My dogs brought home a chicken...

[centrarchid]

Yes, I'm aware of this mentality and am trying to avoid it. Is it advisable to go talk to other surrounding farms to find out where the flocks are and to explain that we're not purposely letting our dogs roam? Let them know to call us and we'll come get the dogs if they end up in a neighbor's yard? We are new (6 months) to the "neighborhood" and I want to be on friendly terms.

Yes on all accounts. Give them your phone number and get them to associate your name and face with your dogs. Still folks with threatened stock will vary wildly in respect to how they will react. With repeated visits by problem causing dogs, virtually all will take action against your dogs and in most areas killing your dogs will be within their rights. You gotta confine your dogs until they have been proven to not be a threat to livestock. Some folks will kill dogs regardless of threat presented. Remember livestock can include other animals.

I have 18 acres and dog does not restrict his activities to it. He also patrols neighbors place where geese and ducks are kept. Scoob is not a threat to those birds but something(s); coyotes, bobcats, other dogs have been taking a few. As a result those birds get stressed when Scoob visits which concerns me.

 

[nzpouter]

Yes, I'm aware of this mentality and am trying to avoid it. Is it advisable to go talk to other surrounding farms to find out where the flocks are and to explain that we're not purposely letting our dogs roam? Let them know to call us and we'll come get the dogs if they end up in a neighbor's yard? We are new (6 months) to the "neighborhood" and I want to be on friendly terms.

Nothing wrong with that mentality, what is "not purposely letting our dogs roam"? You don't fence them, you let them roam full stop. We're on 14 acres, all fenced with multiple layers. Any dogs manage to walk/ sneak/ climb/ squeeze itself in here either will be greeted with by my dogs or if they're lucky, shot by me. We don't take chances with our animals, and we don't believe in any excuses offered for roaming dogs.

 

[Coveacres]

As a farmer and dog lover it bothers me that multiple neighbors allow their dogs to roam. I love dogs and the neighbors all have very friendly non-aggressive dogs, but my rat terrier (who loves people) will attack intruding animals. I also have many small farm animals from chickens to rabbits that are fair game to most dogs. I have been lucky so far that a few gun shots in the air seem to have caused the roamers to bypass us, but if they do come back as mutch as I love dogs they will be shot. It's not really a "mentality" as much as a necessity.

I have in the past had to put down two of my own dogs who I could not break from chasing (not killing) chickens and cows I sure as heck am not going to tolerate someone elses animal doing it.

 

[Zootopia]

Yes, I'm aware of this mentality and am trying to avoid it. Is it advisable to go talk to other surrounding farms to find out where the flocks are and to explain that we're not purposely letting our dogs roam? Let them know to call us and we'll come get the dogs if they end up in a neighbor's yard? We are new (6 months) to the "neighborhood" and I want to be on friendly terms.

There are several things that you need to think about here.
1. You want to be on "Friendly " terms - Strong fences make good neighbors, no kidding. Fence an acre to turn them out in.
2. You don't want to have to worry about your dogs getting hurt - your neighbor does not want to have to worry that he may not be home when your dogs come to call, that he may find them to late or come home to find birds missing and wonder if your dogs have been there.
3. You say you are not "purposely letting our dogs roam"- If your dogs go out the door and you are not supervising them at ALL times while they are outside then you ARE letting them roam. You know that your dogs are not Boundry Trained, fenced, chained or otherwise restrained. It would be like your neighbor letting his goats run loose and eat your wifes prize roses or jump up on your car. (call me if you come out to find my goat standing on your car)
4. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - If you don't allow your dogs to roam you don't have to worry about them harrassing someones stock, so the neighbor doesn't have to worry about his stock and you don't have to worry about your dogs getting shot.

This makes for some very "Friendly" neighbors. By all means visit and get to know your neighbors, take your well behaved leashed dogs with you so your neighbors will know who they belong to "IF" they happen to see them out. Do not make your neighbors responsible for your dogs.

Least you think I don't like dogs. I raise and show a large mastiff breed and have 5 to 8 at any one time. We also do lots of rescue of large and small dogs, we own 3 chi mix rescues, and 2 Cavaliers, several fixed barn cats, 2 horses, about 70 free range chickens, a few guineas, and boarded dogs in training. Our back pastures are field/livestock fence and kennel/training areas are fenced. Our front is not fenced at all and several of our personal dogs run loose at any given time, they are boundry trained and here to protect our stock. Livestock fence won't stop the big or small dogs, ours or yours.

You say you are "aware of this mentality". Are you refering to protecting ones property from a dangerous intruder? (FYI in a rural area any dog off it's property and in proximity to someone else's stock could legally be considered just that, especially ones found with dead chickens in their mouths.)

Nothing wrong with that mentality, what is "not purposely letting our dogs roam"? You don't fence them, you let them roam full stop. We're on 14 acres, all fenced with multiple layers. Any dogs manage to walk/ sneak/ climb/ squeeze itself in here either will be greeted with by my dogs or if they're lucky, shot by me. We don't take chances with our animals, and we don't believe in any excuses offered for roaming dogs.

 

[dainerra]

if you haven't confined your dogs, then you ARE letting them roam. Sorry, but dogs, especially a pack of dogs, are always going to be a danger. Even if you train them to never touch YOUR flock, they will be a danger to other farmers' livestock. Dogs know the difference between "their" animals and everyone elses. Not to mention, that even if they are innocently passing through a farm, it's very likely that a farmer will view them as a threat and employ the popular SSS.

Fence your dogs, allow them outside only with supervision, whatever it takes to insure that they stay at home 100% of the time.

If you want to be on friendly terms, then this is the way to do it.

 

[sourland]

Thought about a fence, but it's not practical to fence in the 11 acres.

Invisible fencing is not all that expensive. Trust me when I tell you that it has saved the life of my neighbor's pit/chessie X -- 'nough said. Regardless of whther or not your dogs killed the chicken if they are visiting other farms they will be shot. Sorry, but that is just a fact.

 

[CluckyJay]

Need to fence them in, get rid of them or at least chain them up. I know too many people, myself included, that have lost numerous livestock due to dogs at large. If hubby let his hunting dogs roam, eventually they would get into trouble. Maybe they wouldn't kill livestock, they never have, but to just be let loose, there would be trouble. Even if your dogs just happened to find that chicken as a carcass, they will probably become a problem over time. Good luck.

 

[CluckyJay]

No to mention if you have intact dogs, males are very good at getting other dogs pregnant, even through a fence. It has happened to use a few times and having to put down an entire littler of puppies is no fun. It also trashes prized hunting stock. Every unwanted pregnancy costs us money and time. I hate dogs that run loose and mess with our contained animals.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: If you're still turning them loose, and they are not fenced, then you ARE "purposely" letting them roam, since you already know they do it

Talking to the neighbors doesn't do anything to solve the actual problem

If your dogs showed up at my house, and were killing my chickens, I'd only be calling you to come pick up the bodies

I feel certain the owner of the Rottweiler that killed my neighbor's goats is still wondering why his dog never came home

 

[grammaC]

Quote:
Invisible fencing is not all that expensive.

No to mention if you have intact dogs, males are very good at getting other dogs pregnant, even through a fence.

Jeeze, you guys are scaring me. I'm always amazed by the "shoot first ask questions later" line of thinking. I understand if there are repeated issues, but dogs/goats/cows/horses/chickens/sheep do get loose unintentionally sometimes. What if I shot the sheep in the middle of the road or ran them over instead of calling the deputies to help round them up for the farmer? Or the goat that gets into my garden? Seems a bit extreme to me. But anyway...

The invisible fence won't work, because we already have a shock collar on the dog and if he's chasing a squirrel, he'll run right through the zap. Typically, he comes back with just the vibration, but he can take a lot of zap if he's otherwise engaged. The neighbor dogs come over almost every day and my dogs will run across the road and romp with them if I don't nip it in the bud.

I guess we'll have to think about a fenced area for the dogs as well as a fenced run for the chickens.

And, I highly agree with spaying/neutering. Both our dogs are neutered and, the barn cat who was already living here, we took to the vet and vaccinated and dewormed.