Duck Attacked By Dog HELP

[mylittleava]

My little Ava is (as far as I know) a black duck around 4 1/2 months old.
We have a husky/german shepherd puppy who's almost 6 months old. He's got ahold of my little girl before but the dog stayed. He's now got her again and I just really need some advice.
It's not necessarily vet needed wounds, but I'm sure she's sore. He plucked most of her tail, neck and back feathers. We're giving her the same as last time, liquid antibiotics from the vet twice a day, pain/antibiotic cream on the wounds when needed and low dose baby aspirin. This worked last time but it's there anything else I can do to help at home?
Thanks

PLEASE PLEASE HELP

 

[Miss Lydia]

My little Ava is (as far as I know) a black duck around 4 1/2 months old.
We have a husky/german shepherd puppy who's almost 6 months old. He's got ahold of my little girl before but the dog stayed. He's now got her again and I just really need some advice.
It's not necessarily vet needed wounds, but I'm sure she's sore. He plucked most of her tail, neck and back feathers. We're giving her the same as last time, liquid antibiotics from the vet twice a day, pain/antibiotic cream on the wounds when needed and low dose baby aspirin. This worked last time but it's there anything else I can do to help at home?
Thanks

PLEASE PLEASE HELP

Sounds like you have it covered for the duck but if I was you I'd think twice about the dog. or at least never let it be in with your ducks again especially without supervision. Also I don't know what antibiotic with pain meds your using but anything ending in caine can be deadly for poultry.

Welcome to BYC.

 

[apricotvalleywf]

Checkout my coop link. I just rehabbed a duckling in a very similar scenario (it was a rat).

Hope it helps!!

 

[withat]

Why don't you house your ducks properly and supervise your young dog?

 

[Dr. Todd]

 

[Sfraker]

It sounds like you have it under control with treatment.

If you need any help with your puppy let me know. I am an obedience instructor and may be able to give you a few pointers. Just IM me.

 

[mylittleava]

Duck*** Ava prefers to sleep under my long lawn chair in the grass up by the porch. Even when it's cold and I turn her lamp on in the enclosed bed she doesn't stay, her choice not mine. She's in a fully fenced yard with a pool and that's good enough for us both. She rules it with the little dogs and her buddy Mikey.
Now as far as the puppy goes, HES NOT ALLOWED OUT WITHOUT A LEASH AND SUPERVISION. I was napping and my brothers friend let him out with her alone. I have warned them both about this since they had done it before but they didn't listen. She'll be going to a new home soon but this won't stop me from having more ducks in the future.

 

[withat]

Well obviously your current situation is not a viable option! Two attacks in less than four months is awful, it will only be worse once your dog is fully grown and figures out that duck tastes good. You need to create separate runs for the animals or get rid of one of them, simple. It doesn't make any difference whether or not your dog is allowed out without a leash, it is ridiculous to think that it will never get out accidently in the future, as mentioned, there has been two attacks in four months already, how many times on top of that two has there been a potential for attack in which you intervened?

Another option is professional training for your dog, his breed is very trainable so this could be a good option if you won't build a fence. You want somewhere that you send your pup for a matter of weeks where he receives the intense style of training he requires though. Not once a week hour long sessions or puppy preschool group classes(which will do ****all)!

You have a highly energetic breed of dog that likely has a very strong prey drive developing i give that duck till xmas if it is lucky.

 

[Sfraker]

@withat did you join this forum just to troll? I see that you are new here. This is not how we treat each other on this forum. She is reaching out for help, belittling her will turn her away from our forum and from looking for help.

Please talk to a dog behaviorist or reputable trainer before giving advice. Prey drive is a myth, so is "getting the taste for duck" or anything else. That is not how dogs work. Example: My dogs are trained retrievers. They have helped flush birds and retrieve them while hunting for 3 & 5 years respectively. We got our ducks this spring. The dogs do not go near the ducks without my permission. Even if all ducks and dogs are loose in the yard. It took time and training, but thankfully since those two items you listed are myths it wasn't a problem.

Sending a dog away for training only works if you then go and spend a lot of time with the trainer learning how to do exactly the same body language and verbal queues that the trainer used. Since we are all individuals this takes more time and is more inconsistent than going to a weekly class and doing the training at home yourself. For example if your trainer moves their eyes before giving a command that movement is what the dog will learn. It would be best for mylittleava to learn how to train her dog so that they can work together.

@mylittleava I got your PM. I will put together some tips/tricks and email you tonight. I will also send you some great links to some trainers/behaviorists that work with farm dogs. This is an easy fix if you are willing to put the time and effort into it.

 

[withat]

Prey drive isn't a myth. Some dogs like chasing animals more than others? How is that statement slightly controversial?

Dogs getting a 'taste' for blood is, but dogs like doing fun things and if they have enjoyed killing birds in the past they will be more inclined to do it again. I don't think there is any myth around that. It is that people attribute the previous fact to the animals now having a taste for blood which is what is incorrect.

Why do you think my posts are trolling? Just because i am new? I have simply never felt the need to reply on this forum until now. I know my post comes across rude. It is because i think it is rude to agree to the care of an animal and then refuse basic housing requirements. I don't keep my snake with my dragon, which i don't keep with my chickens, which i don't keep with my dog, which i don't keep with my ducks.. Animals require a home that is theirs not some communal **** fight. My posts were blunt but they contained the necessary information.

I have also trained my dog to the point where he is barely interested in the birds, any time he has shown interest in them he has been reprimanded. He is able to be around the birds fine as well. He just never has the chance unless i am there. I agree with what you say re: a solid training schedule conducted by yourself being better than someone else but i think you underestimate dogs and professional trainers. Working dogs are often not trained by their eventual masters. Police dogs still listen to their copper. Seeing eye dogs still listen to their blind guy. These dogs are also often trained by the person who will be working them as well, because the best trained dog is the one you trained yourself, but if you don't have the knowledge, time or patience then paying someone else to do it is the next best option.


mylittleava, it is obvious you love your animals based on the extent you went to to look after your duck. It is naive to simply think things will be alright in the future just because "HES NOT ALLOWED OUT WITHOUT A LEASH AND SUPERVISION". Take the time and money required to properly accommodate your animals, they deserve this. My birds aren't pets, if they die i replace them, but they are animals and deserve security and i provide them with such.