Dog pulled my hen's leg off!!

[joan1708]

The problem now is, your chickens are not safe free-ranging. That dog may come back. If it does, then I guess they will have to re-home it or shoot it. There's no win-win here that I can see. At least your neighbors were concerned and took some responsibility for their dog. I hope your chicken can get by on one leg.

 

[joan1708]

The problem now is, your chickens are not safe free-ranging. That dog may come back. If it does, then I guess they will have to re-home it or shoot it. There's no win-win here that I can see. At least your neighbors were concerned and took some responsibility for their dog. I hope your chicken can get by on one leg.

 

[therifleman]

Well played on both parts. Both you and the dog owner are commended for behaving as reasonable adults.
Chris

 

[Ole rooster]

The problem now is, your chickens are not safe free-ranging. That dog may come back. If it does, then I guess they will have to re-home it or shoot it. There's no win-win here that I can see. At least your neighbors were concerned and took some responsibility for their dog. I hope your chicken can get by on one leg.

Joan.....she said he chicken died. She also said if the dog comes back with the same attitude it will die also. The neighbor knows it and I bet the neighbor is good with that choice. Farmers and ranchers are not your normal everyday bleeding hearts. They don't put dresses on their dogs and paint the toe nails pink. Life is hard and very rough around the edges. What has to be done is done. Then it's off to something else. Always another task.

 

[brahmamomma]

who paints their dogs toenails? lol

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

i guess i just come from a totally different state of mind, my dog is my baby....he sleeps in my bed! i do not believe in killing anything, yes i know...im a bleeding heart, vegetarian, liberal from jersey!! lol i can laugh at myself, and while its unfortunate what happened, i just never think problems are solved with violence. but, to each their own...i guess things are a bit different in montana!!! yee haw

God forbid it happens to you, but if someone's dog came and slaughtered all of YOUR chickens, just for the fun of it, you might see things a little differently.

 

[joan1708]

OLe rooster - I'm sorry the chicken died. I do see the logic in how farmers and ranchers treat their dogs. They can't have a dog that will destroy their livelihood. They can't afford the time it take to train the dog not to kill the livestock because it is easier to get another dog who "naturally knows" to leave them alone. Despite the hard realities, I think a good farm dog has a better life than a city dog even if he doesn't sleep in mama's bed.

 

[Ole rooster]

Just one thing Joan. These ranchers do take the time to train their dogs. Not all come obedience trained from birth. Some have inherent characteristics that enable them to go to work by natures calling. With training most do very well at what they're trained to do. Believe it or not dogs are a lot like people. We all have the same opportunity in life. We all have school, but it's up to us to apply ourselves. All the training we need is there for the taking. Most thrive withself appraisal and the hard work needed to survive. Dogs are a lot the same way. They have the training and feed they need to be good stewards with their time on the ranch. Most get a loving master but work is expected of them. But sadly not all dogs even of the same breed adapt to the training they receive and somewhere go wrong. When that happens there is not a jail or government program to cover up their wrong. They go straight to court and capital punishment. The owners have to make the decision and carry out the verdict. With people government steps in, pampers them, feeds um and tell them they just didn't get the training they needed. Or they end up in prison.

We are a lot the same but the dog faces reality immediately where the person does not. Life is hard to start with, just harder on the ranchers and farmers.

 

[bobbi-j]

OLe rooster - I'm sorry the chicken died. I do see the logic in how farmers and ranchers treat their dogs. They can't have a dog that will destroy their livelihood. They can't afford the time it take to train the dog not to kill the livestock because it is easier to get another dog who "naturally knows" to leave them alone. Despite the hard realities, I think a good farm dog has a better life than a city dog even if he doesn't sleep in mama's bed.

Ole Rooster did a good job of addressing the training issue, so I won't even go there. But it is never an "easy" decision to put down a working dog. That dog is often a rancher's constant companion and work partner. It can take months, years, or even a lifetime of training to get the dog trained how you want it. (Kind of like people - we never stop learning as long as we live.) But if that dog starts to kill your stock, or even worse - your neighbor's stock, you do what you have to do.

Just one thing Joan. These ranchers do take the time to train their dogs. Not all come obedience trained from birth. Some have inherent characteristics that enable them to go to work by natures calling. With training most do very well at what they're trained to do. Believe it or not dogs are a lot like people. We all have the same opportunity in life. We all have school, but it's up to us to apply ourselves. All the training we need is there for the taking. Most thrive withself appraisal and the hard work needed to survive. Dogs are a lot the same way. They have the training and feed they need to be good stewards with their time on the ranch. Most get a loving master but work is expected of them. But sadly not all dogs even of the same breed adapt to the training they receive and somewhere go wrong. When that happens there is not a jail or government program to cover up their wrong. They go straight to court and capital punishment. The owners have to make the decision and carry out the verdict. With people government steps in, pampers them, feeds um and tell them they just didn't get the training they needed. Or they end up in prison.

We are a lot the same but the dog faces reality immediately where the person does not. Life is hard to start with, just harder on the ranchers and farmers.

Well said.

 

[joan1708]

yes, but I've heard it more than once. "A dog that kills chickens doesn't last long on the farm".