My Duck attacks My Dogs (lol?)

[chickenvsworld]

I'll just copy and paste the description I typed up for the youtube video:

Here's video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmJE9uVdgAk

So I finally let the duck (Willis - who's not even fully grown yet) free roam with my chicken (Miss Peach). We have two brittany spaniel dogs (known for being instinctual bird hunting dogs). They've come to let Miss Peach roam the yard as she pleases (although they harassed her at first), but Willis and Miss Peach have become bff's, so naturally, Miss Peach walked into the yard, and Willis innocently followed for the first time ever. Our dogs proceeded to attack him. Willis took off and flew around the house three times, only to land in the middle of the yard again, where he continued to be attacked. He barely got away and ran into bushes (outside of the dog's electric fence range), and sat there panting and hiding for at least an hour.

The next day we let Miss Peach and Willis out again. Immediately, Willis spotted the dogs and made a beeline sprint/run/fly directly at them. He rammed our one dog in the side and she took off with her tail between her legs running to the porch. He then grabbed our other dog by the side with his bill, and proceeded to attack the second dog. Our dogs are now officially petrified and won't even walk into the backyard anymore, because the few times they have since, Willis repeats his methods until they've run off for good. I've seen ducks get defensive, but I can't say I've seen anything like this. He's completely cool with anyone/anything else ... but the dogs come nearby, and it's game over.

This video isn't the first attack. After him doing it twice, I took the camera out to see if I could catch him in action, and he certainly didn't disappoint.

My parents are all concerned for our dogs, but as far as I'M concerned, Rambo said it best; "They drew first blood!!!"

Long live Willis! ... and Miss Peach!

So, I've seen a few videos of ducks being somewhat aggressive, but Willis actually goes out of his way to attack the dogs now. It's actually pretty amusing. We can't even let the dogs and duck out at the same time anymore. Willis takes no prisoners!

Thoughts? / Recommendations? / what?

 

[Amiga]

Glad Willis is being proactive.

For me, I'd keep dogs and ducks apart, because the pups may put their heads together, realize Willis is a duck, and team up on him. Could get ugly fast.

My cat Estrella loves being near me and the ducks. But she is a cat. They are ducks. I keep her at my side or at least in my sight when we're out with the ducks. Sometimes a duck will lower her head and start trotting toward Estrella. I intervene. When I am not right there with them, Estrella is on one side of the fence, the ducks on the other.

I think 'Tre has good intentions. But as a cat, her "play" could impart a mortal wound.

You can see I'm pretty conservative.

Since a tone of conflict has been set, keep them apart.

 

[JulieNKC]

My ducks chase squirrels around the backyard.

 

[chickenvsworld]

Haha, yea I'm just not sure yet how to handle this. Everyone feels bad for the dogs now (just my parents), but my brother and I were out there the first time when they attacked Willis, and there was no mercy. Their response was: "Well they're bird dogs, it's their instinct" ... Ok, dually noted, so when Willis walks back into the yard day #2, and his instincts from the previous day have taught him that they're "predators" ... well I feel like I have just as much grounds to argue in his defense. I dunno. Thoughts? Clearly Willis is a badass, and there's not a chance we're getting rid of him, although my parents are all sad for the dogs now because they won't even go to the backyard anymore (duck- 1 dogs - 0).

I think the situation's pretty epic. Duck mans up to dogs the next day, while making sure to defend Miss Peach at all times as well. BFF's for life!