my dog killed chicken, help

[suzannaski]

Cuddlewuddles: PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DOG.
Its clear you care for her because you're looking for advice. You're a good person for adopting an abused dog.
I should have guessed by your screen name that you wouldn't take the bad advice from the earlier posts:
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I agree .

Horsejody & NZpouter: To be blunt, ARE YOU CRAZY? Do you have children? or did you already put them down for misbehaving?
Granted, I'm PMS'ing right now, but still, I don't get the double standard for humans vs animals.
How is it we can give idiot humans the benefit of the doubt, but if a poor dog behaves like a dog, its the death penalty for him. Which I'm sure will seem very ironic when he's sitting in heaven next to all the other chickens you killed for dinner.

If you doubt you can train your dog, why should the dog pay such a steep price for your own doubts, or in the case of my neighbor, a lack of effort to train her dog.
Oh, maybe dogs are supposed to be smarter than people, and know exactly how the owner wants the dog to behave.
Here's my GOOD advice (which some "people" may not see as good advice, but I bet all dogs would prefer it):
Our dog has dog habits. When the habit is not a good one, we work with him to correct it.
Why? Because he is a loved member of our family.

I logged on today to see what others had for advice, as today was the first day (after three weeks of having chickens) that our dog was interested in the chickens. Needless to say, I went to go get fresh water, and turned around to see my dog with one of the hens in his mouth. I screamed, he dropped the hen, and she ran off. Is she fine? I don't know, she seems to be, but she could have some broken ribs. As for Buddy the dog, he's still curious about the chickens, but from a distance. My scream might have been enough of a correction to stop him from doing it again, but I should have been ready for his actions, since I used to watch him chase the wild turkeys, way before I ever thought I'd own chickens. How could Buddy know the difference between the turkeys and the chickens unless I teach him?
How does a child know right from wrong? You teach him. Why should you expect more and do less for a dog?

 

[cmjust0]

I've never owned a Rhodesian Ridgeback, but based on what I'm reading, they're naturally aloof to strangers. That interests me right off the bat, because that's a common trait among LGDs.

If by "shy" you mean she holds her head and tail down and kinda makes you nervous that she may bite someone someday, then you're probably seeing fear aggression. If she gets a little bit more 'brave' when the stranger turns to walk away, perhaps growling or nipping or stalking from behind, I'd even more strongly suspect fear aggression.

Rhodesian Ridgebacks were apparently bred to hunt lions, so it would make sense that she may have retained the instinct to challenge things that scare the crap out of them. Fear aggression, in a nutshell, is when the fight outweighs the flight in a nervous dog..

And the peeing when excited thing certainly leads me to believe she may be a little high-strung...right?

Here's the thing...if you could manage to instill a little more confidence in the dog and train it to leave the chickens alone, you may be able to take advantage of the fear-aggression...maybe. I wouldn't necessarily count on it...and, after reading what I've read, I don't think I'd go around recommending a Rhodesian Ridgeback to someone looking for a good dog to keep with chickens....but since you already have the dog, it might be worth a shot.

Afterall, adequate size, some fear aggression, and low to zero prey drive is more or less what makes a good livestock guardian. If you can train the prey drive out of her as some around here have done with their herding breeds.................

Just thinking out loud.

 

[briana1975]

My dogs get " free range" with me and for potty time most of the day. But if I let the chickens free range after or around dinner time and it is inside only time for the dogs. I have brought our little Boston/Fox terrier mix out to a chain when he insists he can't hold it. We even brought our 65 lb. mutt outside once and he layed by my feet with chickens all around him even pecking at his tail. But when the turkey started to run he couldn't resist. He ended up in trouble and back in the house. I just can't trust them around the chickens.

 

[CMV]

Quote:

Now, I am going to take you to task for bad-mouthing some folks who have been here a long time, and given many people sound advice and support when they needed it. Re-read the rules to this section because you didn't understand them the first time through, obviously. Your opinion is valued here, everyone's is, but not at the expense of others. Your post was insulting and rude. Each person deals with their problems as they see fit. You could have been encouraging to the OP without slamming everyone else. Watch your tone. And if the opinions of others bother you then stay out of the P&P section. It's a tough old world and sometimes requires some harsh actions.
Sorry to be a jerk.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
I agree .

Horsejody & NZpouter: To be blunt, ARE YOU CRAZY? Do you have children? or did you already put them down for misbehaving?
Granted, I'm PMS'ing right now, but still, I don't get the double standard for humans vs animals.

I guess that you were too busy to read my entire post. I suggested that if they couldn't or wouldn't train the dog to turn it over to a rescue or put it down. Also, suggesting that I would kill a child just because I think that dogs shouldn't be allowed to run amok is repugnant and insulting. If you can't get the "double standard" between dogs and children, perhaps you're the crazy one.

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I don't kill my chickens so stop making assumptions. I would rather have a dog put down, than let it kill my animals. Dropping it at the pound is just passing the problem to somebody else. That's why I suggested a rescue group.


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Chickens or other pets shouldn't have to pay for it either. Responsible pet owners realize that sometimes hard decisions have to be made.

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I'm really glad that your dog dropped the chicken just because you screamed. Not all dogs will do that. Some dogs can't be trained to overcome their prey drive. Owners can try, but if they fail, keeping the dog might not be an option. There was plenty of screaming when my neighbor's RRs killed my chickens, but it didn't stop them. When an elderly lady caught them tearing apart her pomeranian, she screamed hysterically. It didn't stop them. When the lady 2 doors down saw them chewing on her Lhasa Apso, screaming didn't help. Thankfully, that dog broke free from the jaws and crawled through a fence. When the same dogs attacked another small dog, there was screaming, but it didn't help. The dog was nearly dead by the time the owner got it called off. The suffering and the vet bill was horrendous. We don't live in a perfect world. There are people that ruin dogs. You can't get rid of those people. Myself and others were just pointing out the reality of the situation. A large, unruly dog must be trained. If it can't be trained or contained, then it may have to be put down. The life of a dog that attacks other pets (even if it is "just doing what dogs do") is not more valuable than the life of any other pet.

I'm sure that the OP is a good person and will do what is right.

 

[suzannaski]

I do apologize for being rude. Yes, I did read all of the posts in entirety. This is the only forum where I could find info relating to dog/chicken altercations, and in retrospect I should have considered the title of the forum a little more before getting offended.
The statement to just put the dog down really hit a nerve.

Responsible pet owners realize that sometimes hard decisions have to be made.

Most responsible pet owners are not faced with the decision to euthanize an animal except in emergency, because they are responsible pet owners and they don't see euthanasia as an obedience tool. Again, I am not being rude, I am just relaying my experience with shelters. It is rarely the well-trained animal that ends up at a shelter.

But I hope you can at least see my point that we should live by the ethic of reciprocity "do unto others what you would like to be done to you" and that should include animals.

I should have been clearer when I said that the dog, sitting in heaven next to the dinner chickens, would not see the irony, or why it was acceptable for the owner to kill the chicken but not the dog. I was referring to a ubiquitous "you" and not any poster in particular.
Well, okay, I was referring to a neighbor.
I agree that no living thing should have to pay for others' actions.
We who feel we have a responsibility to animals/environment, mother nature, etc. bear the burden of those who recklessly live their lives around us. As a volunteer who is heavily involved in animal rescue, I see way too much of careless dog (and cat and horse) purchasers who think they can just as easily throw away a living creature as they would their last trendy purchase from Target.
I'm not bashing Target. I like their stuff. I get most Target stuff for free, because my SIL is a shopaholic and is constantly having a yardsale.

I ask if you can understand my point of view even if you do not agree to it. Thank you.
ps- Babs the hen is totally fine, no injuries, big appetite, back to business as usual.​

 

[Davaroo]

Keep the dog.

Then consider this idea: Electric fences

While that is soaking in, let me say that dogs and chickens should be separate. That's not a new notion, mind you, but a very old one.
Little genuine good or profit comes of forcing them together.

Finally, pay heed to citrusdreams...

 

[rhondapiper]

Quote:
Just hopping in to say that this is untrue. A lot of wonderful dogs and cats show up in shelters for any number of reasons. My local shelter is brimming with great pets whose owners have died, lost their homes, or otherwise ended up in circumstances where they can't keep their pets. Yes, some people never train animals and then give them up when it gets to be too much work, but it's far from rare that a well-trained animal ends up in a shelter. My best pets have come from shelters. I've adopted dogs with pefect house manners, leash manners, and a long list of commands already known. (I've also willingly taken on some that were an unplaceable mess, like my current dog.)

I'm not saying this from a place of inexperience either, I've spent many years working with unwanted animals and I hate it when they are maligned and the myth that every shelter pet is broken is perpetuated.

 

[shaynapalmer]

Quote:

Now, I am going to take you to task for bad-mouthing some folks who have been here a long time, and given many people sound advice and support when they needed it. Re-read the rules to this section because you didn't understand them the first time through, obviously. Your opinion is valued here, everyone's is, but not at the expense of others. Your post was insulting and rude. Each person deals with their problems as they see fit. You could have been encouraging to the OP without slamming everyone else. Watch your tone. And if the opinions of others bother you then stay out of the P&P section. It's a tough old world and sometimes requires some harsh actions.
Sorry to be a jerk.

I didn't find that to be slamming anyone, there are alot of people here who are animal lovers and feel the same way..i for one find it insulting that someone would suggest putting a dog to sleep because they can't train it!!!! I have a rescued dog that took alot of work...If you're gonna rescue then expect to be putting in all your time and hard work and most important, consitancy. suggesting that you should give up after a while is absurd...JUST MY OPINION!!!!!!!!

 

[horsejody]

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I think that the slamming part was calling people crazy and insinuating that somebody would kill a child just because they suggested that there are occasions when potentially dangerous dogs should be put to sleep to save the lives of other pets.