How to create chicken-friendly dogs??

[joan1708]

I don't let my dogs be around the chickens much. My chihuahua mix mostly ignores them and if I worked with her she would probably be OK. I have a brittany spaniel that is way to interested in them. I have blocked the view from the dog run to the chicken run and the dogs can't see the chickens well even from the big back yard. I keep a buffer zone between them (I have to idiot proof it for myself). I'm noticing my brittany is less interested in them than she used to be.

 

[canesisters]

I think it's all about the dog. I have a lab and a sheltie mix. The chicks went into the coop for the very first time Saturday evening. The dogs came to check out the peeping, of course.
Rosie, the lab, got 'that look' on her face - "Great gobs of Kibble! Those are Great! Open the door, I want to make one squeak!" But being the super sensitive soul that she is, all I had to do was to say (in my very best 'stern voice') "Rosie, Leave It!!" and she slunk off heartbroken that the new toys were off limits... (all the really good ones are - lol). She will very likely not go near the coop again. And can be sent back to the house with a simple "Rosie, leave it!"
Gilligan, on the other hand, just sat there wagging and looking in the door with his tongue hanging out and his head sideways. The picture of innocence. But I know him better than that. He got the 'Gilligan, NO! Leave-it!" too. He trotted off to the porch and sat down to stare at the coop. Sure enough, the very next morning he made a bee line for the coop - circling and scratching at the door. I started gathering supplies and by the time he was leaping up and down and barking with mad joy at the commotion he was causing inside the coop I was ready.
I have one of those invisible fences but instead of burying the line, I hung it from the wooden fence with electric wire insulators. (great system by the way - no chance of 'zapping' anyone other than the dogs, and only if they come within 3' of the fence.). I sent him back to the house and made a loop that circles the coop. I got it connected to the main line and tested it and went back to my other chores.
A little later, sure enough I saw him heading for the coop again. "Gilligan, leave it!" but since I was outside the fence, he was sure he could get a few good flaps and squawks before I got to him so he ignored me. "Gilligan, come here!" Nope... couldn't hear me. He got about 3' away and the collar beeped. He froze in his tracks. It beeped the 2nd warning and vibrated and he jumped back, turned and STARED at me. (it took a lot not to giggle at him... smart little bugger). He spent the next 30 mins carefully exploring the new boundaries and now has glare murderous looks in the door from 3' or more away. I don't care how many dirty looks he gives them, he can't hurt what he can't touch.
Some dogs you can train to ignore the chickens and some dogs will only do what you want as long as your there to enforce it.
If past history holds true, the novelty will eventually wear off and he'll loose interest in them. But until then, his concentration and intensity can be a little scary.