her it is her job to watch over them to make sure nothing hurts them. People think i'm crazy when I say that but she really does listen and understand me. And she loves babies of almost any kind. She won't even kill baby mice but she will kill an adult in a second. Everytime we hatch out new chicks she is anxious to see them. I put them on the floor for her to see and just tell her to look at the babies and she will be very gentle and take a sniff then back off. But she will stare at them for the longest time and wag her tail.
I once showed somebodyhow well she listens. We went to the grocery store and I bought a bunch of meat, brought it out to the car and told her that it was mine to leave it alone then went into another store and left her and the meat in the car. We came back and she was laying in the back seat and the meat was untouched. I can put a bunch of table scraps in her bowl and tell her no and she will walk away. Granted she will go a distance and stare at the bowl to wait for me to tell her it is OK. But she won't touch it until I do.

And I train my dogs with out any violence. Ho hitting No training collars, nothing abusive. I can tell my dogs BAD DOG and it actualy hurts their feelings so I never use it unless called for and that is rare

So with the proper training, you can get your dog to do just about anything. It all depends on the dogs intelligence. Some dogs just can't learn as much as others. And I don't believe that certain breeds are smarter than others, or nicer than others. We had a pit bull that was just as smart and gentle as the dogs we have now.
It's all the love you give them that wins them over, not how many treats or how stern you are. Just love them and they will do anything for you.

 

[Salve&Fluffer]

Thanks a lot,emvickrey!

 

[LaynaDon95]

I'm sorry, Mods. I know you'll delete this.

Consider it done.

And I promise I'll be good from here on out, but darn if I didn't laugh aloud just typing that.

Stuff like that DOES make more work for us, you know. Save it for Random Ramblings, k?

~Lisa~​

I know I'm years late to the party, but OMG did I laugh reading this! I have no idea what it said before, but I'm sure it was not near as funny as this! I love the sense of humor these mods have! Thanks for the laugh.

 

[centrarchid]

I use hunting dogs as flock guardians. Everyone, without exception, chased chickens at first. Most also killed a chicken or two before settling down and no longer having birds as part of target list. It takes time and lots of interaction between dog(s) and poultry. My end point is a dog that can be left free ranging 24/7 with free-ranging poultry on same piece of ground. Abusing dog is not needed but a degree of control expidites training process. Trained dogs can still hunt, sometimes even birds like quail and retrieve doves.

 

[kota1369]

I think it depends on what you want the end result to be.
With that being said, I wanted my dogs and chickens to be able to be in the yard together and me not have to worry or watch every move. I train my dogs and like children the rules are inforced daily and just a part of the daily activities. (unlike most households). My two cocker spaniels, wanted to play and chase at first. I even used them to herd the chicks as I new they would not purposely hurt them. When they got plucked on the nose too many times, they learned chickens can hurt them. Now they are of no help what so ever.
The rottwieler on the other had was a different story. She was taught right off the bat that they are mine, dont look at them. She was worked with for a good year and is extremely respectful of the chickens. I am proud of her! and us! we took the time to make it happen.
The german shepherd....... well we fostered her momma so she was born seeing them. She has a great sense of humor and knows they are off limits and dont look at them. LOLOL "but......... mom, your 100 feet away!" So, we started more training from distances with her and still enforcing not looking at the chickens. When she was abit over a year old she found out that you can grab a rotty by the head, and nothing happens. You can grab a cocker spaniel by the head and you get your face ripped off. You grab a chicken by the head..................... It POPS right off. She was absolutely dumbfounded. She is a personality you can shame.......... with verbage so she got that. She new I was mad and that was a part of the family. Back to inforcing rules and boundries and "teaching her" again what I want. Now, if she has a squeaky toy and it squeaks she drops it afraid of hurting it. Its quite funny.
Now, about 2 years later she is great with them. Every now and then she will get a look on her face like "what if I do this?"
And she gets called to me or told a command like sit. Dont tell a dog to do something, if you can reinforce it.
They need to be taught and you need to have a vision. Now my dogs, correct foster dogs or companies dogs from even "looking" at the chickens. That is what they were taught and they inforce it for me now. It all takes time, work and consistance. I do not believe in hurting or abusing a dog. I believe in balanced training with praise and discipline. there are many tools to help you with your dog. But, DO NOT use a tool you have not worked with before. A good dog trainer can help show you how and what to use. Every dog is different and I believe the dumb dogs are the easiest to train! The smart ones are the ones that question you.
good luck to all with dogs........ It CAN be done.

 

[mstricer]

I also think it is possible, but it takes a lot of time. Training a dog is not just snap. I have a border collie mix that is extremely smart. Knows all commands, knows I'm the alpha, but whenever my BF is home the dog turns stupid. Now he wants to kill my pyr puppy. We start doggie classes on Monday. We have been trying to get them together, but after last night, when he snapped at me, he is no longer allowed to go for walks with us until after his classes. He has never chased chickens either. My pyr puppy though is another story, she likes to chase them. I just have her on a 6 foot lead, let her get so close, snap the leash, tell her to leave it and she does pretty good, but her recall is puppy like, well seeing how she is only 5 1/2 months, its okay.

 

[Mike Winters]

hold down small dog + ****** off rooster and mother hen after it problem solved lol