Heartbroken - need to rehome dogs

[Urban Chaos]

So its come to this. My husband said they have to go. They killed 2 chicks today ( they are repeat offenders and will stop at nothing to get to the birds). I'm devastated, not just for the lost chicks, but for having to make this decision and loose my dogs. My 2 youngest will be heartbroken to loose them, but as a parent I'm having to make this call. I looked at craigslist and they are flooded with animals up for adoption postings. I know the local shelters are loaded as well. Nobody I know will take them (either they have dogs already or dont want any dog). I know I have to let them go, but I love them.

 

[sfw2]

Quote:
I'm so sorry.

 

[Glenmar]

Can't you build a dog yard for them away from the birds?

 

[onthespot]

my dogs are terrible killers. I keep the chicks up on tall wire dog crates so they can't reach. Outside the birds are secured. Dogs run free. no one dies.

 

[Urban Chaos]

They have a dog yard away from the birds, but they are constantly climbing, digging, doing what ever they can to get out. Its hard for me to say, but they really need to find a home where they will get all the attention they need. They are so high energy that my 2 youngest cant play with them, and my oldest is just not a dog person - he is a strait up chicken person. My husband had me get a lab because he wanted a bird dog, then got a new job and is gone a lot. The labs training got left to me and I'd never trained a dog in my life, much less a hunting dog. Needless to say the job didnt get done very well. Our second dog is a really sweet boy, but he is a chicken killer and dosnt like our cat. Yes, this is our fault for not properly training them from the get go.

but I think this is best for the family.

 

[redhen]

I'm so sorry...

My dog is a killer also....
My birds would always get rehomed before my dog though...
WHy is it your husbands decision anyways?

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
We keep our chicks in the garage until they are ready for the juvie pen. Outside birds are secure. I guess I don't understand why you guys can;t work a fix instead of getting rid of much loved family pets.

And believe me, my dogs are predators. GREAT guard dogs though.

 

[PotterWatch]

Our dogs are killers as well. They can and have killed many of our chickens before we figured out how to secure them. Our dogs wear electronic fencing collars at all times when they are outside. The wire just runs around the perimeter of our backyard to keep them from jumping the fence or getting to the chicken run (which is on one side of the yard). Sorry you have to find a new home for your dogs.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

I've heard if you tie one of the carcasses of the chickens they killed around their necks, dogs will sometimes stop attacking them. It's not 100% but it's worth a try...

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

I have three labs and a beagle. One of labs is a trained huntsmen. He doesn't have much intrest in them other then every so often running around with a chicken in his mouth. He does the soft bite so no harm but chickens seem to not like it so much.

My female lab gets interested here and there but my husband insists on a shock collar being on her so once she gets even near then pen she gets a zap. Nothing heavy just a warning zap. Enough times she just knows to not mess with my chickens.
I enjoy my dogs but we have to all get along in my house. It takes more work to let them free range , because I have to let each group out the out them up before dogs run the yard.
I swear by kennel training. All my dogs have their kennel and thats their space.