How to train my dog

[centrarchid]

1. A

Joel salatin has proved this statement to be incorrect. Chickens that stay in one area and do not move new grass do not produce better quality eggs. I can't say for my experience either way cuz I only free range.

But if Joel salatin says jump I say how high




I must say this as nice as I can it's not your dog's it's you. your dog's do not recognize you as the pack leader and they don't look at you for guidance. I am more than confident with the proper training in less than one month you can leave your dogs outside with your flock while you go to the grocery store! the first step is confidence that you can do this and I believe in you!!

You do not seem to know much and Joe is not a god.

 

[Duckztailz1]

1. A

You do not seem to know much and Joe is not a god.

I use facts not opinions. Joel uses facts. If you have facts I'm all ears

 

[varidgerunner]

We refer to Joel Saladin as "Joke" Saladin around these parts, which is close enough to his operation to know what goes on there. What is sad is watching people pick up the peices of their shattered lives, after they try to follow his business model. His business model works because of the steady stream of people that treat him like a deity, and arrive in droves to do all his farm work for free. He makes his real money from speaking fees, just like most farms, his is bankrolled by off-farm income.

Dogs- I have hunting hounds. Bred and trained to run for miles and hunt stuff down, bite it in the butt enough to make it climb a tree or whatever. Most of my hunting is on natinal forest lands or on large patches of private property where I have permission. There is always a chance that a bear or something might not respect property boundaries, and my dogs could end up somewhere they aren't supposed to be. The last thing I need is a dog that shows any inclination to mess with chickens. I could be miles away, someone would probably shoot my dogs, and they would be justified in doing so.

I usually start with pups. Letting their first chicken interaction be with an asil hen with chicks is usually enough to convince them that chickens are dangerous ninja warriors with supernatural powers. If they show indications that they are not convinced a good shocking collar will finish convincing them. The good ones have multiple intensity levels as well as a tone feature, the tone feature works like the little cartoon angel on their shoulder, reminding them to be a good girl or boy. Really it just reminds them that their collar is on, and charged up.

I want my dogs to associate showing interest in chickens with a bad experience. This will work in situations that I'm not around to say "drop it". I hide in a window and turn a dog loose and watch. If they show interest in the chickens, they get the appropriate level of discouragement. I come out later like "Hey buddy, did that mean old chicken bite you?" Because after all, I'm their buddy.

 

[townchicks]

You have a bored border collie. He needs more exercise, both his body and his brain. When you are not around, he is looking for something to do, and the chickens are "fun".BCs are working dogs for a reason, they have brains and drive to spare. They are not meant to just lie around doing nothing, they will invent something to do. That's when they get into trouble.Stop leaving him alone with them! Do more training of any kind to keep his body and mind busy. Obedience, agility, tricks, doesn't matter as long as he has to use his brain. As he gets older and more used to them, they may become part of his "herd" and he'll stop thinking of them as toys. But, they may always be an object of interest for him, and your best bet is to lock them up when you aren't around.

 

[madisonjh95]

You have a bored border collie. He needs more exercise, both his body and his brain. When you are not around, he is looking for something to do, and the chickens are "fun".BCs are working dogs for a reason, they have brains and drive to spare. They are not meant to just lie around doing nothing, they will invent something to do. That's when they get into trouble.Stop leaving him alone with them! Do more training of any kind to keep his body and mind busy. Obedience, agility, tricks, doesn't matter as long as he has to use his brain. As he gets older and more used to them, they may become part of his "herd" and he'll stop thinking of them as toys. But, they may always be an object of interest for him, and your best bet is to lock them up when you aren't around.

I will have you know that I train him every morning for about 20 minutes and walk him every evening before dinner for an hour then my husband and I usually spend anywhere between 20 minutes to a couple of hours playing fetch with him before bed. We both have a full time job and don't have time to drive home for a training sesh every 30 minutes.

I know that people have trained their dogs to ignore their chickens and my pup is very smart and will learn just about anything for a piece of a hotdog so I wanted to know how others have done it.

When we're working or in the house with the dogs out the chickens are put up in a good sized run. The only times he has had the chance to hurt the chickens are when we messed up, we've never left them out together on purpose unless we just wanted to see what he would do, trying to teach him not to chase them.

It's tick and grasshopper season now and in my experience free-ranging chickens pretty much control the pests real good so I just was lookin to see how others have trained their dogs to ignore their chickens.

 

[madisonjh95]

Joel salatin has proved this statement to be incorrect. Chickens that stay in one area and do not move new grass do not produce better quality eggs. I can't say for my experience either way cuz I only free range.

But if Joel salatin says jump I say how high




I must say this as nice as I can it's not your dog's it's you. your dog's do not recognize you as the pack leader and they don't look at you for guidance. I am more than confident with the proper training in less than one month you can leave your dogs outside with your flock while you go to the grocery store! the first step is confidence that you can do this and I believe in you!!

So what is this proper training??

 

[townchicks]

Sorry! I did not mean to cause offense. Sounds like you are doing good things with your dog, it's just hard to wear out a young BC. What I did with my dog. I put the chickens in a dog exercise pen, and the dog on a long line. I let the dog go up to the chickens and look at them, but kept the line short enough that he couldn't knock into the pen. Then I called him and rewarded him for coming to me, and let him go back to looking at the chickens, call and reward and let him go back. Over and over, for days, until you are sure you can call him away from them anytime. If he will not come away, increase the distance from the pen until he can, then gradually let him get closer again. Then do it with the chickens in the pen, but dog off leash. Then when you are 100% with the chickens in the pen, let the chickens out of the pen but put the dog back on leash, until he can completely ignore them all the time.

 

[madisonjh95]

Sorry! I did not mean to cause offense. Sounds like you are doing good things with your dog, it's just hard to wear out a young BC. What I did with my dog. I put the chickens in a dog exercise pen, and the dog on a long line. I let the dog go up to the chickens and look at them, but kept the line short enough that he couldn't knock into the pen. Then I called him and rewarded him for coming to me, and let him go back to looking at the chickens, call and reward and let him go back. Over and over, for days, until you are sure you can call him away from them anytime. If he will not come away, increase the distance from the pen until he can, then gradually let him get closer again. Then do it with the chickens in the pen, but dog off leash. Then when you are 100% with the chickens in the pen, let the chickens out of the pen but put the dog back on leash, until he can completely ignore them all the time.

See that’s the issue we’re having. Is he ignores them 100% as long as were out there. They could be right next to him and he pays them no mind. But only as long as we’re outside too. I want to be able to let the chickens free range all day and leave my dog out all day and not come home to an empty henhouse.. I know that might never happen but it would be so nice!

 

[townchicks]

Sometimes it just takes some more maturity. Sometimes it never happens. Don't give up hope, but don't rush it. Part of the issue is herding drive is really prey drive that has been refined by breeding. It can easily get out of hand if the animal being herded starts acting like prey, as chickens will. Think about how many herding breeds work by nipping at the heels. I know that's not how BCs are "supposed" to work, but they do. I have friends who work sheep with their dogs, and "gripping" (biting) the sheep is a real thing even in BCs. BCs are not bred to be watchdogs, but to actively interact with the livestock. So if they get bored, which will happen when you are not around, they'll start the game. The fact that he does ignore them when you are around, is a good sign though, that he is not obsessive with them. I think there is hope that "someday" you may be able to do what you are dreaming of. It could take years to get there though. It's just too soon now. BCs are such great dogs, but the herding drive and activity level does come with it's own challenges. Hang in there.

 

[madisonjh95]

Sometimes it just takes some more maturity. Sometimes it never happens. Don't give up hope, but don't rush it. Part of the issue is herding drive is really prey drive that has been refined by breeding. It can easily get out of hand if the animal being herded starts acting like prey, as chickens will. Think about how many herding breeds work by nipping at the heels. I know that's not how BCs are "supposed" to work, but they do. I have friends who work sheep with their dogs, and "gripping" (biting) the sheep is a real thing even in BCs. BCs are not bred to be watchdogs, but to actively interact with the livestock. So if they get bored, which will happen when you are not around, they'll start the game. The fact that he does ignore them when you are around, is a good sign though, that he is not obsessive with them. I think there is hope that "someday" you may be able to do what you are dreaming of. It could take years to get there though. It's just too soon now. BCs are such great dogs, but the herding drive and activity level does come with it's own challenges. Hang in there.

Thank you! He is such a good boy and we really got lucky. We didn't really have to teach him to ignore the chickens or to not bark or to be good on a leash or anything! He's just a good boy! I guess that spoiled me a little bit though cause I want him to be perfect at everything but he's just a pup.. But a heckin' good one I'll say!