how to train a guard dog to leave the birds alone?

[flaming007]

I have a pyrenees\comador cross pup thats 5 months old. Every once ina while he chases the ducks around. How do I stop him from doing that?

 

[watchdogps]

Can you tell us what the set up is? Is he loose with them all the time? Is he housed separately?

 

[flaming007]

He is pen is right next to the ducks and 2 sebastopols. I have left him out all day around the africans and he leaves them alone. When I let the rouens out he chases them every once ina while and tried to bite them a little bit.

 

[watchdogps]

First, he is too young to be trusting him that much.
Second, how long have you had him and do you handle him and train him?

 

[flaming007]

Iv had him since he was 6weeks old. I have been working with him. So far I have him trained to come when I call him. He seems to be a pretty smart pup just by watching what he does when he is running around the yard. What are some things that I need 2 be working on with him?

 

[duckinnut]

Dogs always want to please,for the most part. Consistency and repetition are the key to any dog, having one handler is best but if there is more than one make sure EVERYONE is on the same page. Nothing will wreck a dog quicker than miscommunication. If they get NO is NO from one person and NO is well maybe from another you are destined for failure. Consistency and repetition are key did I mention? I does not take a boat load of time,maybe15 mins a day.Getting the basics down first and make sure that they understand them. Go out in the yard with him or her and have them on a leash with a choker and interact with the ducks and others. If he attempts to grab somebody a quick jerk and a loud affirmative "NO"with get his attention. Doing this everyday will pay dividends down the line. Granted he is still a pup and would not leave him alone with the creatures,but by the time he is a year you should be able to trust him. That being said you need to do you homework to by giving consistent positive reinforcement and repetition but also forced correction so he knows where the lines are.

I had a Golden before I got chickens and he was a duck hunting dog. For 11 years his jobs was to retrieve feathered creatures whether dead or crippled. Now I have to teach not to grab,that being said he knew the word "NO" and when commanded not to grab that "NO" was good enough. No force correction. The training in the beginning was worth the long term result. From the initial no and a couple subsequent no's he was on board and would even turn an eye towards them.

With all this don't take it as a cure all because sometimes there are no breaking a certain dog. Their will to chase prey is insatiable but it's up to you to gauge the dog simply by visualizations of his behavior. Good Luck

 

[flaming007]

I think i will be able to train this pup. His parents were great guard dogs. There owners never lost an animal

 

[Mzyla]

If parents were/are great Guardians - there is hope.
Does he have adequate space to run, to excercise his energy out?
A big juicy beef bone is very helpful to occupy puppies.
Do not buy any fluffy toys, just natural bones from the butcher.
Young dog need something of his own to play with.
Good luck and do let us know the outcome.

 

[flaming007]

Ok thank you!! I let him out every day and he plays with out rat terrier puppy. Sam"the pyr" trys to catch beans the rat terrier but catch the quick little guy he eventually gives up and lays do forwn while beans jumps all over him. Its very entertaining. I will get a cow bone from the farm for him to chew on. Thanks for the tips!

 

[watchdogps]

The reason I asked about how long you have had him and if you handle him is because you need to have a relationship with him for him to care to listen to you. If you are new, or just the person who puts food down, then he wont care. He has to have a bond to YOU as well as the stock in order to want to do what you want him to do.