How to keep our dog from getting ou of her pen and killing our chickens

[HEChicken]

If you don't spend time with the dog, sounds like she's pretty miserable....why not rehome her?

x2. Dogs are pack animals - they need to be with their pack or they are miserable. Domesticated dogs are willing to consider people their pack, but sticking them in a pen long-term is really not humane, and keeping them in solitary is really not humane either. Sticking your hand over and scritching her on the head 3-4 times a day does NOT meet her social interaction requirements. What she needs is to be with her pack for the majority of her day.

In this situation I would consider the following options:

1. Pen up the chickens so the dog can be out, and perhaps pen her for an hour or two in the evening so the chickens get some free-range time; or
2. Rehome the dog so that she can be in an environment where her needs are being met.

Dogs are intelligent creatures who need stimulation in order to prevent boredom which leads to behavioral issues. It is no wonder she chases the chickens when she does get out - it sounds like it is the only stimulation she gets.

 

[Cassidy]

x2. Dogs are pack animals - they need to be with their pack or they are miserable. Domesticated dogs are willing to consider people their pack, but sticking them in a pen long-term is really not humane, and keeping them in solitary is really not humane either. Sticking your hand over and scritching her on the head 3-4 times a day does NOT meet her social interaction requirements. What she needs is to be with her pack for the majority of her day.

In this situation I would consider the following options:

1. Pen up the chickens so the dog can be out, and perhaps pen her for an hour or two in the evening so the chickens get some free-range time; or
2. Rehome the dog so that she can be in an environment where her needs are being met.

Dogs are intelligent creatures who need stimulation in order to prevent boredom which leads to behavioral issues. It is no wonder she chases the chickens when she does get out - it sounds like it is the only stimulation she gets.

She cant be loose she will run all over town and get hit by a car or we would

 

[FireTigeris]

You can barrier train her... if you really wanted to put the time in...

 

[CAjerseychick]

Well you see my mom wont let us and nobody else would take her you cant have her as a house dog and you cant keep her in a pen she gets attention i worded it wrong just its not easy since her pen has no gate and you have to climb over the fence to get to her so when im out with the horses i take her a treat and scratch her head for a little while prolly three or four times daily and we are going to move her poen closer and start taking her on walks more often we do nthe best we can and also were not home very often she is still a happy dog it so hard to explain

Can you run alittle ag wire around the back of your house(so she can go in/out of your back door) and then she can be an indoor / out door dog?-- Its pretty easy to teach them to use a doggie door when they need to use the bathroom, much easier then completely housetraining them- and that kinda dog(hound/sheltie) really would be very very happy with more human contact--
we are not "handy" at all (been in the City for 20years) but managed to put up alittle 3 ft ag wire fence out back and made alittle back yard in a few hours....
It really helps... and she will be less frantic to get out that way...
I also considered putting a muzzle on my chicken eating dog to wear at all times ... just in case a chicken got out of the chicken fence(havent done it....cause we havent lost a chicken in a while and she does a great job keeping predators away)...
SORRY DID NOT SEE YOU CLOSED THE THREAD, just trying to help, cause I was in your shoes for awhile....

 

[Judy]

Closed at thread starter's request.