Dog is reformed!

[Moabite]

My stepson's dog (my grand-dog?), Aspen, is a Pit-bull/Border Collie cross. She is very loyal, very sensitive, and protective. She is a year and a half old this month. Back in early April, she found a way into our run. She killed 3, mortally wounded 2, and I stopped her before she got the last two of our six-week old chicks. Under the 5th Amendment, I won't say what I did to her when I caught her, but I seriously considered shooting her. It took two weeks before I'd even look at her.

I started letting the chicks out to free-range when I was out there to keep an eye on them and she did fine the first time. The second time, I got caught up in what I was doing and left the back yard to get a tool, and a couple of minutes later I heard loud squawking. I ran back there and caught her "herding" the chicks back to the coop (or were they fleeing for their lives?). I scolded her severely and moved on with my chores. A couple of weeks have past since that scolding. I let the chicks out whenever I am home. I even forgot about them and took the family to my stepson's baseball game. No dead chickens. On Friday, my neighbor came over with his dog, and an 8 month old pup that he has been taking care of. I'm proud to say that Aspen quickly, and effectively stopped that pup from hurting any of my chickens long enough for me to put them away safely in there coop. After that, she played with the pup all evening.

I am so glad that I didn't kill this dog. My stepson is very attached to her and now, so am I.

 

[HenPen]

Glad she has decided its better to be nice to chickens....

 

[la dee da]

I'm so glad it worked out so well!

 

[Moabite]

Here she is, the one with one side of her face white. (The Boston Terrier in front of her, isn't the least concerned with chickens.) Does this look like a dog that you would trust around your chickens?

 

[Mrs Chickens]

Sorry tp say this but a dog is a dog and it is the animals instinct is to "chase" if it catch's what it chase's it normally will do harm.

I think that your approch that you would consider killing your dog because you left it with a chicken and it did harm is really questionable. If your dog caught and killed a rat or rabbit you would properbly prase it!

You may be giving you dog mixed messages I would never leave any animal that could harm my cooks alone with them (I have a dog), if your dog is prased for killing one thing it really won't get the differance between a chicken and another animal - tread with care don't want you having anymore dead chickens and certainly no dead dogs - PLEASE!!

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I'm glad you didn't shoot her either. Since you are allowing her acess to your chickens now, remember that you are also responsible if for what happens if she reverts to her old ways. If she should make that mistake again, rehome her, don't shoot her. Some dogs are just not meant to be with livestock, and that doesn't make them bad dogs. Plenty of people would be happy to have her and she might fit in better with someone else.

 

[Moabite]

With the bulldog in her, I don't want her to kill anything. Her job is to let us know when something is wrong. She is really just a black and white blob of love and wags. She wont let other dogs play rough with Trogg, the boston terrier (much to his dismay). At this point, if she kills another chicken I'd blame whomever encouraged her to do so. She has earned a permanent place in this family. I'd only kill her to put her out of her misery, not mine.

When I caught her in the act of murdering our chickens, I was VERY ANGRY. The fact that I didn't shoot her.... and that she learned a lesson with out a shock collar is the point. She has been out with those chickens all weekend. I guess I'll go join her.

 

[radiodog]

I just gotta say this....my dogs and the dogs of my family & friends are just way too important to me than my chickens. If my dog kills one of my chickens, its my fault, not the dog's fault. Afterall I am the human here and should know my responsibilities to my dogs and my chickens. Shame for setting the dog up to fail and punishing it when it did fail.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I would not be so quick to dub her "Chicken Sitter." She IS a dog, after all.

 

[redhen]

Congrats on the dog doing good!!!!!

Just please still be wary of her around chickens.. just to be safe..