i never thought my own dog would fall into this category (UPDATED PG.8

[fargosmom]

. . . and p.s. I still like your pirate chicken!

 

[BellLisamo]

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i liked it too, but everyone called it homer

 

[Robdoc]

I have a blue heeler, and she is very motion-activated. Chickens moving slowly...okay. Chickens startled by curious dog...shriek-barking and lunging chaos!

Blue heelers are bred to herd. Some have very strong prey drive. Virtually all of them I've met are challenging (though rewarding) dogs.

While training, establishing strong leadership, giving the dog another job, etc. etc. are all helpful, none of them will rid a heeler of his or her natural tendencies. I think that if the dog running is incompatible with your chickens running, finding a new home for the dog might be the best choice. It's your choice based on your priorities, and whatever you choose is valid.

Our dog only gets to run free when the chickens are in the straw yard, and otherwise, gets to see them from the end of a leash. It's a compromise all participate in.

One other consideration: One dog might not think killing chickens is great fun, but sometimes they act like wild teenagers when they get into groups. Is there any possibility that only the heeler is catching them (and getting blamed), but the other dogs are participating? Doesn't change the outcome for either the chickens or you, but it might be worth considering.

 

[BellLisamo]

thanks for all the help everyone. Cowboy has found a new LOVING home where he will be trained to hurd cattle!!!!!!!!!! HOORAY!!! He'll be sooooo happy!

 

[boxermom]

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I totally agree!

 

[BellLisamo]

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I totally agree!

once again... we have trained this dog. he knows how to sit, give paw, roll over, stay, fetch and all the basics. DONT assume we never trained him. I thought i already replied to this specific post, maybe you didnt read it...

 

[emvickrey]

I have a chihuahua that loves to heard my chickens. When they get out of the yard we go and get them and she chases them back. I have 4 dogs and they all know not to harm any other animal that lives there. Well, except for Beauregard. He is the St Bernard taht I got when he was 7 months old and starving. He just wants to chase them but one step of his paw and they are chicken patties. So we dont' let him out when the chickens are out.

I had a Silver duckwing roo that Powder, the chihuahua would chase until he got tired of it. He got to where he would chase her when he saw her, then he started to attack everyone so we had to turn him into supper. It was entertaiing to watch them though. She learned to keep one eye on the Roo at all times. She got a little of her own medicine but she would never harm them.

 

[boxermom]

Sorry. I hadn't gotten thru all the remarks when I replied.

 

[jasonbennett1]

You did the right thing. You can't train a chicken to avoid dogs, so you might as well have dogs that won't go after chickens. I have heard many people say that dogs that kill chickens (even trained ones) will always kill chickens; maybe not when their master is around watching them, but sometime. I've worked with my dogs regarding the chickens, they won't chase them or will break off the chase if I'm there, but who knows what they would do if I wasn't there to call them off.

Frankly, you're nicer than I am. My dog ate our bathroom this past weekend. No lie, the bathroom! He ate dry wall, trimming, the inside of the door, he even tried to eat the door knob. He would have met his end had my wife not been there to head me off.

 

[BellLisamo]

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thank you. i just dont like assumptions. he was my DH's dog, and i dont want it to sound like he never trained him, cause he did. even when we got him at like 7 months old...