Guardian Dog for Ducks

[sunrise.superman]

Herding breeds tend to chase. Great Pyrs, Maremma can guard birds well. They'll need to be used to birds or acclimated to birds if they haven't worked w them before. A Pyr or LGD (livestock guardian dog) rescue group may be able to find an LGD experienced w birds or trainable to birds...with just 2 acres a retiree dog would be perfect.

 

[chickens really]

Narrow, 2-acre, partially wooded lot.

Well you could get a Maremma or possibly a smaller dog like a corgi that can watch over Birds it really depends. All breeds can work depends on fences and energy level you want?..

 

[DuckyDonna]

My Anatolian was "dumped" in our neighood and she was old, like probably 10-12? I have no idea where she came from or what she knew before us but she sure was a good old girl. She loved the ducks from the time they were babies until she died. We didn't have to train her. She just knew those were her ducks and they were her job. The ducks would crawl all over her and she didn't care. I think she thought they were hers.

 

[CLovesDucks]

Thanks, y’all! This is great info!

 

[DucksOhio]

I have hound dogs...2. My older dog marks the property well which I think helps deter some predators. My younger hound loves the ducks and follows them from a distance. She barks and chases anything that moves in the yard (except the ducks).

 

[YodaBat]

Here is how PATOS and I YodaBat train our adopted street dog (he was free) It is a daily rutine and he's getting the hang of it.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Thanks, y’all! This is great info!

Ok so let me throw something else into this just FYI. We've also got a border collie (almost 4yrs) and a border collie puppy that we got after Honeybear died. Those are "herding" dogs. Our older one is fine and is smarter than most people I know but the puppy is a disaster! Probably, if she was "trained", she would be ok but she is NOT and I would not recommend a "herding" dog to protect your ducks! Yes, they will round them up and get them into a group but they will NOT protect them like an LGD will.

 

[CLovesDucks]

Here is how PATOS and I YodaBat train our adopted street dog (he was free) It is a daily rutine and he's getting the hang of it.

AWESOME video! So he basically just gave positive reinforcement for being close to the ducks and then trained “herding”? Thanks for sharing!

 

[CLovesDucks]

Ok so let me throw something else into this just FYI. We've also got a border collie (almost 4yrs) and a border collie puppy that we got after Honeybear died. Those are "herding" dogs. Our older one is fine and is smarter than most people I know but the puppy is a disaster! Probably, if she was "trained", she would be ok but she is NOT and I would not recommend a "herding" dog to protect your ducks! Yes, they will round them up and get them into a group but they will NOT protect them like an LGD will.

Great advice. I’d prefer to adopt over getting a puppy (both of my current dogs, a dachshund and a corgi, are rescues). Hubby had a collie growing up that he loved!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I have a Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog, "miniature Collie"), which is of course a herding breed, and she is very protective of the property and the chickens. I have seen her drive off three coyotes at a time. She does not herd the chickens although I did see her try to herd a turtle once. When I first moved here she also tried to herd dragonflies but she gave up on that pretty quickly.

Best wishes picking a breed, and whatever you decide, may I recommend the book, "The Art of Raising A Puppy," by the Monks of New Skete.