Dogs. Training Mine and SSS neighbors? Question

[Charrisse]

Thank you all for replying!!
So far, the girls are in a pretty secure pen - it is 60X90, attached to the fort Knox coop they have been in since day old chicks, no deaths - except the two due to shipping. They are about three and a half months old now.
The run/ pen is welded wire - 6 ft high, and I have buried poultry netting out about 2 ft and up the welded wire about a foot to prevent digging. I'm going to go ahead and wrap it all in the electric poultry netting too I think - I really like that suggestion alot. For the dog to dig through all that, he would be getting his *** shocked off, and hopefully would stop! At least meanwhile I hope the girls would recognize the danger and get in the coop thru the small pop door there is no way he would ever be able to fit in LOL
I'm home most days anyway, except running errands or days I sub.

As for my breed choice - yes, I researched, I have had both labs and a poodle before and I chose the golden-doodle because it is a mix of both my fave breeds. Such intelligent dogs. I firmly believe that with training he will be fine, and he is still young - 10 months- so hopefully I made a good choice. My poodle "shed" when she was brushed or bathed, and my lab was a mild shedder - The rescue where this boy is coming from said his bed has very little to no hair on it. He is groomed monthly. We aren't allergic, I just don't want pet hair in the house. My girls don't free range unless I'm with them, their pen is certainly large enough.

The new dog will be leashed while we are outside, and we will begin training him to the invisible fence right away (which I'm debating whether or not to include the coop and run in, so he can "protect it" or whether to not include it, so he would have to run thru the invis fence and the electric poultry netting AND dig through and under wire to get to them (and then probably not fit thru the pop door if they are all smart enough to run inside. PHEW that was a mouthful!

Am I delusional?

Am I doing the right things?

And how do I train my new boy to be ok round the girls?

As far as the rot - heres what I think I decided. I'm going to take a dozen eggs with a red bow on top and a note that says, "We would kindly ask you leash or somehow restrict your dog to your property to protect us. We are defenseless and scared." And probably attach the LEASH LAWS for this county. Does that sound stupid?

As for the blind dog red sweater leashed property pooper... she gets one more dirty look from me, and then I get a sign that has a squatting dog that says I DON'T **** ON YOUR PROPERTY, DON'T **** ON MINE... LOL

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you all for replying!!
So far, the girls are in a pretty secure pen - it is 60X90, attached to the fort Knox coop they have been in since day old chicks, no deaths - except the two due to shipping. They are about three and a half months old now.
The run/ pen is welded wire - 6 ft high, and I have buried poultry netting out about 2 ft and up the welded wire about a foot to prevent digging. I'm going to go ahead and wrap it all in the electric poultry netting too I think - I really like that suggestion alot. For the dog to dig through all that, he would be getting his *** shocked off, and hopefully would stop! At least meanwhile I hope the girls would recognize the danger and get in the coop thru the small pop door there is no way he would ever be able to fit in LOL
I'm home most days anyway, except running errands or days I sub.

As for my breed choice - yes, I researched, I have had both labs and a poodle before and I chose the golden-doodle because it is a mix of both my fave breeds. Such intelligent dogs. I firmly believe that with training he will be fine, and he is still young - 10 months- so hopefully I made a good choice. My poodle "shed" when she was brushed or bathed, and my lab was a mild shedder - The rescue where this boy is coming from said his bed has very little to no hair on it. He is groomed monthly. We aren't allergic, I just don't want pet hair in the house. My girls don't free range unless I'm with them, their pen is certainly large enough.

The new dog will be leashed while we are outside, and we will begin training him to the invisible fence right away (which I'm debating whether or not to include the coop and run in, so he can "protect it" or whether to not include it, so he would have to run thru the invis fence and the electric poultry netting AND dig through and under wire to get to them (and then probably not fit thru the pop door if they are all smart enough to run inside. PHEW that was a mouthful!

Am I delusional? No, you are not. You are hopeful and that is entirely different.

Am I doing the right things? Only you can decide that and time will tell you...but I think you are on the right track.

And how do I train my new boy to be ok round the girls? The single most important thing I have observed about dogs that do well around chickens, regardless of the breed, are that they view their masters as the alpha and they do not willingly harm those things that belong to the alpha. Obedience training, establishing his order in your pack as a lower member, stressing the importance of the chickens to you(I do this by holding a chicken close while the dog is close to me and showing him my ownership of this animal. I scold any excitement or attention towards the chickens and I encourage mild curiosity and calm behavior towards and around them.)

As far as the rot - heres what I think I decided. I'm going to take a dozen eggs with a red bow on top and a note that says, "We would kindly ask you leash or somehow restrict your dog to your property to protect us. We are defenseless and scared." And probably attach the LEASH LAWS for this county. Does that sound stupid? It does not and it could be that this neighbor isn't even aware that their dog is trespassing on your land on a regular basis. I think it is a good move.

As for the blind dog red sweater leashed property pooper... she gets one more dirty look from me, and then I get a sign that has a squatting dog that says I DON'T **** ON YOUR PROPERTY, DON'T **** ON MINE... LOL

 

[canesisters]

I think that with patience and vigilant persistence, you should have no problem training your dog to behave around the flock - that is, IF he's open to the idea. The best training advise I've ever gotten actually took me a little while to 'get'. I was walking a horse over to the ring and a much more experienced 'old-timer' yelled "You know, you can't 'take' and animal somewhere to train it." I was baffled for a while but it finally dawned on me that what they meant was that training happens every moment that you're around, not just in the arena. If you and your family agree on a set of commands, and how they are to be used. And if you will all use them ALL the time (inside, outside, around the flock, around the dog's toys, while on vacation...) then he will have very little trouble. If "Leave it" means leave it no matter what the 'it' is then it will be much easier on him. Ya know?
I had a male rottie/husky mix that was a wonderful 'mother' to a long line of baby birds, squirrels, kittens, puppies, possums, etc. with no real 'training' at all. It was just 'in him'. I have a sheltie now that I wouldn't trust around a small, helpless animal under any circumstances.
Best of luck to you. There is something satisfying to look out and see a big dog peacefully lounging around with it's charges.

 

[nzpouter]

and never hold a chicken in front of a pup's face.... that's how their mum teach them what to eat.

 

[Charrisse]

Oki, well amazingly enough, the rots momma was walking her today, LEASHED, not the blind sweater dog lady who lets the rot tag along UNLEASHED.
Anyhoo, I sauntered up to her and said OH! Are you the rottys momma? And she said yes, and I said, OH! I think she has been following your neighbor on her red sweater blind dog walks, unleashed. She has takin a likin to the chickens and has been coming over closer and closer.. she seems real nice, but Im a little nervous.. anyhoo we chatted for a sec, I think she got the point. Hopefully I never see the big ol rotty unleashed again.

Im ordering poultry netting anyways LOL Anyone know what kind of charger it takes? Can I use the same charger I will run my cows line off of?

 

[Beekissed]

Yes...if you look on the Premier site they will explain what kind of chargers work best with their fences and how to hook them up and all.

 

[redhen]

I have a goldendoodle..and I love love love her to death...
Shes wicked smart..almost too smart for her own good..
But you were fibbed to..they aren't hypoallergenic..and MOST do shed...
My girl sheds like crazy..* sigh*

 

[Charrisse]

Oh I can't wIt to pick him up tomorrow! I'm more interested in his smRts than his coat, but I sure hope he isn't a heavy shedder. His previous owner and the rescue say he isn't. What I've read says it can vary depending on his parents genes and if he is a f1 or f2. I'll post pics when I get him, and some of the girls..who are so big and beautiful. Oh I lov my hens. Lol post a pic of your girl, I wanna see! What's her name* does she get along with the girls?

 

[redhen]

Oh I can't wIt to pick him up tomorrow! I'm more interested in his smRts than his coat, but I sure hope he isn't a heavy shedder. His previous owner and the rescue say he isn't. What I've read says it can vary depending on his parents genes and if he is a f1 or f2. I'll post pics when I get him, and some of the girls..who are so big and beautiful. Oh I lov my hens. Lol post a pic of your girl, I wanna see! What's her name* does she get along with the girls?

Her name is Ginger..
Yes, its true what you say about the coat..
The breeder told me that the ones with a more "poodle" coat dont shed as much... but they still do shed..
And the ones like my girl...(i picked her out for the thinner coat... thinking i wont have to keep her shaved like a poodle) he said the ones with the straighter/thinner coats do shed more...
But personality wise... i couldnt ask for a sweeter/ more human intuned dog..
Super smart... figures things out for herself... is smart enough to be sneaky... (she sneaks under the baby gate in the kitchen and sleeps on the couch..lol) but when she hears us get up she rushes back under the gate and acts like shes been sleeping in the kitchen all night..(we have a baby monitor on her and can see what she does at night... lol)
Its too funny to watch..
But yeah, she super friendly to EVERYONE.. just a big goofy, love bug..
Shes not been around my hens too much.. so... its hard to say. But they are smart enough to be trained to leave the birds alone.. IMO
But you have to REALLY know what you are doing with that training..
Personally i dont trust any dog with birds... but thats just me.

 

[redhen]

Heres her big sister, Peanut.. (i LOVE this dog!) Her face is shaved..







And here is Peanuts and my Gingers dad..(the poodle) Hes a big goofy dog too..





And here is my Ginger..

Before i shaved her face.. and after... (poor dog... i messed her face up pretty bad.. )






She looks like she wearing a blonde wig.. God, i made her look soo ugly... poor thing..