How can I train my dog not to chase my chickens?

[Lacy Duckwing]

That’s awesome!! I want one of the tracking collars eventually but they’re so expensive! Those ones aren’t as bad as I’ve seen. Some are like $600-$800 I don’t think I’d spend that much but if someone did, they definitely wouldn’t abuse with it haha and some don’t even use it for shock, just tracking purposes I imagine?

And yeah exactly!!! Any tool can be abusive or cruel. Even a flat collar and leash. I’ve seen people yanking dogs around on those. Also seen them yank the head halters which is worse as it could damage their neck. Also those chafe.

People love to just pick one thing, like a prong or a choke chain or the e collar or whatever, and say it’s cruel when really they just misunderstood. Heck, prongs, for example, are probably one of the least cruel things, despite looking “scary”, because they distribute the pressure more evenly around the neck than a choke or even flat collar does. Flat just puts all the pressure right on one spot, on the trachea.

But people misunderstood and don’t want to bother understanding and just listen to what others say about these things without doing their own research.

I admit I used to think some of these things were cruel too or that I would only do positive or whatever until I did more research and realized that was dumb and I was totally wrong. But most people won’t do the research or if they do, won’t believe it or change their minds.

Wow! If everyone spent that kind of money on an e collar, then nobody would be able to say that they're cruel by how they saw them used because nobody would spend that kind of money unless they knew what they were doing. I've seen some e collars that looked cruel, but now I know that's because they were being misused. From everything that I've heard from you, I don't see them as bad anymore. I just wish that anybody who was to use them would use them properly. Now because people don't, they've got a bad rep. Thanks so much for sharing all this information. I like to see the good of things and I'm glad that I can now see the good of these too, and understand them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow! If everyone spent that kind of money on an e collar, then nobody would be able to say that they're cruel by how they saw them used because nobody would spend that kind of money unless they knew what they were doing. I've seen some e collars that looked cruel, but now I know that's because they were being misused. From everything that I've heard from you, I don't see them as bad anymore. I just wish that anybody who was to use them would use them properly. Now because people don't, they've got a bad rep. Thanks so much for sharing all this information. I like to see the good of things and I'm glad that I can now see the good of these too, and understand them.

Always glad to help people understand and become more informed/educated about things!! In fact, I love it and especially love when people are willing to learn like you are! Cause far too many people are not and just dismiss them as cruel or assume sadistic people like hurting dogs or something. And it goes the other way too with balanced or aversive trainers assuming positive people never wean off treats and/or have zero control over their dogs or zero rules or won’t listen without food or whatever. It goes both ways. Wish people would stop making assumptions on both sides and just open their minds and LEARN.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Do shock collars really work? Everytime I see one being used, it never seems to work.

No. It will just give him anxiety to even go around the coop. He is make the correlation that if he sees a chicken he is going to be punished. People have used shock collars on small dogs and the small dogs are terrified of going inside when a coyote or hawk tries to kill them. Dont ever use a shock collar. It always leads to devastating anxiety. Period. Use something else

 

[Chicalina]

I'm really glad your mum has vetoed the shock collar.

If you google positive reinforcement techniques for dog training, or gentle dog training you will get loads of ideas that don't involve hurting or scaring your dog.

I cannot fathom how anyone would use aversion tactics to train a dog. Its old fashioned, often ineffective and can have adverse consequences, not to mention inhumane.

Work on building a strong emotional bond with your dog and he will want to please you and follow your instructions. It's a much better way of obedience training.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Work on building a strong emotional bond with your dog and he will want to please you and follow your instructions. It's a much better way of obedience training.

I've already seen this. He loves to please me. I've been walking him on his leash occasionally by the chickens run. When I see him stopping to look at them, I say no, and he looks away from them and continues walking along. Then I tell him good boy. He's doing very well with that.

 

[Chicalina]

I've already seen this. He loves to please me. I've been walking him on his leash occasionally by the chickens run. When I see him stopping to look at them, I say no, and he looks away from them and continues walking along. Then I tell him good boy. He's doing very well with that.

That's great. Also you could reward him with praise and his favourite treats (at the same time) for ignoring them and looking at you.

I've trained my dog to look me in the eye when I ask her to. It's basically just to get her to focus on ME and nothing else around her, which at times could be critical.

There are some brilliant dog training videos on YouTube called McCann Dogs. Aimed at puppies but useful for any training.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

That's great. Also you could reward him with praise and his favourite treats (at the same time) for ignoring them and looking at you.

I've trained my dog to look me in the eye when I ask her to. It's basically just to get her to focus on ME and nothing else around her, which at times could be critical.

There are some brilliant dog training videos on YouTube called McCann Dogs. Aimed at puppies but useful for any training.

He doesn't look at me, but whatever else is around. Like the leaves on the ground or the neighbors. I don't know how to get him to look at me. I'm not very good at eye contact, though I've been practicing eye contact with Sterling when he does look at me. But training him to look at me, I don't know how to do that.

Ok, thanks for the info! I'll check those out!

 

[Chicalina]

This is how I trained my dog. I got her into a 'sit' in front of me and held a treat in my hand. She looked at my hand for a long time but I didn't move, and then when she looked up at my face I said 'look' and gave her the treat and praised her. So I taught her that looking at my face was rewarding (the treat) and that it meant 'look'.

I also do it when she is walking to heel (loose lead walking) out on the street. She focuses on me and not the 100 distractions around us, especially when there is a big scary dog approaching.

I'm pretty sure I learned this technique from one of the McCann Dogs videos.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

This is how I trained my dog. I got her into a 'sit' in front of me and held a treat in my hand. She looked at my hand for a long time but I didn't move, and then when she looked up at my face I said 'look' and gave her the treat and praised her. So I taught her that looking at my face was rewarding (the treat) and that it meant 'look'.

I also do it when she is walking to heel (loose lead walking) out on the street. She focuses on me and not the 100 distractions around us, especially when there is a big scary dog approaching.

I'm pretty sure I learned this technique from one of the McCann Dogs videos.

Ok! Hm, he might get confused though. When I have a treat for him, he gives me his paw, lays down, and roll over. I don't even have to tell him anything, he just automatically does that. Especially when it's one of his favorite treats. I'll have to try that, though. Thanks so much for great the info!

 

[Chicalina]

that's probably him trying to guess what you want him to do to earn the treat, and then trying all 3 actions in case one of them hits the spot!

Great news he is motivated by treats. That is a really good tool for training him to do anything.

One of my dogs is crazy for food and toys, and the other is not bothered by either. Guess which one is easier to train!!