Guard dog ?

[theVulture]

I have 3 working dogs. My Maremma to protect my Birds and Yard. He doesn't wander far from the pens.
I have a Golden Retriver/Aussie that patrols my entire property and chases off Fox and Coyotes.
I have a Yorkshire Terrier that is trained to wrangle Birds. None of my Dogs have harmed a Bird I own. Proper training.

Tell that to my kangal , you can train it all you want. But as soon as you turn your back he would go and strangle half of the chickens to death and eat the chicken eggs.
His head is thicker than a brick wall and i dont believe some can be trained at all anymore..

 

[hillbilly91]

I have a red heeler that does great with my birds. Both in cages and free range. We have had him from 8weeks around chickens. You just have to introduce chickens to the puppy every day and don't allow anything to happen. Keep correcting bad habits and teach basic obedience.

 

[chickens really]

Tell that to my kangal , you can train it all you want. But as soon as you turn your back he would go and strangle half of the chickens to death and eat the chicken eggs.
His head is thicker than a brick wall and i dont believe some can be trained at all anymore..

Wasn't asking you about your Dogs.

 

[JaeG]

Our Lab x English Pointer is fantastic with all our birds, even tiny hand reared finches. She knows she's not to touch them because she's been taught to ignore them. I'd trust her 100% with our chickens but ours don't free range at all due to a stormwater culvert with very steep sides running through the bottom of our garden that is home to many eel (who love chicken eggs as a treat). I don't want to lose any birds in there. Our dog has been taught to ignore seagulls at the beach and ducks at the park. I'd walk her towards them on the lead and as soon as she noticed them I'd say "No" (and she knows exactly what that word means). She quickly learned to ignore them.

Hunting dogs are bred to work with their handler and do what they are told making them very easy to train, especially those that retrieve prey for their person. You just need to put the effort into training them. Training is essential with any dog. A reputable breeder will be able to match you with a suitable puppy for your needs as well. Also, a puppy will need time before it is old enough and mentally mature enough to do the job you want it to do.

I wouldn't get a LGD unless I had quite a few acres for it to patrol and enough predators to keep it busy because a bored LGD will make its own amusement if it's left to its own devices.

 

[aart]

You just need to put the effort into training them. Training is essential with any dog.

Ditto Dat x1000!

 

[Cyprus]

Speaking from personal experience with my own dogs, do not get Huskies.
They killed most of my chickens.

 

[ejtrout31]

I agree training will be my main priority. When I get the gig I will have a run outside of the fenced in area and all the chickens will be inside of the fence. I first need to train the dog to understand to stay away from the road and when cars come up our drive away. The next thing would be going in a kennel at night. During this time we would start with meeting a couple older RIR hens, a rooster, pulleys, cockerels, bantam hen, bantam rooster, then baby chicks.
We would use this order we will start with me holding a hen in front of the dog. I will let the dog sniff but not to close. As long as that goes well I would let the dog, chicken
And me in the kennel the chicken and dog can walk around I will closely monitor everything that happens. I will do this all the way down the list. Until chicks are safe with the dog. Then we will see about the map and having the dog live inside the fence if the dog knows it’s boundra by then I will open the fence up so the dog and chickens can free range. During the day and locked up by night.

 

[aart]

I first need to train the dog to understand to stay away from the road and when cars come up our drive away.

...after sit, stay, recall, heel, and no.
Rock solid obedience comes first.

 

[LemonyCatapult]

We have a maremma/ great pyr and couldn’t be happier. He loves the chickens and is extremely protective. We did have trouble teaching him that they are not playmates at first but he is just over a year old and still learning. He never hurt one but he did enjoy chasing them around for a while!

 

[Grits&Eggs]

My dogs love my chickens (black mouth kur and papillon), I have never had a problem, but my daughter (who has the same breed dog) brings her dog over - her kur pounces against and throws herself into the walls....training and maybe growing up together is the only thing I can think of since mine always look confused when the other dog "attacks" the chickens, but join in when they are on a squirrel hunt!