dog wont leave chickens alone

[thesqurim]

i am very new to this whole chicken thing my three sisters and i each just got a pet chicken about a month ago, and i just LOVE mine. im still trying to figure out how to do everything and make sure she is taken care of right, but im having alot of trouble with my dog, he is a golden retriever and a Great dog buit he just can not seem to leave the chickens alone and it is driving me INSANE he just sits there watching them and we will call him away but he always goes right back there and im afraid if i leave him unattended he will eat them, im not sure if there is away we can teach him or what.. so any help would be GREAT!!! thanks so much!!

 

[ReikiStar]

Some people may not like my suggestion but we're talking about someone's life here: Get an electronic dog collar. One that uses both sound and a zap. You only have to zap him once or twice...use the sound first, if that doesn't get his attention, you zap him. Soon he'll learn when he has the collar on, he's being "watched" and usually just hitting the sound will get him to leave the chicks alone. This is just a way to teach him you mean business when you tell him to get away from the chicks. But of course, nothing is as sure as a secured, dog-proof area for the chicks.

 

[AuroraSprings]

We have a Siberian Husky who is exactly the same way. She's already got two of ours. We are just building a very strong fence, with electric wire around her "face/chest" height, and cooping the chickens when we can't be around.

 

[Beekissed]

Don't leave him unattended with them.

The only way you are going to know what he wants with the chickens is to get them together under your supervision and see how he reacts to them. I'd put him on a leash and secure it to your waist as you work around the chickens, feed the chickens, etc. Let him sniff them but correct(strongly) any overt excitement on his part towards the chickens such as lunging in their direction, trying to snap or bark at them, etc.

When he exhibits calm behavior towards them on a consistent basis, then monitor him around them without the leash(as long as he obeys your commands well...too late to teach a dog to "leave it" when he already has a chicken in his mouth!) and continue to reward good behavior, discourage bad.

Hold the chickens in your lap while he is next to you, pet them and him equally, give him treats when he exhibits correct attention to your wants with his behavior towards the chickens.

If good obedience training and training him with the chickens just simply doesn't work, people on here swear by a shock collar. I've never had to use one on my dogs but I think my dogs are just unusual.

 

[MusketeerinFla]

Roll up a newspaper or magazine, grab the dog by the collar , and commence to beating the dog ! Ha,ha! The rolled paper doen't actually hurt the dog, it's the sound. MiF

 

[Beekissed]

I could be just wingin' it here, but I doubt that is the best way to go.... not if you don't want your dog peeing all over the floor every time you read the Sunday paper.

 

[suzeqf]

Some people may not like my suggestion but we're talking about someone's life here: Get an electronic dog collar. One that uses both sound and a zap. You only have to zap him once or twice...use the sound first, if that doesn't get his attention, you zap him. Soon he'll learn when he has the collar on, he's being "watched" and usually just hitting the sound will get him to leave the chicks alone. This is just a way to teach him you mean business when you tell him to get away from the chicks. But of course, nothing is as sure as a secured, dog-proof area for the chicks.

I was thinking the same thing, do this before he gets a taste for chicken once he figures out that chickens "bite" he'll leave them alone, fences are good but they can't run the fence I had a boxer that would run the fence and when one got out, the chase was one and we had to zap her several times before she would even slow down it was more play for her than anything at first but once she tore one up it wasn't play anymore and we finally had to find her another home.

 

[Beekissed]

I might have missed something along the way...but what person's life was in jeopardy with this dog?? Was a post deleted?


Quote:

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

Is your golden watching the chickens in a calm, submissive way like my Lyla in her picture? Or is he excited, standing over the cage, whining and drooling? Watch out for that! Your peeps can tell you what his intentions are. If they ignore him and are not afraid, then he is not making them feel like they are going to be eaten! If when he watches them, they run to the back of the cage in terror, then watch out!

When the peeps dash around the cage does he move his head back and forth quickly and follow their movements? That means he is watching them like prey and would eat them if he had the chance. That means he probably has a high prey drive (like many huskies and boxers do).

If he is just hanging out next to the cage with a giant, ridiculous, golden retriever smile on his face he may just really like the smell of chicken poop! I am sad to say that Lyla does!

 

[ReikiStar]

I might have missed something along the way...but what person's life was in jeopardy with this dog?? Was a post deleted?

No, you didn't miss anything. I was referring to the chicks lives since that's what's at stake. Properly training the dog would be the optimum, but in light of them doing it properly and the time it will take, I suggested the shock collar as a quicker way of showing the dog there is discomfort involved in wanting to chomp on those babies.