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

[Ilovemychicks08]

She knows basic commands and is doing very well with them. According to many local folks, she's actually very advanced for her age. We're working on more advanced subjects like: "No biting/mouthing", "Who's the Boss?" and "Calm Your Ass Down So You Pay Attention". All is well.

The nearest class is 45 minutes away, and we're still working on getting the travel nausea sorted. Once that's done, then we'll undoubtedly seek some formal training and dog socialization. She's made one doggy friend...ish. I had a doggy playdate scheduled for her today, but it got rained out :\

That is good that she is doing well with her tricks. I've never had a pup with travel nausea. And all the training classes around us are atleast 35 min away so i know how that feels. My golden pup had a few playdates with other pups then she started to get really scared around dogs so we backed off the playdates. Then we found a golden that was 1 year older than her and she started to like playing with dogs. After a couple of playdates she went into heat and didn't have any pup interaction and know she is just warming up to dogs again. Hope you can figure everythig out. And i would say she is potty trained. My pup has a bell but also will stay by the door if she has to go out.

 

[chickfused]

Im quite worried she's not getting enough socialization.to be honest. She's met exactly one dog by 15 weeks old and only about 40 people. She's very cautious/guarded with strangers at the house unless I introduce them to her. She's good in public though. And seems good with kids. I guess this is good as long as she never goes after anyone here.

 

[Daddy Benjamin]

Title says it all. I've never even owned a dog before, much less a working dog. I know about how to care for them, having done so from time to time and also from working in a shelter, but I don't know any specifics about chicken to dog and vice versa communicable illnesses. Is there anything to worry about beyond parasites?

Dogs can catch salmonella if your chicken have it. It will make a dog sick. Big issue is if your dog is a poo eater. Some dogs just are and I have seen most breeds do it. It seems to be a random behavior that some dogs have and other's don't. Not sure if mortality with dogs and Salmonella. Will have to check with a vet.

 

[chickfused]

I explained everything to my vet at her first visit and he said his only concern would be coccidia even with her being a poo eater. Apparently the canine digestive system, being foragers and carrion eaters by nature, deals well with it in healthy dogs.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Im quite worried she's not getting enough socialization.to be honest. She's met exactly one dog by 15 weeks old and only about 40 people. She's very cautious/guarded with strangers at the house unless I introduce them to her. She's good in public though. And seems good with kids. I guess this is good as long as she never goes after anyone here.

My pup has only met 8 different dog 2 being dogs that have just run up to her which i didnt like. But has met so many different people and kids. As long as you keep her around atleast 1 other dog she should be fine. Also make sure to keep socializing her around people. We made this mistake with one dog we use to have.

 

[chickfused]

Sorry I haven't updated lately. The weather and shortening days have caused us to need a schedule adjustment. Getting wood in, the stove going, chickens fed and watered, keeping cats, chickens, and dogs socialized, but contained when outside time is limited before I have to get online for work. It's a lot, but we're managing.

Copper continues to be both a joy and a stressful trial - I'm told this will be the case for the first year really. But we are slowly working toward equilibrium. She's doing really well with leave it, and we're close to an automatic (but really resented) down when she sees a cat.

I haven't been able to have her sleep in the barn for the past 2 nights, and I hope to high heavens she doesn't forget her chickens. It's just been in the low 20s (Farenheit), and that's not ok for dogs in an unheated coop. Chickens are fine tho.

I did get some Dramamine in her and test her on a car ride, and there was definite improvement. I think anxiety is playing some part, but for the first time, she was up, looking out windows, etc. She retched a bit right after we started, but it almost seemed like she was so anxious about feeling sick, she made herself sick. After she settled down, she started to express curiousity about things for the first time ever, which makes me think poor thing must have been both anxious and truly motion sick. So, Dramamine going forward, and then the anxiety will hopefully work itself out as she learns that car ride != nausea.

If that gets sorted, then we can go to puppy class, which I think will be very good for her. And probably me.

She has a doggy playdate this weekend, possibly 2, and one on Monday.

 

[chickfused]

Today was a good and bad day. She and the cat made friends by chasing a rat together. They got it too! Like the cat accepted her and headbutted her and everything after that! They traded licks and happiness.

And then by this afternoon, she was her normal bitey snappy mess and pestered the cat into hating her again. Guarded me from my neighbor (who she knows) and I had to get ahold of her offleash, so she transferred her frustration/worry with the situation to me via teeth and claws (reactivity, not aggression), and chased a chicken with some kind of intent. The chicken had flown the coop, and after whatever happened, happened, it flew it's ass right back in. So she was either helping to put it away, trying to eat it, or trying to play with it. IDK which.

I felt so light this morning after the cat interaction, like finally we could both have one source of stress removed from our lives. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

 

[chickfused]

I've realized Copper's only allowing herself maybe 10-12 hours of sleep a day and she should be getting 14+. We are going on a strict schedule with enforced crate time throughout the day starting today.

Also, she's definitely teething, so I'm twisting up and freezing some wetted washcloths for her. I'm sure she's uncomfortable.

I also got her a couple of mental stimulation puzzle toys which she likes quite a bit.

 

[chickfused]

So I started enforcing crate/nap time today. Definitely a better dog. Not worlds of improvement, but definitely some. So, I took her to the park this evening and she happily met a man and his daughter. Then she woofed at a Pomeranian and Scottish Terrier in a not good way. On the way home, we stopped at the local high school football game and stood by the entrance where many, many people were going by, a helicopter landed and took off on the field, cars were driving around, the PA was going, and the band was playing. She was VERY antsy, and woofed at one family and growled, but for the other 40-50 people she saw and the general mayhem, she walked around a bit, and was laying at my feet after about 15 minutes. I need to get even that last bit of reactivity out of her in public, but it's quite amplified on her own turf.

I put her to bed with her chickens tonight, as it's going to be quite temperate.

 

[chickfused]

Today was the most amazing dog day in the world. I've never understood that puppies needed to be forcibly put down to nap like toddlers and babies. Someone explained this to me, like the dunce that I am, and today, Copper was incredible. I've got her on a 4 up, 2 down schedule (with some modification 30 minutes either way based on her temperament) and things are definitely looking up.

We also got a LOT of gentle exercise and mental stimulation. I bought her some puzzle toys and (with the help of Dramamine) took her to the state park to meet people, check out a lake, watch people, climb rocks and go over dead trees, and she got to meet a dog!

And lastly, the cat brought her a mouse (dead) and she played with that poor thing for 90 minutes before finally eating it's paws and tail.

She is one gently, well tuckered out puppy, without all the hard play and with an appropriate amount of sleep.

Tomorrow, we have a doggy playdate at the local park and I built her an exploration snuffle box.

Edit: She continues to be chill around the chickens 98% of the time, with the occasional chasing session. It's usually because one starts shit, and she interprets it as an invitation to play. The cats are another thing entirely... They have four feet, they must be funny looking dogs that just need to be taught how to play, right? And, sadly, tails are _fascinating_.