HELP !!!! My dog is killing our ducks!

[Chiki_Minaj]

Hi Everyone

Our 10-month-old Bernese mountain puppy is killing our pet ducks! She is a very kind and loving dog and she doesn't kill or chase when we are there. she has done this twice and at first, we thought she was trying to play with them but then she did it again. I am so lost and done knowing what to do. PLEASE I will take any advice I really don't want to have to get rid of her will dogs kill ducks just for the taste? Thank you any help is helpful.

 

[Finnie]

I would like to point out the age of the puppy. At 10 months-ish age, even trained livestock dogs go through a “teenager” phase where their hormones kick in and they test the boundaries. This is a crucial phase for teaching your pup what is and isn’t allowed. You can work with her on leash around the ducks to teach her to ignore them. Don’t let her interact with them alone or off leash until she learns. Until she grows out of this phase and becomes trustworthy. This could take several months.

Also, if you are hoping to use her for a livestock guardian, you can learn a lot by reading the LGD forums over on Backyard Herds. Go to the bottom of BYC, and look for the links to the sister sites. Friendly group over there, and they have a lot of experience with dogs and livestock.

 

[Callender Girl]

I got a Great Pyrenees as a livestock guardian, and when it was clear that she was a great dog but totally unsuited to the job (lack of training by her previous owners), she became a house dog. Pearl was a gentle giant but didn't understand that she was too big to play with poultry and too enthusiastic to "herd" livestock.

It seems you will have somehow keep everyone separated -- pen the ducks or the dog, put the dog on a long tie-out when she's outdoors. MAYBE a professional trainer could reorient your girl, but in the meantime, just keep everyone safe; never leave them alone together.

 

[AnnieD]

Oh I'm so sorry, how devastating for you, Bernese don't usually have a high prey drive, and as its happening while you're not there, she cant be left on her own with/near them
my Rottie (massive prey drive) was great with my rabbits when I was there but couldn't leave him out with them, I hope you can get it sorted

 

[Canina]

Hi Everyone

Our 10-month-old Bernese mountain puppy is killing our pet ducks! She is a very kind and loving dog and she doesn't kill or chase when we are there. she has done this twice and at first, we thought she was trying to play with them but then she did it again. I am so lost and done knowing what to do. PLEASE I will take any advice I really don't want to have to get rid of her will dogs kill ducks just for the taste? Thank you any help is helpful.

A dog is a carnivore before it is your pet as much as we like to think we control everything.it is not in the least bit surprising she would do this because despite any selective breeding or training as a working dog, she’s still a dog at the end of the day. Of course a duck is delicious meal to them.

The most obvious thing to do is keep the dog away from your ducks. If you are going to have animals you need to select and prepare their accommodation first and foremost. You need to be able to secure your animals. If they’re not secure from your dog then what about foxes and badgers? Why are they even anywhere near eachother? Do you not have fencing or a secure pen/run? Do you let the dog roam around off leash unsupervised? If yes then it is pretty obvious what you need to do. If you want want the dog to kill the ducks keep the dog away from the ducks…?!!!!

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I have an 11 year saint bernard. I couldn't leave her with chickens until she was 4 now she does great. Sleeps eats and hangs out with them. You have to give it time. Get them trained, wait for them to calm down. You dog simply probably has to much energy.

 

[Chiki_Minaj]

Thank you for all your help I will take it all into consideration.

 

[cassie]

Your dog may outgrow it. However, poultry and rabbits are the absolute worst when it comes to bringing out the prey drive in dogs. Meanwhile you have got to keep them separated.

 

[hysop]

What kind of training does your dog have?

Teach her the "leave it" command. I have one female that took me a whole year to finally get her to stop killing my chickens. She would eat them too. Thankfully it was only from our rooster flock. But one time I caught her in the act chasing a hen that had gotten out of the pen and I sternly yelled to leave it and ever since then she stopped.

She even helped me teach my Great Pyrenees not to mess with chickens. He's 11 months old and doesn't bother them when they free range (unsupervised). Whenever we saw him chase chickens as an itty bitty puppy we would tell him leave it! Then my trained dog would chase him and tackle him and he would stop.

Even though he's twice her size now he still acts like a puppy with her. I guess because she was his mentor.

 

[allenw]

Hysop that is how the older dogs train the younger dogs. My grandson has LGD's with his sheep and will buy pups to train. He'll keep them at the house to gentle and get used to being handled. When they start messing with the goats he'll take them out and put with the big dogs and they will tun over and ball them up like your older dog done your pup.