Fox Dog Training?

[cstephens1987]

I have a fox problem but I may also have a dog problem. If I'm around my dog will listen to me and not go after the chickens but a young one wandered into her territory once and she made a snack of it. How can I train her (or the new puppy) to be a guard and not a predator for the flock.
Side note usually her electric collar keeps her away from the coop and by the house (right to the edge) but that forces the chickens between her and the woods where the foxes like to lurk and wait for opportunity to strike. I don't have the option of moving the coop so I'd like to get another transmitter and give the dog more range to guard but only if I can train her not to eat the chickens she's supposed to be protecting.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

What breed is the dog?

Some breeds have a prey drive that they just can’t ignore, so they’ll always be chicken killers.

 

[cstephens1987]

What breed is the dog?

Some breeds have a prey drive that they just can’t ignore, so they’ll always be chicken killers.

"Lab/hound mix" and we think she has some collie in her based on appearance.
The puppy were looking at getting is a lab/heeler mix it would appear.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I’ve had hounds and healers that wouldn’t touch the chickens, so it’s certainly doable with those breeds.

the healer was one of the best chicken guardians I’ve known... she’d even scramble the birds when a hawk flew came around.... and she had almost no training, she just kinda picked it up after she learned she wasn’t allowed to chase them.

Persistence and consistency is probably all you need to train your dog to leave the birds alone. A training collar can be a big help, but it’s use is just to help you be persistent and consistent....

in other words the dog needs to be listening to you not the collar.... the collar is just a tool ... one that replaces the “check chords” used in the past. So you have to be out there telling the dog “no” while using the collar, not sitting on the porch zapping her from afar, she needs to know what you expect from her first, then it’ll all fall into place.

Invisible fence collars can actually teach a dog to lay and wait for a chicken ( or other critter) to cross that magic line... so that might do more harm than good.... again the dog is listening to the collar not you... that’s the opposite of what you want.

As for getting the dog to keep foxes away... I think you just need to get her to see that you demand that the chickens are off limits first, and then she’ll protect them to please you.

Hope that helps.