Im just devastated

[mooman]

I agree with the "training the dog" approach. I believe that most dogs can be trained to do almost anything (or in this case "not do almost anything"). It may take more time and more skill at training than most people have or are able to devote to the task, especially if the dog is weak in basic obedience to begin with, but it can be done. I'm talking hours of reading about dog training and hundreds of hours of working with the dog over several months. I would think the key is getting the dog to understand that the chickens are YOURS and as alpha he will have to answer to you if he even thinks about messing with them. If you are not the alpha dog however you don't have a chance. I'm not implying that the original poster is not the alpha, but I think many people would be surprised to find out what thier dogs think of them and thier position in the "pack"

This being said, I lucked out. My 8yr old yellow lab has never showed the slightest bit of interest in eating the chickens. I believe she see's them as walking snack machines. She is constanly walking up behind to see if someone left a candy bar in the slot. If you know what I mean. Maybe she heard the tale that you should not kill the goose errrr chicken that laid the golden turd.

When I get a new puppy he/she will be introduced to all my animals at a young age, and trained not to mess with them.

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Denece&Lacey :

I am afraid of this happening again. It was not a pretty sight. I am the one that found them and had to deal with the chickens, dog, kids crying etc.... I was devastated. I do feel responsible. I feel like now that he has done it he will look for any way possible to get them if I get more. I dont trust him now. I work during the day and cant watch them all day long. I wish I could. I have to feel comfortable that I can leave and not come home to a massacre again. I have a yellow lab also who is on a shock collar because he gets out and runs off. I may check into getting another collar to go to the same system. I really hadnt thought about that too much. His keeps him in our yard but one time the battery ran out and he somehow knew it!! I would be afraid that would happen with Jack and he would get the chickens!!!!! Im going to be working on my fence nonstop until I get more chickens. I have had some ideas. My husband has fixed where Jack got in and he wont get back through there. I am afraid if he wants in bad enough there will be nothing stopping him!! What a dilema!!

Little bit of a different story..BUT the neighbors here have a dog. That dog has come over here attacked me and my geese. The dog was in it for the kill. The geese tried to run from him and he leaped on them bitting them pretty bad. A few weeks later an instant reply of what had just happened. The dog seen me and the geese outside in OUR YARD. Ran full boar over here, attacked me once again and my geese who were just starting to heal and come outside again. Once again drew blood on them and me.
This dog has been on the underground fence system in there old house. Still has the collar on and a shock collar to boot. They don't have the fence in over there YET (it's been about 6+ months) But they leave the underground fence collar on in addition to the shock collar. Nothing stopped the dog once he seen the geese and me outside.
Even to this day the dog goes bolistic if he sees me out the window.
Yesterday when we were putting up fence the dog was so he// bent on getting out of there house to get at me that he ripped 2 window screens and tore up a chair ( got a phone call of the neighbors telling me what THERE dog did when he seen me outside and they had the nerve to ask me if I could please not be in the FRONT of my own property because if the dog gets out it is going to come right for me..).
This dog and owners have been reported, fined, warned not only by us, but also the county sheriff and human services--because they have 2 little girls in the house and who the heck knows what the dog will do to them...

Sorry don't want to hijack..Just wanted to share this story.
Shawna​

 

[jjthink]

Oh dear, I'm so very sorry this happened.

The number of dog-killed-chicken stories is so voluminous that the risk of keeping them in proximity to one another just seems too great, the price too high to the poor birds. It's a rare set up that is fail safe, no matter how well intentioned. The number of incidences of dog attacks reported on BYC alone is staggering, and most members are devoted animal lovers. I cringe to think about the humans that aren't so caring - it has to be even worse for the chickens then. Because chickens came into my life by "accident" (they were homeless and appeared on my property) I'm going to be giving them the best life possible for as long as they can live and I won't be considering getting a dog till after they are gone. If I had the dog first, I wouldn't get chickens. For the chickens sake, but also because I don't think I could bear going through what you are going through. It's such a headache as it is worrying about the neighbors dogs - a constant worry when I see one off a leash. I've nursed my roo back from dog attacks (other people's dogs) and the terror and stress the dogs cause the birds is just unacceptable to me.

I know there are exceptions - such as with extreme dog training or the dog without a destructive bone in its body - but it seems most of the time when it happens good well intentioned people really thought they had the situation under control and then some Murphy's Law things happens and there's a tragedy. I wish it weren't so because I'd love to have a dog protect my feathered friends from unsavory characters.

I feel for you and wish I had the power to turn the clock back for you - I would do it in a flash.
JJ

 

[ChickMommy]

Shawna I would get a gun!! At least a paintall gun or something. That dog has no business on your property period. If its attacking you especially you should be able to shoot it. Maybe something will happen soon to change things.

Thanks everyone else for the sympathy and well wishes. The dog is going to live with my niece at my sisters. He will be out of chickens way!!! I will still be able to see him and know he is ok also. I think it will be a good thing.

 

[ChickMommy]

Sorry, This is me Denece I was just trying to find a cuter name!!!!

 

[wynedot55]

for the 1st chicken killing dog.id get 1 of those 12 by 12 kennels an put the dog in it.an fix it so he cant digg out.for the geese attacking dog.that dog would be shot an killed after the 2nd attack no question.a dog that will attack poultry an people needs killing.we have a neighbor that weve put a kill on sight on his dogs.an he knows they will be killed.an why they be killed.so he keeps them up.

 

[Denece&Lacey]

Well especially when a dog attacks a person. That dog needs to be put down really.

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Again...sorry I don't want to hyjack your original post/topic, but to just reply to the resent posts...
We have the gun ready. The owners have been told if the dog comes back he won't be going home.
I have even told the sheriff this. Not sure if good or bad...

But this is the kicker....
The sheriff told me that 'if the owners wanted to SUE ME for killing there dog they had every legal right to do so. Because the dog is not fixed and they could in the future have used that dog as a breeding dog. And it would be a loss of income for them.
So I asked about me returning the favor of sueing them for there dog killing my livestock/animals. And they told me NO!!!!! Because my animals are livestock and with livestock you expect losses. Even if they are income. They basically told me I should expect losses when farming/ dealing with livestock.

But yes everyone has been told the dog will not come back home if it ever steps on to our yard again. So far...it hasn't....
The fines they have been issued don't seem to bother them..not that they are made of money or anything like that. And the fact that social services/human services were also contacted, and they ss./hs has contacted them about the dog and having there children in the same house doesn't seem to affect them either.
Their daughter actually just showed our youngest daughter a couple of huge scratches she got from the dog all because she was trying to get her shoe from the dog...
I DO NOT let my girls go over there..NO MATTER WHAT...I actually told them to go to the other neighbors incase of an emergency just because I don't trust there dog....

Ok, once again...sorry to hyjack the post and take the topic off your original post, I didn't intend to do that. I was more just trying to share a story of 'some' dogs can't be warded off no matter how secure things seem. Some will always find a way.

 

[Cara]

If lions and tigers can be confined in zoos, i'm pretty confident that an adequate enclosure will keep the most determined dogs and chickens separate without injury to either.

As for a chicken-killing dog going after children, I don't think you have anything to worry about unless your kids are a foot tall with feathers and wings.

 

[ChickNLittle]

Electric fencing is your best bet and they say to put it about 6 inches off the ground, around the whole pen. You can have a plug near the door of the coop so you can turn it off when you need too. This is the only deterrent I have found. I started with chickens last year and I had an english bulldog mixed who kept messing around by the pen (it was my daughter in laws dog). I put up the wire, and it took one time and she never got near that coop again. As a matter of fact the hens got out once and came towards her and she ran. Tehe!