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

[chickfused]

Careful with the Halo collar! Puppies should NEVER have shock collars.

You can put it in non-shock mode. Also, literally every retriever trainer (at least in these parts) disagrees with you. Bank = hot. You have to go in a straight line to the fowl. But I've no intention of doing so. My pup has also learned very well from the hot chicken pen with no harm at all.

 

[chickfused]

Copper met 2 dogs today and it went well! She might be on her way to doggy friendship. And she got a big cardboard box to demolish happily. Good dog day.

 

[Geena]

Also, literally every retriever trainer (at least in these parts) disagrees with you.

The good gun dog trainers/owners I know usually wait until around 6 months and after basic obedience training before beginning e-collar training. I feel you are doing too much too soon with your pup, and may come to regret it on down the line.
IMO a 12 week old pup is too way young for any dominance theory and/or aversion training. Personally I only use positive reinforcement, until and unless something occurs where a firmer hand becomes necessary.
And I have high drive working line GSDs and Mals that make your pup look like a little angel.

 

[chickfused]

Something occured where a firmer hand became necessary. End of story. Snapping and snarling and biting humans out of anger/annoyance is never, ever, ever ok - even if you're a 6 week old.

Things have become much calmer, happier, and more aligned entirely around here since taking control of that situation and that was literally the only mandatory thing. Dog is much more respectful, and seems oddly happier, than she has been since she arrived. Her trainer was 100% right. It's not like I'm doing this without onsite professional consultation and assessment.

A 6 month old is a puppy. At any rate, as I mentioned, she will not be shocked or harmed in any way with a Halo collar, and no real aversion training is planned. I do not have an "e-collar" for training, I want her to be able to run her property free, off leash and stay away from the main road. We will practice for months and months on leash if that's what's required, but she'll get used to the tone and learn what it means. It's legitimately no different than me training her to recall with a whistle, except I don't actually have to be watching her once she learns it.

 

[Geena]

No need to get defensive, I wasn't criticizing you, just sharing my thoughts. I assumed by your posting all this here that you were looking for feedback.

If the puppy seems calmer and happier now it's most likely because she was previously responding to your annoyance and disappointment in her. Now that you feel calmer and more in control of the situation, she too can relax a little. Dogs are often very perceptive at reading their owners body language and emotions.

 

[chickfused]

Sorry, last time you commented it was "Give up and rehome her." You never seem to comment with any positivity. Maybe I'm like a puppy too?

She's learning. I'm learning. No one is giving up and everything is moving in a positive direction with the guidance of a professional. That's all I got.

 

[chickfused]

 

[Geena]

"Give up and rehome her."

I never said "give up and rehome her". I did say that you might be better off returning her to the breeder or rehoming her and getting a more low key pup. I only said that because you seemed very upset with her behavior at that time and expressed concern about her becoming dangerous in the future.

I haven't commented lately because I don't train with dominance theory methods, that's very old school. Also I didn't realize there was a quota to be met in order to post here.

I'm glad everything is working out for you guys.

 

[chickfused]

I haven't commented lately because I don't train with dominance theory methods, that's very old school.

I don't train with dominance theory methods either. There is exactly one behavior that needs to be stopped and positivity was having absolutely zero impact after weeks. Now we're getting there. Everything else is all carrot and no stick.

We are doing very well with sit/stay, even sitting on command at a distance now vs. her previous choice of coming to sit in front of me, no matter where she was when I asked for a sit. She does super well with wait even when there's a treat 2 feet from her nose. She's crate training well and voluntarily crates from time to time to sleep. Her recall, even without motivational treats, is improving. She's getting socialized to dogs and people both at her home and at other places. We're learning to ride in the car, slowly, but with lessening anxiety. It's all good. The only slight downgrade is she's getting more mouthy with the birds, but so far, hasn't attempted to hurt one even when she managed to get a mouthful of tail feathers.

Thank you for the encouragement.

 

[Geena]

Sounds like you and Copper are well on your way.
In my experience the car sickness usually gets better over time with exposure. She may never really enjoy going for a ride, but hopefully should stop getting nauseated before long.

I would expect the chicken situation to get worse before it gets better. So far she's just been too young, small and inexperienced to really go after them. The nosing, licking and mouthing is usually a prelude to grabbing and killing.

I wonder if her living with them for that period of time might actually have the opposite effect than desired in the end, in that she's maybe too familiar with them.
With my dogs I start from the get go that the chickens are off limits. The chickens belong to me and they are not allowed to touch them, at all, ever. With high prey drive dogs if you give them even an inch they'll take a mile.