Leash training

[fowl farm]

It is difficult to try and explain things properly in type! Ok, IMO, Collies have had their "prey drive" bred out of them over the years in the sense that they still herd but they leave it at that although it is quite common for some to still go in too hard, if a collie is left unattended and it starts a chase it will probably get so excited it will not stop at the chase and it will kill, it will often only want to do this if the animal or bird runs, lots of collies live with cats but if they run the collie wants to chase, it is what they do! They also like things in order and will try to tidy up, your poor chickens could end up being organised all day long! Remember with the Border collie, they need a job and if they don't have one then they find their own, usually it is something totally unacceptable to us!! Keep going, I am sure you will sort your girls out and they will learn what is right and wrong but it could be that you will have to keep dogs and chooks seperate

The only problem is, she didn't chase it down and kill it. The chickens aren't afraid of the puppies and don't run from them. She was eating it alive. She also had a VERY bad reaction when my brother tried to remove her (I was sick and unaware of what was going on).
Iona is a dog that needs a job, but chasing down and killing a chicken for fun is different from eating one alive and then snapping when you get near, especially when she has never shown food aggression.

 

[Fly 2006]

Could be the lab in her, they can be soooo greedy, I knew someone with a lab that would catch rabbits and virtually swallow them whole incase it was taken away!!

How old are the pups now? You say she is not normally food aggresive but is she greedy?

 

[fowl farm]

No, not at all. She's only 4 months

 

[RHRanch]

The only problem is, she didn't chase it down and kill it. The chickens aren't afraid of the puppies and don't run from them. She was eating it alive. She also had a VERY bad reaction when my brother tried to remove her (I was sick and unaware of what was going on).
Iona is a dog that needs a job, but chasing down and killing a chicken for fun is different from eating one alive and then snapping when you get near, especially when she has never shown food aggression.

My Doxie has snapped the neck of chickens before eating them, but she has also pinned them down and started pulling feathers/skin (and if not stopped she would have started pulling out the live chickens insides). Eating it dead or alive, it's all the same to her - Fun! Fun! Fun! And she gets very protective and tries to hang onto her prey with her front paws and mouth (We have to pry her off of the animal). And yet this same dog loves all people, loves babies and children and will let kids carry her by her back legs, poke her eyes, etc., and has visited dying people in nursing homes (lays next to them quietly). How can a dog as sweet and gentle also be so vicious? I guess it's instinct and breeding, I know she could compete in Earthdog Trials and probably do quite well.... I don't trust her with small animals, but I trust her (as much as you can trust any dog) with infants and children. Go figure.