ducks and dogs

[new2ducks]

My dog, Tess is finally calming down...well lets just say less barking at the ducks! I'm trying to include her in some things with the ducks. Our morning routine is to feed them as I pull any food for the night to help discourage any "visitors". I get oats to mix with their food in the morning and Tess joins me so I get some oats for her and she eats them outside the kennel while I go in and feed the ducks. Although being a lab/chessie mix she LOVES water so she goes inside while I empty the water and refill it. She loves to go over and give them a little "run" every once in a while. She'll just bark and make a run around the kennel then walk away. I check for any drooling on her part and there's none! lol I keep reminding her that "if you don't eat the ducks you can have some of their eggs". I'll NEVER trust her actually with them but it's fun to see her interact.

 

[MallardDuckling]

I got really lucky with my dog Halen. My Dad's dog, not so lucky.

I've seen Axl try and nip at the ducks a few times. At this point, I won't let him outside, when they ducks are loose, and I won't let him near their cage. I just cannot trust him, even when I'm standing right there.

Halen on the other hand thinks the ducks are his babies. Everytime I say duck he gets so excited and runs to the back door wanting to go see them. He always has to check and make sure they are all there and that they are ok.
The feeling seems to be mutual. The ducks like to follow him around, they curl up next to him, and when it's time to go back in their enclosure, Halen helps herd them in. He never lets one seperate from the rest.

 

[LilyAshley11]

My dog Amy is a poodle and everytime try to eat my ducks, the curious is she don't try to eat the magpie (The black) only the pekins (The white's) i don't know why

 

[Amiga]

I had a poodle who would go after ducks, many years ago. They are hunting dogs, I believe.

 

[PetesMom]

I have a boxer, and a lab.....they both love the ducks! I let them mingle with them all the time lol Chickens on the other hand? My boxer wants to eat them for some reason

 

[twinmama]

I will never trust my dogs with the ducks or chickens here. Honestly one of my dogs is getting older and is calm, so she can be in the yard with me if needed while I'm taking care of the ducks. The other (a Min Pin) wants nothing more than to KILL them all. She got out the door ahead of me once, and I only barely saved the ducks by chasing the dog in high-speed circles as she did her best to catch one. She managed to get a mouth full of feathers just as I tackled her. No permanent damage to any involved, and I can't fault the dog for her instincts. However, she is now restricted to a leash when the ducks are out.

 

[Nyowpotopop]

Mydogs are like the sun and the moon when it comes to small animals. My mutt is calm and sweet and wags hertail and sniffs other animals and tries very hard to make friends (except with ferrets). If she can't she tends to follow them around until they let her sniff them and then she tries again to make friends. Her favorites are her bunny friends. She loves our two rabbits.

Our husky, Nukka, is a bit of a monster. Oh she is controlled enough when mommy is staring right at her... The moment my back is turned she sneaks off to be naughty. She tries to pounce and play rough will all animals regardless of species. I have since determined that she is actually 90% trying to play after she caught a grounded bird and did nothing but snuffle it and pounce it (no teeth no biting)... But she has no respect for boundaries or other animals. One of these days she's going to get bit by the rabbits and freak out. XD

 

[sherrik9]

The line between play and hunting/ killing is sometimes just experience and practice. Most dogs have an instinct to chase, with practice they can learn to catch, with more practice they can learn to kill, with more practice they may learn to eat what they kill. Be very careful with dogs around any livestock unless properly trained.