Does anyone have any recommendations on books or tips on training a Livestock Guardian pup to guard chickens? Any advice is appreciated.
LGD Tips?
- Thread starter Ironmaiden
- Start date
I can tell you what I personally do. I have 6 GP's, 3 adult and 3, 5 month olds from my dogs. They are all chicken guardians here, though the 3 puppies are in training but have been very good with them.
From the time the puppies were born I introduced the smell of chickens to them, held chickens around them and let the chickens eat with them. The best trainers so far have been the geese and swans. They don't take crap and will put the puppies in their place if they get too rough. Slow supervised introduction is the key. My adult dogs I all got around 3 months old. I introduced them slowly to everyone and let them sniff the animals but no paw them or mouth them in any way. There will still be times as puppies where the go through stages, but just be super watchful at those times. they have to learn that the chickens are part of their group, but they can't play with them like they do each other.
Puppies waiting their turn so they don't get pecked in the nose bu the bossy girls.
Hot and trot........ Zeena with baby Pumba
From the time the puppies were born I introduced the smell of chickens to them, held chickens around them and let the chickens eat with them. The best trainers so far have been the geese and swans. They don't take crap and will put the puppies in their place if they get too rough. Slow supervised introduction is the key. My adult dogs I all got around 3 months old. I introduced them slowly to everyone and let them sniff the animals but no paw them or mouth them in any way. There will still be times as puppies where the go through stages, but just be super watchful at those times. they have to learn that the chickens are part of their group, but they can't play with them like they do each other.
Puppies waiting their turn so they don't get pecked in the nose bu the bossy girls.
Hot and trot........ Zeena with baby Pumba
Quote:
!
Slow supervised introduction is the key.
That pretty much covers it.
Start them as young as possible and be consistent
That pretty much covers it.
Start them as young as possible and be consistent
- Thread starter
- #5
Holy COW! That is awesome. Thank you for sharing. I sure wish I had put the pup up with the chickens from the start, but since it was so hot we had him inside the house. I just have a few questions..
What form of dicipline do you use if the pup "goes for" a chicken? Mine has been pretty good, but there are moments..
Do yours live with them 24/7 or have a separate pen within the chicken run?
The pup eats feathers and chicken poop. Would you stop this or is it okay?
Thank you folks!
What form of dicipline do you use if the pup "goes for" a chicken? Mine has been pretty good, but there are moments..
Do yours live with them 24/7 or have a separate pen within the chicken run?
The pup eats feathers and chicken poop. Would you stop this or is it okay?
Thank you folks!
I don't think it's possible to get them to stop eating chicken poop. It's free doggie treats as far as they are concerned!
we had him inside the house
That's the worst possible thing you can do with a REAL LGD
That's the worst possible thing you can do with a REAL LGD
Quote:
That's the worst possible thing you can do with a REAL LGD
not necessarily..
we have a GP who is getting up there in age.. she has arthritis but still takes her job very seriously.. we started her out on goats as a puppy.. she then moved to horses and mini equines.. and now the poultry.. during the day she is "off the clock" where she can come in and rest on a soft bed and take meds for her joint pain if she's having a really bad day.. but come evening she is at the door waiting to go "clock in" to her job as a LGD.. she spends the night with the birds and the minis. stays awake all night and does her best to protect her "family".. in no way does her being in the house affect her performance as a LGD. On days when her arthritis isnt bothering her she chooses to stay with her flock.. but she knows where the soft bed and pain meds are if she needs them
I think each dog is an individual.. and blanket statements don't cover every dog or situation
by the way.. she is very much a "REAL" LGD... she will not allow strangers anywhere near her charges.. has killed coyotes and chased off plenty of raccoons and foxes.. I had to lock her up when I had the vet out because she wouldn't allow him to get close to the stud we needed gelded. yes, she takes her job VERY seriously
That's the worst possible thing you can do with a REAL LGD
not necessarily..
we have a GP who is getting up there in age.. she has arthritis but still takes her job very seriously.. we started her out on goats as a puppy.. she then moved to horses and mini equines.. and now the poultry.. during the day she is "off the clock" where she can come in and rest on a soft bed and take meds for her joint pain if she's having a really bad day.. but come evening she is at the door waiting to go "clock in" to her job as a LGD.. she spends the night with the birds and the minis. stays awake all night and does her best to protect her "family".. in no way does her being in the house affect her performance as a LGD. On days when her arthritis isnt bothering her she chooses to stay with her flock.. but she knows where the soft bed and pain meds are if she needs them
I think each dog is an individual.. and blanket statements don't cover every dog or situation
by the way.. she is very much a "REAL" LGD... she will not allow strangers anywhere near her charges.. has killed coyotes and chased off plenty of raccoons and foxes.. I had to lock her up when I had the vet out because she wouldn't allow him to get close to the stud we needed gelded. yes, she takes her job VERY seriously
by the way.. she is very much a "REAL" LGD... she will not allow strangers anywhere near her charges.. has killed coyotes and chased off plenty of raccoons and foxes.. I had to lock her up when I had the vet out because she wouldn't allow him to get close to the stud we needed gelded. yes, she takes her job VERY seriously
in no way does her being in the house affect her performance as a LGD.
She didn't do any of that while she was in the house
A dog that's not with the animals isn't "guarding" or protecting anything
The OP is asking about how to train a YOUNG dog, not how to care for an older, ailing animal.
Yours is a different scenario altogether
She didn't do any of that while she was in the house
A dog that's not with the animals isn't "guarding" or protecting anything
The OP is asking about how to train a YOUNG dog, not how to care for an older, ailing animal.
Yours is a different scenario altogether
Quote:
and I was replying to your blanket statement
just to clarify... as for her not protecting anything in the house.. try coming into our home with her in the house.. she protects the animals we have inside as well as any outside,, she has placed herself in between strangers and the house cats, the brooders full of young birds as well as our parrot.. which are in the house.. as I said before.. she takes her job VERY seriously. And before anyone claims she is guarding property.. nope.. you could walk out of here with the TV and she wouldn't care.. just don't go near any of the brooders or other pets in the home.. cause she will stand her ground
in no way does her being in the house affect her performance as a LGD.
She didn't do any of that while she was in the house
A dog that's not with the animals isn't "guarding" or protecting anything
The OP is asking about how to train a YOUNG dog, not how to care for an older, ailing animal.
Yours is a different scenario altogether
She didn't do any of that while she was in the house
A dog that's not with the animals isn't "guarding" or protecting anything
The OP is asking about how to train a YOUNG dog, not how to care for an older, ailing animal.
Yours is a different scenario altogether
and I was replying to your blanket statement
just to clarify... as for her not protecting anything in the house.. try coming into our home with her in the house.. she protects the animals we have inside as well as any outside,, she has placed herself in between strangers and the house cats, the brooders full of young birds as well as our parrot.. which are in the house.. as I said before.. she takes her job VERY seriously. And before anyone claims she is guarding property.. nope.. you could walk out of here with the TV and she wouldn't care.. just don't go near any of the brooders or other pets in the home.. cause she will stand her ground
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