ameliadanielle
Songster
Our Great Pyrenees, Luna, has never made it to the point where she can be trusted around our chickens. She was raised surrounded by chickens. She was over 6 months when we brought her home. She spent 6 months with just her and a pot belly pig sharing the backyard. Then we got chickens. At first she was fine. We had two chickens die with no wounds just a few missing feathers when they were around 2 months old. Still didn't suspect the dog. That is until a month later our daughter caught her holding down chickens and pulling their feathers out. Again 2 chickens were attacked. Two days ago, keep in mind she is on a chain when we are not home, she caught another hen and plucked her back naked, let the hen go unharmed just naked, and seems to have had a field day chewing on feathers.
We have tried keeping her on a leash and correcting her, staying outside with her 24/7 correcting her. Except she's smart. She checks the windows to see if we are watching her. So when we are not outside, all bets are OFF. She is headed towards being 2 years old now, and she is an absolutely worthless guardian. The only thing she guarded was the pot belly pig we had when we got her. Now that we do not have that pig, and instead have kept one of the piglets, Luna won't protect that pig either.
We are leaving Wednesday night on vacation, and we will have a house sitter, but now that she has caught and plucked a chicken while ON HER CHAIN, I am not comfortable even having her in the yard. We've done everything short of using a shock collar. I was scared ALL day she would somehow reach and grab another chicken today while on her chain. We thought about rehoming her as a pet only because she is an amazingly sweet dog. To us. Any new person or animal... all bets are off. I could not trust her not to kill a new dog. My cousin brought his dog over who is also a big, friendly, large dog. She was trying to be social with Luna and Luna lunged at her like she was going to eat her. Our poodle that we've had for years and was here when we got Luna? She is just a big old baby around him. She loves him. I seriously think she will never be able to accept anything new.
What do we do with her? I am nervous about being gone for a week. We spend countless hours outside with her, watching her, checking on her. We've become quite anal about it. I don't trust that the house sitter will have our vigilance when it comes to dealing with Luna.
Should we give up on ever having her be safe around our chickens and just turn her into an indoor dog? Another thing... I will NOT want to see the state my carpet is in when we return home if Luna stays inside the house the whole time.
We have tried keeping her on a leash and correcting her, staying outside with her 24/7 correcting her. Except she's smart. She checks the windows to see if we are watching her. So when we are not outside, all bets are OFF. She is headed towards being 2 years old now, and she is an absolutely worthless guardian. The only thing she guarded was the pot belly pig we had when we got her. Now that we do not have that pig, and instead have kept one of the piglets, Luna won't protect that pig either.
We are leaving Wednesday night on vacation, and we will have a house sitter, but now that she has caught and plucked a chicken while ON HER CHAIN, I am not comfortable even having her in the yard. We've done everything short of using a shock collar. I was scared ALL day she would somehow reach and grab another chicken today while on her chain. We thought about rehoming her as a pet only because she is an amazingly sweet dog. To us. Any new person or animal... all bets are off. I could not trust her not to kill a new dog. My cousin brought his dog over who is also a big, friendly, large dog. She was trying to be social with Luna and Luna lunged at her like she was going to eat her. Our poodle that we've had for years and was here when we got Luna? She is just a big old baby around him. She loves him. I seriously think she will never be able to accept anything new.
What do we do with her? I am nervous about being gone for a week. We spend countless hours outside with her, watching her, checking on her. We've become quite anal about it. I don't trust that the house sitter will have our vigilance when it comes to dealing with Luna.
Should we give up on ever having her be safe around our chickens and just turn her into an indoor dog? Another thing... I will NOT want to see the state my carpet is in when we return home if Luna stays inside the house the whole time.