Love my chickens, love me dogs but..

[chicksak]

I love my chickens and love my dog, 5 year old mini dachshund, but she keeps digging holes to get under the fence to get to the girls. Last night she was successful and although it was not life threatening to the chicken, she is wounded none the same. What can I do to train the darn dog to stay away?

 

[sourland]

She is a dachshund and as such is a digger with a strong prey drive. A skirt around the perimeter of the pen may help, but an electric fence is a surefire deterrent to her instincts.

 

[Folly's place]

If your little dog can dig into the pen, so can many other predators. MUST FIX PEN! Your dog MIGHT be retrainable, but won't be trustworthy out of your sight, as far as the birds are concerned, ever. She may learn to respect your birds, because they are yours, if she thinks you really mean it. Electric fencing and a dig- proof pen will help a lot. Mary

 

[Folly's place]

If your little dog can dig into the pen, so can many other predators. MUST FIX PEN! Your dog MIGHT be retrainable, but won't be trustworthy out of your sight, as far as the birds are concerned, ever. She may learn to respect your birds, because they are yours, if she thinks you really mean it. Electric fencing and a dig- proof pen will help a lot. Mary

 

[chicksak]

Let me clarify, she is digging under the backyard fenced yard for the dogs not the pen. The girls were out roaming the front yard. We have fixed the where she dug and are in the process of dig proofing more of the fenced yard. The only real predators we have are hawks, which we are protected from and moose, which can pretty much stomp over anything but usually wont so should be safe as well. Then their is my dog! I will look at electric fencing and see how they work, don't know much about them. Thanks

 

[ukuleledave]

Provide perches for the ladies. Since your dog is a dachshund, I figure they don't have to be very high.

I have had no luck training my dogs to respect the ladies. Instinct is very tough to overcome. Good luck.

 

[chicksak]

Thank you all. Going to make some changes this afternoon.