Good dog gone bad?

[rikd1983]

I've had chickens and ducks for a couple years now. I have a very loyal and faithful German Shepard named maverick as well. He was a pup when I got my first few chickens, and he is now 3. He has always been good with them and "herded" them if you will, but never caused any harm to them. He has injured 2 ducks, and I just caught him with a young cockerel that I hatched this spring in his jaws. Both ducks are fine, mostly feathers missing, and I didn't find a scratch on the little rooster. When he does this, it's more playful than aggressive I believe, but I don't want it to escalate, there are enough predators around here, and he is supposed to be their protector. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated on why he would start this, or how to break him of it.

 

[snow5164]

You know, we try sooo hard to train them to be what we need them to be, and like a child when you leave the room they have to decide if they will choose what you would want them to do. There really are no bad dogs, just dogs with a prey drive we will never break .... I work with many many breeds and ages of dogs and the fact is when your not watching everything becomes a toy and no matter what you think , they remember what you said , but it's soo very tempting to put everything in their mouths .