Livestock guardian dogs

[willr]

We got a red heeler last summer who keeps watch on our chickens whenever she is out, chasing off everything and anyone who enters her space. She has treed raccoons, weasels, fisher cats and who knows what else while we weren't watching. In 2014 we lost birds to raccoons, coyotes, and a particularly persistent mink but the only lost bird this summer was while we were out of town and our dog was with us. She was very interested in the birds when we first got her but we were able to train her to leave them with a little diligence. She does occasionally try to play with the birds but it is obviously not aggressive, just playful. Our rooster tries to attack her occasionally but she thinks he is playing and seems to enjoy it. Again, she bats at him like a cat and chases him playfully but ultimately he leaves her alone and she moves on.

Heelers are smart dogs.

 

[dickhuhn]

We got a red heeler last summer who keeps watch on our chickens whenever she is out, chasing off everything and anyone who enters her space. She has treed raccoons, weasels, fisher cats and who knows what else while we weren't watching. In 2014 we lost birds to raccoons, coyotes, and a particularly persistent mink but the only lost bird this summer was while we were out of town and our dog was with us. She was very interested in the birds when we first got her but we were able to train her to leave them with a little diligence. She does occasionally try to play with the birds but it is obviously not aggressive, just playful. Our rooster tries to attack her occasionally but she thinks he is playing and seems to enjoy it. Again, she bats at him like a cat and chases him playfully but ultimately he leaves her alone and she moves on.

Heelers are smart dogs.

Glad that it works for you, heelers are great dogs, but just as the name says, they are by no means livestock guardian dogs. Lgds are not interested in the animals they guard, though they occasional smell at their butt, as they do with the cats. Though quite sometimes the lay more or less next to or inside the chicken crowd, if there is something they are curious about they get up and hurry through the chicks, who try to free the path asap, as if they wouldn't exist. The chicken are never annoyed with the dogs, it seems they know they are protecting them. We are inside a huge forest and have all kinds of predators, including wolves, were some heeler might be to small as protection?

They do not play with the chicken, who mostly can even steal them food just as the cats, only if the dogs are pretty hungry (seldom), they shake their heads at the chickens.

 

[abbevilleoz]

This is my Border Collie mix, Loretta. She crawled into our yard a couple of years ago after being hit by a car somewhere. She re cooperated almost completely. She is obsessed with our chickens, especially our little Silkie pullets. We let her stay out with them by herself while we watched from a window today to see what she would do. She just sat with them and never showed any signs of aggression. Actually it was the opposite. Do you think she is protecting them? Our Lab pays no attention to the chickens and our Chihuahua hangs out with the birds until one of the old hens runs him off.

 

[aart]

This is my Border Collie mix, Loretta. She crawled into our yard a couple of years ago after being hit by a car somewhere. She re cooperated almost completely. She is obsessed with our chickens, especially our little Silkie pullets. We let her stay out with them by herself while we watched from a window today to see what she would do. She just sat with them and never showed any signs of aggression. Actually it was the opposite. Do you think she is protecting them? Our Lab pays no attention to the chickens and our Chihuahua hangs out with the birds until one of the old hens runs him off.

Does she 'herd' them?

 

[abbevilleoz]

Does she 'herd' them?

I think she is...it looks like she tries to keep them in one place.

 

[aart]

Quote: That could end up being problem.....border collies usually need a job and close control by owner, they can become unhealthily obsessed.

 

[centrarchid]

Work on getting that dog's mind active on something else. I am dealing with same issue and it takes time. Take it on walks away from chickens and try to get interested in other stimuli. That is one of the problems that manifest most on small acreages where dog is bored out its mind. Most better thought of as more than something to pet and feed, they need challenges and activities.

 

[abbevilleoz]

Work on getting that dog's mind active on something else. I am dealing with same issue and it takes time. Take it on walks away from chickens and try to get interested in other stimuli. That is one of the problems that manifest most on small acreages where dog is bored out its mind. Most better thought of as more than something to pet and feed, they need challenges and activities.

That could end up being problem.....border collies usually need a job and close control by owner, they can become unhealthily obsessed.

Thanks, your advice seems right on track. She only started this obsession when we had to keep two young silkie pullets in a pen in our basement .

 

[mossyroo]

This is our new Great Pyreneese getting acclimated to the flock and herd.
Fresh additions to the pile keep everyone's attention

Everything requires close attention at this point.

 

[centrarchid]

This is our new Great Pyreneese getting acclimated to the flock and herd. Fresh additions to the pile keep everyone's attention Everything requires close attention at this point.

Will you be keeping pup with adult goat stock for 1st two years? That will be approach with next dog to be used primarily with herd. Bucks will be acquired first allowing dog to break in with them before females and ultimately young are exposed to young adult dog of about 2 years age.