Dogs and chickens

[dazluv1977]

From the moment I brought my chickies home I included our Labrador Retriever. As I took each out of the shipping box I held them in front of Annie and let her smell them. Then, I placed each into the brooder box. Every time I went to check the chicks I took her with me. There was one time when a couple chicks escaped and as I tried to catch them I noticed Annie was helping to herd the birds back toward me. She never tried to grab them. When I transitioned the chicks to their coop and run, Annie was right there. She continues to go with me to visit the "birdies". She likes to taste their food and watch them play "keep away" when I take them treats. She lays down in their run and the birds come right up to her. A few peck at her and she just ignores them. One chick, in particular, like to catch a ride on her back and has been known to even sit down and roost on her back. Our neighbor has a dog that barks at us when we are out in the run. I noticed Annie barking back, hair standing up and all. She would come over to the run and check the chicks and then back to the fence to bark at the other dog before returning to check the chicks again. This exchange continued until I finally let her into the run and she maintained a protective stance against the nonexistent threat. It is nice to know she wants to protect them. My chicks are 7 weeks old and I hope they co time the amiable relationship.

 

[TalkALittle]

I figured it could be trained just like other obedience behavior.

Hehe. As they say, "There are as many ways to train a dog as there are trainers."

I think @Ol Grey Mare was asking you to describe in detail what your approach is to training. Do you subscribe to a "rewards only/no punishment" philosophy or a balanced approach? Are there training tools/equipment you usually use? Any that you refuse to use?

 

[chickens really]

Hello....Train, and train some more ...I have 5 Dogs...LGD , Golden retriever / Aussie and a Yorkie trained to herd Birds..Have a key word like OFF that your Dogs respond to instantly...Until it's responding never trust it...Have all basic commands in place and sit with the Puppy on a long lead as the Birds free range around you..Correct the pup as needed and praise when the pup gets the lesson right..
Best wishes!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Ok, here goes. I am Mickey's wife. I am the one doing the training. I am having a hard time with it, as what I say, he undoes! LOL Not all the time, but some of it.
I am using "leave it" as her drop/stop words. I want to get that down before I start anything else. I do walk her around the yard on the leash. Showing her the bounderies. I also, with Mickey's help, let her off the leash to play with us there. We are working on basic commands for in the house, but I have to work on them when hubby is not home, as she is too excited when he is around. She sees me as the top dog, but him as a playmate LOL. I am working with her on not jumping on people, as we don't want her jumping on the grandkids, as some are smaller than her LOL.
She is food based right now, but there have been times, when I have to give other types of reprimands. I am thinking of having our niece do some obedience training, as that will help a lot, but I really don't want to send her there, as niece lives a couple of hours away and can't stay with us because of her job. So I am doing what I am able to.

So, first step is you both have to get on the same page, and stay there. No more good cop/ bad cop or fun parent/ not fun parent. My husband was career military (now retired) so i totally understand how disruptive the ins and outs of the active duty person from the household can be for everyone and this, imo, makes being on the same page that much more important.
I would suggest you go out and leave the two of them alone together and he does some serious work with her. Also, a cue like the *work* leash that is put on specifically for training time so she knows no matter who is at the other end, the leash means it's serous time. Do some exercise at first to burn off a little energy, do some basic obedience to get her engaged and thinking and then work on the new skill a little...... you can end with play, but only after the work leash is off. Bee mindful of your/his energy so that work time is serious energy and fun/excited energy is for play time. Keep sessions age appropriate in length. Work on impulse control throughout the day....ie at meal times have her practice a sit/wait and then release her to eat, do a down/stay and roll a toy through her line of sight, etc. There are tons of ways it can be worked into normal daily stuff...just short on time to list them.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Right from the start I must apologize for these many pictures. This thread gave me a chance to show off my little mini lap Lab. To contribute to this thread I have had 4 dogs virtually non stop since the early 70s and ALL of them have similar traits. All mutts, 50# to 30#s, one male, 3 female, 2 part Golden Retriever(I think), and 2 part Lab. None of them was allowed to chase wild life and they all were exceptionally well behaved and smart. All were constant companions to my wife and I, rarely left alone. Little dog treats were constantly in our pockets and were given for good behavior. Not sure if "working breeds", though smart, would be as easy to train to leave other animals alone. Never physically disciplined the dogs. Our basic initial training was to come when called or whistled for, learn to stay, no the word NO, given lots of play sessions. I hope this helps some. We never wanted our dogs to be trick dogs but would train them to do some tricks as our whim dictated. Dead dog, Habla Me(talk to me) for when we cleared Mexican Customs multiple times per year. Raven does a circle dance on her rear legs when commanded to Baille(dance). Shake hands, and so on.

This picture is of Raven as a young puppy enjoying quality time with Bajabirdbrain and the wild Mallard Ducks.

Another example of good training, squirrel on one leg, Raven on the other both after a peanut.

Squirrel up the leg for a peanut while Raven watches. Pellet gun was used for splashing pellets in the water near geese that would poop on the lawn.

Our training methods worked on a number of foxes. We did not have chickens then!!

Raven in our run when chicks were smaller. She is around the chickens all the time, when given the opportunity will walk up the ramp into the coop to search for "treats". When chickens are free ranging(under our supervision), Raven just goes with the flock. A couple of the chickens chase her but mostly they just go about their business.

 

[JaeG]

Puppies see everything as a game so until your dog is showing a certain amount of maturity I wouldn't leave her unattended with the chickens. At this point any interactions between her and the chickens need to be controlled by you. Do lots of rewarding for ignoring the chickens and paying attention to you.

We've been lucky with our dog. She's naturally submissive and had the fear of smaller animals hammered into her as a pup by our very old and grumpy cat! Our deaf and half blind white cat has carried on the tradition - she put my sister's French Bulldog puppy in his place to the point he was terrified to go near her. He just had to keep trying his luck! We are also very strict with our dog. I can trust her even when our hand reared birds are flying round the house because she knows not to touch them. She also has a bed she stays on when she's inside and she's not allowed off it unless we say she can. She loves her bed and I can tell when she wants to go back to it.

One exercise you can do with your pup is tie her lead through your belt and ignore her. Wherever you go she has to follow. It's great for building respect and teaching her to pay attention to you. Also make her wait respectfully until you say she can eat her food - it's a good exercise for impulse control. Use toys with her and have play sessions using them as she needs to understand those are what you use to release pent up energy etc - not your chickens.

It will depend on your dog's personality as to what training methods will work. I've found this philosophy very interesting but didn't find it until our dog was older: https://naturaldogtraining.com/blog/
Since reading this philosophy we let her win tug-of-war (a big 'no, no' in traditional training) which gives her a lot of satisfaction. It's a lot to do with methods of releasing and satisfying a dog's natural 'predator' impulses in positive ways.

I remember trying some techniques that just didn't work with our girl so it's trial and error until you find what your pup will respond to.

Good luck!

 

[chickens really]

Lucy...My Chicken wrangler...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Seriously. Watch a few episodes of the Dog Whisperer. To better understand the dog hierarchy and how they basically function. First: Exercise to get in the right frame of mind. Discipline (if needed- a pull of the leash to redirect). Love and Affection/Treats lastly. Do not let them sit on your lap on the couch. That is dominance to them. They stay on the floor. They learn you are higher up than them. In every way. You are alpha above them. You need to Understand calm energy commands. The dog should not be ignoring you.

You'll want low calm stern voiced commands around chickens. Not screaming your head off ones. Once that is established. They are sitting. Staying. Listening to your commands and not ignoring you. They should get to go on leash to the chicken coop with you every day. Make it a 'Not a big deal sort of thing'. If they are 'birdie'. (Tail stiff and pulled up on a chicken eyes staring and bulging) that is predator behavior. Break it by breaking their attention on the bird. A Polk in the ribs and a firm low "leave it". "mine". (They will have heard 'No' about a bazillion times already.) Once they are responding nicely to 'leave it, mine' take out your calmest chicken with another person holding the bird. Bring the dog on leash closer. If it becomes too intense for the dog remove it from the bird. They do not get the reward of seeing the bird. If they do well let them sniff. They should be looking away from the bird a bit as well. Low voice. "mine". If you feel energy go up...remove the dog. I had a lab that started licking the chicken. I could feel her also tense up. That was not good. I removed her. Licking is nervous energy that is a precursor to lunch. It is not kisses. LOL.

I have been know to give a finger swat on the nose for redirection during the calm chicken encounter training. I know I might get holy heck for that but trust me our dogs are more than loved and pampered and I needed them to get along with my flock if I was to have them both.
Then before you know it ~2-3 months (maybe sooner) you do some off leash interactions While supervising. Keep the leash in your hand. Low calm energy. No "Look at your chickens" in high excited voices. They only need to walk by them and preferably look away from them. They should at the off leash point understand that the chickens are part of the "pack". Important to you.

We've trained two bird-hunting labradors (ducks & Pheasants) with these tips and methods. They still hunt and not a dead chicken on the premises. GSD should have similar approach I would say. We had German Shepherds on the Farm growing up with Chickens and so did DH's family.

 

[Pennychickens1]

After my mastiff turned 6 months she left my hens alone .but when she was a pup she wanted to chase them. I started training her to leave them an then I rewarded her for the good behavior.

 

[Mickey67]

Are you doing any training with the dog with regards to impulse control sand general obedience? What approach are you currently using in the training? Knowing the foundation you have and your general approach to training outs key.
For the time being, all interaction between birds and dog needs to be on leash so you are able to provide immediate feedback.
It can be done.....I'll have to snap a photo of my gsd and *her* current flock.....

I would like to see that, I know she is just a pup now , she is learning quickly. I figured it could be trained just like other obedience behavior.