My dogs are demons.

[StinkyAcres]

IMO chickens, reptiles, and cats have always been better companions to me other than a singular dog who protects my flock. My chickens are cute and cuddly. My cats are stupid in a nondestructive way and my reptiles are just beautiful and derpy at the same time

I didn't say which are better human companions. Some people like cute, stupid animals better than intelligent ones and that's totally okay. I was just saying that I think dogs are affected more by what we do to them.

 

[BelovedBirds]

The dog was my uncles that he was going to be taking her to the pound but we took her and we already had the chickens. Yes I get I eat chicken and cows but if they’re my pets then I will value them way higher than that dog. She was super good with not attacking them until that day, and they stayed in their run so it wasn’t the chickens fault. But we tried to rehome her and nobody wanted her because here most people will take them to a feild and POW!!! without considering rehoming if they kill a chicken. I get the “oh it’s a dog it’s survival instincts dogs are such precious important creatures” but I love chickens more than dogs. There is like 6 dogs in the world where if I was given an option on whether to kill an egg laying chicken or that dog and it’s my dog Rusty and some family members dogs. I love my dog Rusty and if nova had been around long enough I would have loved her too. I’m just going to end it off saying Nova was lucky we lied on why we got rid of her to the pound because dogs like her get put down here.

Then it's your uncles fault. 1 week to rehome a dog isn't nearly long enough before resorting to a pound.
And rehoming for this is honestly crazy.

I get it, and it was your uncles dog so I'm not blaming you-
My ducks are more than pets to me, I hatched them, I raised them, I have very strong bonds with them, even stronger than the bonds I have with my dogs. But if my dog accidently got in with them and killed them? I'd be distraught. I'd be utterly distraught. But I would not blame my dog. I'd be so hurt, yes, but I'd never ship her off or send her to her death.

When we take an animal in, an animal domesticated and descended from literal wolves, we are committing to the needs of that animal. And that animal has a nature that we can't exactly change. There is no guarantee that this dog will behave in the exact way we want, there's no guarantee they'll never kill a small animal. They may take out a garden bird, a mouse, or a rabbit. Or our own pets. I think it is shocking to kill your own dog because they follow their nature. We should be smart enough to keep them separated, and to train the dog as a preventative. Because we should expect problems when a predatory animal comes into contact with a prey animal.

It's up to us to keep them separate, it's up to us to train them. It's not about which animal we think is worth more, it's about being responsible with all animals that we bring into our homes.
The myth that dogs become blood thirsty after killing once, is just that- a myth. They can be retrained. A dog deserves an owner who will actually dedicate themselves to their care and training.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I didn't say which are better human companions. Some people like cute, stupid animals better than intelligent ones and that's totally okay. I was just saying that I think dogs are affected more by what we do to them.

100%
This is worth consideration as well.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I agree - dogs and chickens are different, IMO. Dogs are very intelligent and are affected a lot psychologically when they are rehomed, especially multiple times. It can confuse them, make them anxious, sad, and possibly completely change their behavior, often for the worse. It's not fair to do that to an intelligent animal like a dog. Now chickens are smart, but they don't bond with and understand humans like a dog can.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Then it's your uncles fault. 1 week to rehome a dog isn't nearly long enough before resorting to a pound.
And rehoming for this is honestly crazy.

I get it, and it was your uncles dog so I'm not blaming you-
My ducks are more than pets to me, I hatched them, I raised them, I have very strong bonds with them, even stronger than the bonds I have with my dogs. But if my dog accidently got in with them and killed them? I'd be distraught. I'd be utterly distraught. But I would not blame my dog. I'd be so hurt, yes, but I'd never ship her off or send her to her death.

When we take an animal in, an animal domesticated and descended from literal wolves, we are committing to the needs of that animal. And that animal has a nature that we can't exactly change. There is no guarantee that this dog will behave in the exact way we want, there's no guarantee they'll never kill a small animal. They may take out a garden bird, a mouse, or a rabbit. Or our own pets. I think it is shocking to kill your own dog because they follow their nature. We should be smart enough to keep them separated, and to train the dog as a preventative. Because we should expect problems when a predatory animal comes into contact with a prey animal.

It's up to us to keep them separate, it's up to us to train them. It's not about which animal we think is worth more, it's about being responsible with all animals that we bring into our homes.
The myth that dogs become blood thirsty after killing once, is just that- a myth. They can be retrained. A dog deserves an owner who will actually dedicate themselves to their care and training.

I would like to throw it out there that I don’t have the time or money to train a dog and if she isn’t suitable for me and my family then the pound is a last resort. Also where I live a chicken killer will never be able to be rehomed and I’m not going to lie and her end up killing someone else’s birds. I don’t like talking about this because I know some people don’t value the lives they loved over ones they don’t know and also 1 life over 30 at risk I don’t need the 1 risk.

 

[fluffycrow]

This thread has been getting some interesting responses.

I wonder if this is really about how many lives (chicken or otherwise) one can spare, or if it's about how one can get rid of animals they can't handle.

If it's about the former, then should we start butchering chickens for all the mouse, frog, worm, bug, cicada, etc lives they have taken, or do we consider that to be "natural instinct"?

 

[BelovedBirds]

I would like to throw it out there that I don’t have the time or money to train a dog

Then you shouldn't own a dog
And training doesn't need to cost money, just time and patience.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Then you shouldn't own a dog
And training doesn't need to cost money, just time and patience.

Yes but my other dog didn’t need any time at all and the time I spent training nova was all I had with having to medicate and doctor the chicken that she later killed

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

This thread has been getting some interesting responses.

I wonder if this is really about how many lives (chicken or otherwise) one can spare, or if it's about how one can get rid of animals they can't handle.

If it's about the former, then should we start butchering chickens for all the mouse, frog, worm, bug, cicada, etc lives they have taken, or do we consider that to be "natural instinct"?

I get what I’m saying but I don’t care about the frogs and bugs just like they don’t care about my chickens, but I do care about my chickens and it really makes me mad that nobody can understand that I could care less about a dog I don’t really know compared to 3 chickens I do know and love.

 

[McChooky]

Hardware cloth:$50
Chickens: $25.00
My dog: PRICELESS