Introducing to pet dogs

[Kassaundra]

I am very new to chickens, will get my day old chicks in a couple of weeks. I have already a safe place for them to grow where my dogs cannot get to them, and the pen they will go into when big enough is secure also, but I am worried about determined (wiener) dog. We have several dogs, that have never seen a chicken, even though the pens seem secure to me I am concerned that they could find a way to get in when I am at work. Has anyone had any experience introducing dogs to the chickens? All my dogs are friendly w/ each other, other dogs, and cats.

 

[GwenDellAnno]

I know others will disagree on this, but my own experience is with a Golden Lab and a smaller black lab x mutt dog. The Golden was about 7 and at first he chased around their pen causing them to go flapping around the other side of the pen. I immediately told him no and led him away. He did it less and less over the next week or so until he wasn't chasing at all, basically not even paying attention to them. After a couple of months ~ by which time he was completely used to them ~ I let the chickens out to free range. He would sleep in the shade while they wandered all around him. Same with our other older dog. She never did show much interest and has been completely oblivious to them. I have a hen with new chicks (2 weeks) and the Golden also simply ignores her and the chicks. My chicks and dogs are out together without supervision for long periods of time.

 

[huntercf]

My wife and kids have a chihuahua and a sheltie. The sheltie took to the chickens right away and likes to play with them, they just chase him and give him warning pecks. The chihuahua has chased a few chickens but we kept an eye on him and admonished him for chasing the chickens and made sure we were outside with him until he got used to them. I still keep an eye on the chihuahua but haven't had any problems except when I got 2 new chicks and put them out with the others when they were a couple months old, we had to do it all over again because they ran from him and his instinct to chase kicked in but it only took a few days to settle him down again.

 

[bobbi-j]

You'll get lots of different advice on this. You know your dogs and what will work with them. What worked with my dog was when I got chicks, I held one right up to the dog's face and when he showed interest (his nose would twitch) I'd firmly tell him "NO". I did that until he would ignore them. It didn't take long. But - my dog is a black lab, not a wiener dog. He was also a puppy, not an adult. So he's been around chickens all his life. He leaves my grown birds alone, but I wouldn't leave him alone with chicks. He comes in the coop with me when I have chicks, and I like to think he'd be fine, but they're so little and so different from an adult bird. I don't want to tempt him. I hope it all works out for you.

 

[Beekissed]

I've done so quite successfully...but weiner dogs are a challenge. They seem geared to kill small prey, especially in a pack.

 

[Miltonchix]

Only have experience with my German Shepherd. She understands "NO!, MINE". Only took a couple of those to break her interest in them. The biggest challenge was breaking her of chasing when a hen would run. Prey drive, something runs you chase. Unfortunately it cost 2 ducks their lives. Now she just follows the chickens around for the "treats"(?) they leave her. Now, anyone know how to break a dog from eating chicken crap?

 

[Sparks]

We have two dachsunds, rescued @ 9 weeks. They grew up here with chicks, chickens. They sometimes go into the pens when I am there. They were attacked by chickens and use caution! My crazy story happened yesterday. I called it Chicken Mayhem. I thought I would put the 1 1/2 week old chicks on grass in a pen. Dumped 1/2 of them in and went to get the rest. When I came out they were all walking though the fence (duh). I had both dogs out and my bird loving cat (she goes through the runs too!) I`m yelling and crawling through the bushes and gathered them all up! Thought about a drink @ 10 a.m. but ended up having a good laugh....and dirty knees. That being said...any animals bear watching around your flock.

 

[kota1369]

Quote:
This is similar to what I did with my EXTREMELY obsessive rottwieler rescue. The chicks were in my living room at this point. Same similar thing with my 2 cocker spaniels....... one could care less about the chickens the other wanted to be their mommy.
As the chickens grew they went outside to the secure chicken tractor........ Spaniels could care less, Miss Obsessive would charge the tractor (no barking). I would go over and correct her with her collar for bad behavior. We would hang out around the tractor and she would get corrected for looking at them. Over a few weeks she relaxed around them and soon ignored them in the tractor. As things progressed she would go out on leash when they were free ranging and again, be corrected for "targeting them". (excitedly looking at them)
Now............ it took a full year of working with her and now she is 110% trustworthy with my chickens and she jumps into the air really crazy if a hawk sends her ladies running.
Also, something you need to know is I train dogs and her obediance was 110% before she met the chickens. This is a plus as I can say "down" and she would come to a halt and "down".
I have also fostered a momma GSD who had 10 living puppies at my house last fall. Momma dog was treated same way........ took her to the chicken tractor and corrected her for excitedly looking at them. She quickly learned they were MINE and off limits. Her puppies were raised with chickens on the other side of the living room window and they got to see them free ranging for several hours a day. The puppy I kept was allowed off leash with chickens at about the age of 11 mo. (I was also still working with Rotty) I think one of the main mistakes people have with dogs and chickens is they move to fast on having them get along. And the you get the people on here ready to shot their dogs.
I have had dogs boarding at my house or visiting for a few weeks and I go through the same routine. Now, my dog pack actually will correct the visiting dog for looking at the chickens or rabbits. This has become a huge help as I can not get across the yard fast enough to stop unwanted behavior. But, now my sheperd and rotty will correct the visiting dogs. It has been one of the most rewarding things I could have done for my household. When I have visiting dogs the chickens are not free ranging in the yard of course.
So, as you can see from the other posts it is possible it just takes work and training. And dont go to fast.
Good luck

the lady w/4 dogs, 4 city chickens, 5 meat rabbits, their kits and a lizard
oh, and I am fostering a standard poodle

 

[Kassaundra]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and experiences, it has been both helpful and encouraging, that it is doable! Our girls are not going to be free range (at least that isn't the plan right now). They are going to be in chicken tractors that rotate w/ the garden. We have 3 dogs, all rescue. The largest is Little bug a lab/rot mix (we think) she is over 8 y/o and has some experience w/ farm animals at her previous home, where she was nearly starved to death and still did not attack their animals, so not to worried about her, the next is Seng Kia a lahsa, he loves all things baby (except puppies) and is the very definition of "chillaxing", at one point we had 4 kittens which he insisted on being "mama" to, and he paid dearly for it when the 4 kittens became big enough to harrass him nonstop!!! lol Then there is my problem child Tucker the weiner dog, mama's boy to the core, but hunter extrodinaire, and single minded beyond comprehension or sanity. In addition to that we have my father in law's dogs (he lives in an apt in our yard) 2 mix pappions (miss spelled I know) of those two, most concerned about Tucker's co-hort Pepper. When we get the girls thier first home is going to be a large dog kennel, first w/ a smaller cardboard box inside which we plan on keeping inside for at least the first several weeks, we are hoping at this stage to introduce the girls and dogs one on one w/ extreme close supervision and at least get an idea of the scope of challenge we face and who the trouble makers will be.

 

[kota1369]

Do your dogs have any training? And, if so what kind? How do they listen to you?
Do they respect you or just hear you and ignore you? The more your dogs respect you
the better off you are.
I say sharpen up thier obedience or start working on it if you havent. Also, be confident
that things will work out and keep yourself CALM. Dogs mirror our energy, so if your anxious and
worried your dog will be to and will react in different ways. If your hyper and wond up, they will
be to..... Be calm. Breathe deep.
If your calm........ they will mirror you. But, I also say........ TIRE the dogs out and I do mean
tire them out. Take them on the walk of a lifetime before you introduce them one
by one....... A tired dog is a lot easier to train and teach the rules to.
And... a tired dog makes for a better house companion also. I know......... I have 2 cocker spaniels
(3 yrs old, both rescues) a rottwieler with the enery of an athlete ( rescued from sure death in BY.
Wieghed 40 lbs. 4-6yrs old) and a German Shepherd whose mother I fostered. I took the
calm one in the litter. All of them....... have been trained in obedience and even though I am fostering
a STD Poodle I feed all 5 dogs in the back yard (RAW MEAT) mind you. and they all sit
and wait for their food. This is a great mental excersice........ And there is no BS! Not allowed!
I also have to tell you we both train dogs....... so we work with ours 30 times more then the average
hosuehold. Everything takes time to get it right.
I hope this is helpful

She is a year old here with her chicken Cheatah........ Notice the chicken wants to peck her in the
shoulder. I was shocked she didnt to be honest. And I had the camera ready for it.


The lady with 4/dogs, 4 city chickens, 5 meat rabbits, thier kits and a lizard
oh...... and the STD poodle I am fostering
Check out "MY PAGE"