Dogs

[twindaddy43]

Has anyone had any success training dogs to watch over their chickens? I have heard of using Anatolian Shepperds for this purpose but I don't know anyone who has had actual success.

 

[watchdogps]

Quote:
Lots of discussion on this - do a search using terms like Anatolian, LGD, Pyr, Great Pyrenees and look in the other pets section.

 

[carolinagirl58]

Lots of people do it. They are called Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD).

 

[nzpouter]

Lots of people do it. They are called well trained dogs.

 

[zazouse]

I have a Rottweiler,pitbull, Great pyrenees,and anatolian/great pyrenees cross as flock guardians and they do a wonderful job here watching out for all the free rangers here and there are 100's.

I have an Aussie for rounding up birds and herding , but i think she would rather play with a predator than kill it

This is Tucker and all around good dog with family friends and birds he also watches for aerial predators.

This is Gracie she is the predator killer here and she is ruthless she is also my catch dog when hog hunting but when it comes to the flocks she is their best friend

This is my AS/GP cross he at chicks at first because he was always hungry and thought everything was food but i upped his feeding to 3 times a day and uses the water hose to squirt him when i caught him going after the chicks and problem was solved now he is a wonderful LGD .
his puppy photo

he is all grown up now

This is Martie, she is the lead dog here and a great flock dog she also watches for aerial predators.

This is Abbie all around good herding dog but not a killer of anything

 

[NewChcikenmommy!]

Ihave an idiot boxer that is NOT allowed near my babies..ugh he is impossible! He goes up to their run and lifts his leg at them peeing through the fencing..He has such a high play drive that anything smaller can't keep up. his 62# pounce would literally crush my hens..

 

[frostbite]

What about dogs that are bred to go after birds? I have a three year old labrador/spaniel mix that caught a spruce hen once when we were out romping in the woods, and he desperately wants to catch himself a raven. My other dog is a two year old husky/blue heeler mix. Can they be trained to guard the chickens instead of chasing them? I'm most concerned about the labradaniel. Not getting chicks till next spring, so it's not an issue yet, but I'd be curious to know methods of training retriever type dogs NOT to retrieve!

 

[watchdogps]

Quote:
Well, gun dogs are made to follow instruction/be trainable (as opposed to breeds that are bred to work independently), so they can generally be trained to leave things alone, but they typically will not truly guard them. They may guard the area, as territoriality, but usually it has little to do with the birds, it's a space thing.

 

[zazouse]

I have a lab pup out of my old lab that passed away and both were and are great with my flocks and my old lab that passed was used for duck hunting and did fine with the ducks here.
Guess it just depends on the dog because i have had dogs in the past raised with my flocks and still killed my birds when they got older and trying to train them out of it was hopeless

 

[Ole rooster]

I'm no professional trainer by any means, but I do believe I can train most any dog what he's allow to do and not do. "You" have to be willing to take the time and have the patience to see it through. The dog has to know your alpa can sense your calm, controlled demenor. If you're a flighty unsure type, you are in for a long haul and most probably dissapointment.

This is a bad picture but it's Morgan's 3rd week with the chickens. He's nearly 4 and till 3 weeks ago he didn't know what a chicken was. He finds them interesting and now they are his. He can be a little bit off from them and hear one sqawk and he up and going to check on the problem. No, I couldn't for a better dog for my needs, and he's only 63 lbs.