How to Teach a dog to be good with chickens

[centrarchid]

 

[aart]

A large dog like a Greyhound does not need to bite to cause a chicken harm. The muzzle has some role other than protecting a lure they cannot catch.

Both true...but a muzzle might help in this situation.
I wonder why racing greyhounds wear muzzles?
Surely not to protect the mechanical rabbit.

Relax, man....you can't control the internet

 

[Firefoot]

I have had great luck with an e-collar. I use it for a variety of activities with my dogs and I almost never have to shock, usually a beep or vibrate gets their attention. I take my dogs trail running, hiking, and riding with my horse as well as hanging out in my yard and the e-collar does the trick.

My one dog is an Aussie/Catahoula with a high prey drive (and many confirmed kills) and the collar has helped her relax with the chickens. I don't trust her 100% and I wouldn't leave her unattended with them but I don't worry she will attack them. It is just when the chickens get wound up and fluffing around that she gets too keen and thinks maybe she should referee. With that in mind, be prepared to never leave your dog alone with the chickens. Like my dog, greyhounds have a high prey drive, especially racing dogs, as they are bred and trained for that prey drive and to chase small moving things. I've known a bunch of lurchers, which are sighthounds similar to greyhounds, and absolutely NONE of those dogs, despite being farm dogs, were chicken safe. In fact many were repeated chicken killers. But you can certainly hope to have your dog relax around them for the most part. And just the presence and smell of your dog in the yard might be enough to deter the neighbor cat.