Help! puppy and chickens

[Jasper7952]

I read the thread on "Puppy & Hens" and appreciate all everyone said, but my problem is I have a 9 month old black lab puppy. He is very well behaved and understands "leave it," but this was just too tempting. I was trying to introduce him and he laid at the door and just watched them under my supervision while I talked to him softly. Suddenly one of the hens moved quickly and he was in the coop! The chase was on and ended with no casualties. While I was chasing the pup who was chasing the hen, the rooster got out. He's out there somewhere crowing as I write this. I would like to free range my chickens. I bought two pullets and a young rooster. Through the advice of a neighbor I have kept them in the coop for 3 days. Today was the day to let them out with the confidence that they would now know where they live. Should I go ahead and open the coop so the rooster can find his way back in or they can all roam together outside if they choose? We will have the pup with us most of the day in the car. Also, how do I correct this problem? The pup has free run of our acreage and no fence. We live out in the country. Or have I created an irreparable disaster?

 

[rachiegirl]

Don't be so hard on yourself! You have not "created" a disaster. Lab's are bird dogs. They were bred to hunt and retrieve birds. There are plenty of people who have labs and chickens that coexist peacefully, and then there are people who have labs and chickens that cannot be together. I know it will take A LOT of work. Especially since your puppy is 9 months old now. He will have a ton of energy, a few bad habits and not a ton of focus! Well, at least when you are trying to hold his attention!

Just be firm and consistent with your training, and keep him on a leash at all times when he is anywhere near the chickens. You may find a peaceful existence one day, or it may just be an uneasy truce. Just keep the faith and keep working at it! You'll do great, Good luck!

I would say you can leave the coop open. He'll hear his girls and find his way back to them just fine!

 

[Tweeza]

Dogs are like kids, they need a lot of direction or they run amuck. Your puppy should not eat until told (sit the food down and make him wait) and shouldn't go through a door first or without permission (usually this is the door to the home). This helps establish the pack/pecking order which is a necessity for this kind of animal. Those are just two examples to get you started.

I didn't think the door permission thing would matter but when we instituted it I saw a dramatic difference, for the better, in our German Shepherd.

Good luck

 

[enola]

My Australian Shepherd is trained to never go out the house door without permission. I say "Lets go." or "Out" and she goes through the door. I can walk through the door and leave it open, and she will not go out unless I say she can.

In the car, she is trained to only get out of the passenger side of the car. Yes, this means that when I go anywhere, I have to walk all the way around the car to get her out. But, I do not have to worry about her jumping out of the car into traffic.

Even when I get to her side of the car, she MUST REMAIN in the car after the door is opened until I reach in to the car and touch her. I am absolutely sure this trick has saved her life.

However, my boyfriend keeps forgetting, if he opens the car door, she jumps right in the car. He can NEVER remember that she only is allowed to get out on the passenger side of the car. He will hold the driver door open and try and try to get her to come out. He ends up yelling "Nola, Star is in the car again and I can't get her to come out !"

She is trustworthy around the chickens when I am there with her. But, I know she would kill one in an instant if I was not there. So, when I go to the chicken house, she can go with me. But, if I have to go in the house, she has to go with me to the house.

 

[Judy]

Lots of good advice here. Just hang in there with your training. I have 4 dogs who roam free with the chickens, and I am sure my free range hens are safer because the dogs are around. And one of them is a lab mix.

 

[Jasper7952]

Sorry it has taken so long to thank everyone for their advice. We had company for a few days and I haven't been on my computer. I REALLY appreciate your responses. We took the puppy out today on the leash and had him sit while I held the rooster. I was hoping if the pup got too inquisitive the rooster would peck him or even kick him, (I held only one foot), but the rooster simply tried squirm out of my grasp. The pup tried to bite his wing, beak, and feet. Each time we slapped his nose and told him, "leave it." I am trying not to be discouraged by this as it was his first lesson. I am sure this is not going to be good for my relationship with the rooster and other chickens. Unfortunately, we do not have a run, (yet), so the chickens are stuck in the coop. We are now leaving to make a "run" for Home Depot to get supplies to build a "run." I'm hoping if the pup sees them in the run everyday, where they are safe, he will get bored with them. I know that's a lot of "hope."

Keeper of one confused pup and 3 traumatized chickens

 

[Cetawin]

Well first, you may have to keep them confined to the coop for as long as a week for them to "get it". My crew stayed in for 5 days...when they were let loose, they were fine and followed me back or where waiting for me at the coop that night.

As to the puppy, you have to be patient, consistent and insistent with the pup. Remember also that he is still "puppy stupid" and suffering from a huge case of ADD. I strongly suggest that all interaction with them be supervised in a manner that the dog cannot break and run. If need be use a choke collar. It sounds cruel but it only takes a few tiems for him to run and tighten that collar for him to catch on.

Also, you have a breed that is genetically geared to catching birds...that is what they go...go get the bird and bring it to you. So, while he is still a puppy, now is the time to get the point across to him because he can easily kill them playing with them or trying to mouth them...the poor boy would think he was gonna make mama proud.

Good luck with him...you can do it and he can probably be the finest companion/guard for your chickens.

 

[CityChook]

It's totally possible to integrate your lab with the chickens. However it will take a fair amount of commitment and work on your behalf. Before even working with the two together, it's important to establish PURE DOMINANCE over the pup. He must see you as Alpha and not even attempt any monkey business. 9 months is plenty old for this. I personally dislike hitting a dog, but to each his own. My lab reacts well to calm energy - I know that sounds so Caesar Milan, but I'm telling you, it works. When I get all worked up, so does she. And she's a silly lab - I swear, they're puppies FOR YEARS.

The earlier suggestion for eating and door manners is a really good one. We don't feed our dog until we are ALL done eating dinner as a family. In dog-speak, the lowest one on the totem pole eats last. Absolutely no table scraps or feeding from the table. Also, they MUST exit the door behind you, and only when invited. This is a dominance thing again. Alpha always gets to go first.

I would rely strongly on a training collar until you are confident that he can control his urges to get at those birds. And labs are extremely food motivated, so if he is rewarded constantly when he's doing the RIGHT thing, it will be more likely to stick. I'm not talking milkbones - just a piece of kibble from your pocket.

I am probably going to get a lot of heat for saying this, but you might want to consider an electric training collar if you can't get this under control. We had a really bad problem with my dog jumping when she was young. She jumped on my mother one time and drew blood. Not viciously (my mom is older with thin skin) but the jumping HAD to stop. A couple of zots with the training collar and the problem was solved. Mind you, electric collars only work when properly used.

I have a ding dong lab who will chase ANYTHING that will run, but she understands that the chickens are MINE and I'm Alpha. She has never even looked cross-eyed at them and I feel totally secure leaving her in the backyard with them unattended.

Sorry for the long post. I hope this helps you.

 

[suebee]

It can be done. I got my Golden Retriever puppy at 7 weeks and had her completely trained around my chickens at 11 weeks old. It takes time and patience.
Always introduce the puppy to chickens on a leash for 2 weeks. Like others have said, you have to be the leader. When he does something good, praise like crazy. When he does something bad, get right in his face with finger pointed and stern, low voice...NO chicken, NO coop, etc. Hopefully he will be laying on his side when your reprimanding. If not, physically put him on his side with your hand on the side of his face as you sternly speak.

My puppy thrives on my approval, and is devistated by shame. I have never hit her either. I have trained 3 Golden Retrievers this way. Right now 2 are laying under our deck with the chickens.

 

[Theda's Mom]

I've chicken trained three dogs now (two were full grown when we got the hens). Two of the dogs are labs (smart, but as a previous poster said, they seem to be afflicted with ADD ...). The advice about establishing rules consistently and across the board (doors, meal times, side of the car one can ride on, etc) will all help the pup understand boundaries and authority. For chicken-respect training in particular, I NEVER let the current pup out without a leash on when the girls are free-ranging. Then I make her sit and watch while the hens move around and past her. If the pup so much as twitches in a chicken's direction, I tell her firmly to leave it. Depending on how big the twitch, I might reinforce voice with a sharp quick yank on the lead. Labs are smart. They catch on. But for both safety's sake and for training effectiveness, don't put chickens and pup together unless you have absolute control (which at this stage probably means a leash) over the pup. That way you'll be in a position to correct him immediately. Or praise him!!

Labs are a trip. I love mine. They're wicked smart, wicked bull-headed, but once they figure out what it is they're supposed to do, they're fabulous.

Now, if only I could get them to scare away coyotes, fox, and hawks ....