Getting a guardian puppy - any chicken<-->dog communicables I need to worry about?

[chickfused]

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Omg she is adorable! Im so glad she is such a good dog!

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

The biggest worry is getting a dog with a high prey drive (as most of them have), which results in dead chickens.
Start with one of the livestock guard breeds, get it young and take the process very slowly with constant supervision.

This is SO sensical. I work part time (or couldn't afford the dog) so the "constant sup." I need to work out/figure out as I do not want to NOT have a dog; ugg. These times are when I hate being poor/working class.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Doggie camp was a great success. She came back very happy and much larger than when she left? Not sure how she grew so much in 4 days, but there we go.

Today, we herded 30 chickens, off leash. And it was _perfect_. I gave her the "We're going to work now" cue: "It's time to put the chickens away." And then I pointed out the group I wanted her to move into the pen: "Chickens, gotobed." while pointing at them. She went and got every single group, rounded them up and put them away. As soon as she knew the group she was working was going into the pen, she'd stop and look at me to point out the next one. We had one straggler and it just panicked and kept trying to run through the chicken fence, and Copper just laid there in "herd pose" (the same one border collies do) and watched it struggle for a few minutes to see if it was going to manage to get it's head together. Eventually she must have decided it was too stupid to live, because she gently grabbed it's tail in her mouth, pulled it about 12" away from the fence, let it go, and then slowly moved it to the gate.

Such a joy. 30 chickens in less than 10 minutes.

If I get another one of these, it's getting popped in with the chickens for a month out the gate too. I have a 6 month old utility dog. People said it would take years for her to be chicken safe.

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How cool is this whole story. Thanks.

 

[chickfused]

In addition to running off fox, Copper has learned to scan the skies for large birds, and runs along under them barking so they don't even think about landing or coming for a chicken. I'm still working on fine tuning her chicken herding, she's pretty much push/drive 80% of the time, and only goes slow when we are working together. I love that I can sit on the deck and tell her to go put the chickens away and she does though.

She's also learned, again, completely on her own - to go gather up strays and return them to the main flock. No solo, vulnerable birds on her watch.

She still struggles with prey drive with adolescent and baby chickens. She's never hurt one, but they trigger "toy" I think vs. job/duty/friend.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

In addition to running off fox, Copper has learned to scan the skies for large birds, and runs along under them barking so they don't even think about landing or coming for a chicken. I'm still working on fine tuning her chicken herding, she's pretty much push/drive 80% of the time, and only goes slow when we are working together. I love that I can sit on the deck and tell her to go put the chickens away and she does though.

She's also learned, again, completely on her own - to go gather up strays and return them to the main flock. No solo, vulnerable birds on her watch.

She still struggles with prey drive with adolescent and baby chickens. She's never hurt one, but they trigger "toy" I think vs. job/duty/friend.

Im so glad she is doing so well! Do you have any pics, im sure she is full grown by now.

 

[chickfused]

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

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She is gorgeous!

 

[chickfused]

She really is. My vet says she's an incredible example of her breed. I got her for a song really compared to the worth she's already brought to the place. God help me, I'm considering breeding her. She's got excellent genetics and her temperament is night and day from her puppyhood.

 

[NatJ]

I'm considering breeding her. She's got excellent genetics and her temperament is night and day from her puppyhood.

I'd be a little worried about how the puppies' owners would deal with some of those stages that were giving you trouble. Obviously it can be done, but not everyone is willing or able to work through it. So you might need to be a bit extra-careful about what homes the puppies would go to.