My dog is a chicken eater, don't know what to do

[ColtHandorf]

Why are dogs so gross?

I have no idea. But they are disgusting. My little ones like to roll on dried-up worms they find in the yard.

 

[Isadora]

I have no idea. But they are disgusting. My little ones like to roll on dried-up worms they find in the yard.

When I was a kid, I always got the job of bathing the dogs if they got something dead stuck in their collar. We had German shepherds that wore choke chains, and the little dead animal would inevitably get wrapped up in it.
My current dog is offended by her own poop, but will eat the poop of every other animal we own.

 

[ColtHandorf]

My current dog is offended by her own poop, but will eat the poop of every other animal we own.

Mine looooooove goose poop. I swear it always gives them Giardia though so the waterfowl have been banished from the yard proper.

 

[Folly's place]

There is NOTHING some dog won't eat, or roll in! And dead, rotting animals are the best!
Then the same dog might turn up her nose at some perfectly good food choice in her bowl. Love them!
Mary

 

[cherrynberry]

I would build a good fence before I'd try to train the dog if its a Husky. They have a huge prey drive and have a reputation for being notorious chicken killers. Most dogs only kill chickens, Huskys also eat them. Mine also ate cats so he was re-homed.Everyone who tried to train him not to kill failed so eventually he was kept in a large chain link fence which is where he lived until he died from old age.

Our entire chicken pen is fenced in. It has a double latch and is chain-linked on the front and surrounded by metal fencing (that is buried into the ground...literally). I cannot even push through it without unlocking the lock. The only way a Husky can get in is if we leave the door open or slightly open, but even our chickens can get out if we do that.

Like I said in my post, none of our 3 dogs have ever killed a bird. Our husky has tried, but no, I did not mention that she could get through the fence.

 

[Geckolady]

My rough ("Lassie") collies leave the chickens alone unless I ask them to herd them into the coop. I worked with them to get them to this point.

Collie pups sell for more than your crossbred dog, and I have no plans to breed my collie girl. I leave that to the people who have studied the breed, tested them for genetic problems, shown them, and worked with them. They are also a breed that has been developed to work with livestock.

 

[addctd2plnts]

It’s been my experience shock collars don’t work. Dogs hair is too thick to bother them.
Or my dogs just didn’t care.
Cyclone fencing with chicken wire perimeter on the inside of the cage to keep dog from digging out. Much like you’d do for chicken coop with wire on the outside

If your dog has long hair, they include in the collar package two LONG metal contacts to replace the short. If the collar is a good one, it will make my 165# Pyrenean Mastiff jump. However, I highly suggest if using a shock collar, you have an experienced trainer helping you. I've seen dogs extremely traumatized from incorrect use. The TIMING is impossible for an inexperienced dog person to understand, and the TIMING is the KEY to it working. The shock needs to be administered as soon as they LOOK at the chicken, not when they actually start to chase it. There are videos on Youtube, I'm sure, so watch them carefully, and PLEASE consult a real trainer experienced in using these.

 

[maroongrad]

It's half bird-dog. Poodles are essentially fluffy pointers in build and not too different in personality, just even smarter. So...not too surprising you're having problems. Take her with you when you work with the chickens, on a short leash, put a muzzle on her if you must. Never let her out the back door without a leash unless that muzzle is on her so that she can't bite them even if she wants!!! Scold her when she expresses interest in the birds, praise her when she ignores them. It will take a few months, but honestly, she's half bird-dog and it's any guess whether the aussie or bird-dog will be dominant. My parents have a lovely English Setter that is a fine hunting dog and is laser-focused on my hens when she visits. Our dogs are a scotch and an aussie/border/lab/something mix and after a scolding and shaming and anger at the scotch for killing a bird (and getting caught doing it), then a month-plus of being inside unless we were right outside with him, and jumping his case for even going after the sparrows...he's rock-solid reliable with our girls and a darn fine flock protector. But it took work to get him there...the three pullets he killed were ones that we raised from little babies and he adored them when they were tiny fluffballs! They got half-grown and jumpy and he went for them. As soon as he learned this was NOT ALLOWED and it upset us, he hasn't touched them. He's even allowed to herd them and move them around the yard now

 

[maroongrad]

My rough ("Lassie") collies leave the chickens alone unless I ask them to herd them into the coop. I worked with them to get them to this point.

Collie pups sell for more than your crossbred dog, and I have no plans to breed my collie girl. I leave that to the people who have studied the breed, tested them for genetic problems, shown them, and worked with them. They are also a breed that has been developed to work with livestock.

Modern roughs have been bred to be suburban pets. They're fantastic dogs, but there are some of the "original" collies (scotches) with a few lines that are being bred for poultry ability. They'll herd and guard the hens, one girl even trained hers to collect the eggs If you get a good rough collie, they're a great choice! I am not into THAT much coat or that high of a maintenance coat, so I have the smaller Old Time Scotch instead and he's a very good poultry dog now that he's figured out that boy oh boy they are OFF LIMITS.

 

[Geckolady]

Modern roughs have been bred to be suburban pets. They're fantastic dogs, but there are some of the "original" collies (scotches) with a few lines that are being bred for poultry ability. They'll herd and guard the hens, one girl even trained hers to collect the eggs If you get a good rough collie, they're a great choice! I am not into THAT much coat or that high of a maintenance coat, so I have the smaller Old Time Scotch instead and he's a very good poultry dog now that he's figured out that boy oh boy they are OFF LIMITS.

I've done herding and have a rough collie who holds a herding title from the AKC. Some show breeders emphasize both herding skills and good looks. And when we did herding, owners of the collie-ish type dogs would tell us this, then watch our dogs out-herd many of theirs. The littermate of one of my dogs is one of the top herding titled dogs in the country, and he is also a champion in the show ring. I think it's folklore. But I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your dog.