I think my adorable puppy killed a chicken :(

[cluckcluck42]

My puppy is a four month old GSD mastiff mix. We have been training him to be around chickens. When he gets too close or too playful, he is reprimanded and listens. Our other dog is perfect around chickens and I trust him 100%. The puppy has been doing very good and I will let him out for periods of time on his own. 20-40 minutes. I will call him and make sure he is close. I never thought he would kill a chicken, stupid me.

I let him out 20 mins before my boyfriend got home. I go to greet my bf at the door, and hes yelling at the dog who has a dead chicken at its feet. We discipline him and he runs back to the chicken to chew on it, as if playing. I got pretty mad and held him on the ground, scolded him and gave him a smack. When bf picks up the bird by the feet, its head, breast, insides have been eaten. ALl that is left is the legs and part of the butt and back.

My boyfriend refuses to think it was the puppy he thinks the dog found the carcass and iwas playing with it.

I think the puppy did it and we need to be much more careful. He does not think the puppy could have eaten that much of the bird. He could have killed it earlier in the day and came back for it, I don't know.

What do you all think?

We have never had a predator problem in the 10 months we have been here. And especially never during the daylight hours.

The puppy WAS barking at something around 5pm, but I could not see anything. It could have been a squirrel, who knows.

 

[teach1rusl]

Almost every post I've read where a dog killed chickens, there is nothing eaten; it's just the sport of playing/killing. I find it pretty unlikely that only those particular parts of the chicken would have been eaten. So I have to agree with your BF...I think your pup is innocent, which may also be why he didn't act ashamed....

 

[cluckcluck42]

Quote:
Really?? I hope you are right more than anything. I am so shocked because he has been such a GOOD dog around chickens so far, but after all he is only young.

I really really hope you are right.

 

[cluckcluck42]

Well it will suck that we finally have a predator to worry about, but I hope it was not by boy. I've been so proud of him.

 

[wsdareme]

If it had happened in a 20 minute period, the chicken should still have been pretty warm I would think. I hope it's not your puppy -- if it was, and he ate the inards, you REALLY have a problem.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't know how big your puppy is, but i think it's entirely possible that he was just playing with the best tasting chew toy EVER. Give him another chance.

I think everyone has predators - it's just a matter of when they find your weak spot. Hopefully, your puppy will grow up to be a great guardian, and you won't have to worry too much about those predators.

 

[True Grit]

I don't think your pup killed and ate your chicken but I wouldn't let any dog around my chickens unsupervised anyway. I'm just not very trusting of them.

 

[Kittymomma]

That sounds more like a possum kill, but now that the pup has discoverd what a tasty chew toy a chicken makes it's past time for some serious training. Sorry for your loss.

ETA: Dog/pup attacks usually involve a lot of slobbering and feather plucking, but rarely (I've never heard of it, but has probably happened at some time) is the bird consumed. Most dogs look at chickens as really cool squeaky toys as opposed to a meal.

 

[cluckcluck42]

Oh I should probably add, he had been out for about an hour in total before so he had the time to theoretically do it.

I'm glad you guys are agreeing with my bf. You will never catch me saying that again.

I hadnt been planning on letting him on his own so early but he is such a smart dog, I did not think he was capable of killing. He knows it is wrong to touch a chicken or even bother one. Maybe I was right to trust him after all.

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

It sounds like the pup to me but you know him better than anyone else. I've worked in veterinary hospitals for over ten years now and you can't imagine all the garbage we take out of dog stomachs. And cat tummies as well. The pup probably just thought "TOY!". It would take but one quick second.