Dog is white chicken obsessed?

[Granny23]

This is completely familiar to me. I thought it was more about the particular chickens behavior though, not color. At least it's how it is at my place. My Golden and my Leonberger will fixate on just one chicken and I notice that is the chicken who is more aggressive, less afraid of them. I have chickens who are sweet and don't act very afraid around them but they leave those alone. It's been RIR's and a pretty self confident Olive egger that gave my dog a hard peck during a meet and greet. I just constantly train my dogs to "be nice" to all of the chickens but it's definitely constant with the one they are not happy with and when they see her at the fence they charge the fence.

My 4 hens were adults when I got Lacie at 9 weeks. They freeranged in my backyard then. I worked with her to" leave it" and my bossy barred rock pecked her. For months she followed them..herding them on ocassion then she pinned my buff Orpington Twinkie and just held her down. Didnt hurt her but may have if I hadn't stopped her. Way later she pinned one of the RIRs and was slobbering all over her and I said THAT'S IT! Poor Twinkie quit laying after her ordeal. So I built an extention on their coop and added the big enclosure. Now I don't have to worry about the girls getting hurt. I know they miss free-range life but they're safe.

 

[aart]

Mildred actually honks! Have you heard hens do that?

Most chickens do that as their voice begins to change from peeping to clucking.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Dogs are so weird lol. I'm glad she's not harming the hen, but I do think you want to stop this behavior before it becomes an obsession.

When I got my chickens, I would bring my dog out back on a leash and walk far away from the chickens, just walking and not drawing attention to the chickens. He knows the "leave it" command (very useful and I recommend teaching it if she doesn't know it already). Every time he would pay too much attention I would give him a stern "leave it", and reward him if he did leave it alone, and then go back to distracting him. Any time he WASN'T obsessing over the chickens or paying attention to them, I just would act like I was the most fun dog mom ever and we would play, run, have fun, and snuggle. But if he paid attention to the chickens, he'd get a "leave it" and we'd go back to distraction time. Pretty much letting him know that we can do other things in the yard while chickens are there. Then, once he's good at that distance, do the same thing closer and closer until he no longer cares about the chickens. Basically, you're trying to desensitize the dog and get them to feel that the chickens are no big deal and are pretty much just part of the scenery. It worked for me. Once I could trust him on-leash, I let him go off-leash but kept his e-collar on just in case. I only had to use it a couple times and now he just ignores the chickens.

 

[Granny23]

Most chickens do that as their voice begins to change from peeping to clucking.

Interesting. None of my other hens did it. Its kinda cute actually.

 

[Granny23]

Dogs are so weird lol. I'm glad she's not harming the hen, but I do think you want to stop this behavior before it becomes an obsession.

When I got my chickens, I would bring my dog out back on a leash and walk far away from the chickens, just walking and not drawing attention to the chickens. He knows the "leave it" command (very useful and I recommend teaching it if she doesn't know it already). Every time he would pay too much attention I would give him a stern "leave it", and reward him if he did leave it alone, and then go back to distracting him. Any time he WASN'T obsessing over the chickens or paying attention to them, I just would act like I was the most fun dog mom ever and we would play, run, have fun, and snuggle. But if he paid attention to the chickens, he'd get a "leave it" and we'd go back to distraction time. Pretty much letting him know that we can do other things in the yard while chickens are there. Then, once he's good at that distance, do the same thing closer and closer until he no longer cares about the chickens. Basically, you're trying to desensitize the dog and get them to feel that the chickens are no big deal and are pretty much just part of the scenery. It worked for me. Once I could trust him on-leash, I let him go off-leash but kept his e-collar on just in case. I only had to use it a couple times and now he just ignores the chickens.

Good idea. But with 5 other hens she ignores I may change the color of the white one she obsesses over as someone suggested.

 

[Selfish Bird]

My almost 1 yr old goldendoodle Lacie is crazy obsessed with the one white chicken I have. She races around the coop enclosure to get to the closest spot where Mildred is just to stare at her!! The other hens pay her no mind. I mean this is her daily thing...run outside and stare at this ONE hen. All day long!!!!
The other 5 can be right in front of this dog but she watching the white one! Any similar experiences?
I thought it was because the 2 chicks peeped. Like a squeak toy. Stop that sound and she will stop the behavior. Mildred doesn't peep anymore...she honks. But Lacies behavior hasn't let up.
My other hens were adults when we got Lacie last year as a puppy. Not much can be done...she can't get to the hens...its just more frustrating than anything because she doesn't stop.

This is too funny! A penny for her thoughts!!!!

 

[Selfish Bird]

Yes. Some training is in order.

I don't feign to have any particular knowledge in this area. But if it doesn't bother the bird, why stop Lacie?

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Good idea. But with 5 other hens she ignores I may change the color of the white one she obsesses over as someone suggested.

Yeah but do you really think it's the color? Dogs typically rely on their nose sense more than their sight. At least in my experiences, dog typically are very good at sensing nuances in smells, rather than sights. I'm not telling you not to dye the chicken, but I'm not 100% sure it will solve the problem. Also, it will likely be temporary and you will have to keep dyeing the chicken every couple months for its entire life. Also, idk of that is healthy for the chicken.

Whatever the cause of the dog obsessing over the chicken, I think the training will be more beneficial in the long run. But of course, this is 100% your problem to solve. I wish you luck.

 

[Granny23]

Yeah but do you really think it's the color? Dogs typically rely on their nose sense more than their sight. At least in my experiences, dog typically are very good at sensing nuances in smells, rather than sights. I'm not telling you not to dye the chicken, but I'm not 100% sure it will solve the problem. Also, it will likely be temporary and you will have to keep dyeing the chicken every couple months for its entire life. Also, idk of that is healthy for the chicken.

Whatever the cause of the dog obsessing over the chicken, I think the training will be more beneficial in the long run. But of course, this is 100% your problem to solve. I wish you luck.

I agree. I may color her just to see.My significant other is convinced thats the issue whilst I thought it was a baby chick peeping thing. Mildred is in a non peep honking stage while Tooter, her bff, still peeps.
Lacies obsession is tiring. The hens don't seem to care really. But more training is definitely in order.

 

[Granny23]

I don't feign to have any particular knowledge in this area. But if it doesn't bother the bird, why stop Lacie?

Good question. I tell my grandkids it's just their frustration with Lacies continued obsession that bugs them. She doesn't stop staring at and running around the hens enclosure to try to get as close as she can to Mildred. Back and forth back and forth. If I call her she will turn around and look at me but then go right back to it. But she doesn't respond until after I called her 3 or 4 times.
The way to stop it is to call her in and close the door on her essentially keeping her in the house.
More extensive training is the answer.She is a very intelligent dog...like scary smart, being a goldendoodle. We have found her mannerisms are more standard poodle than golden retriever. Always thinking. She tattles on her little buddy Mia for various things and will come get me when she feels something isn't quite right in the house. It has been an interesting experience having her.