my German Shepherd killed 3 of my hens

[TalkALittle]

Make sure you don't accidentally create a collar-wise dog. Have the dog wear the collar for about a week before you ever turn it on. Make sure you put it on for periods of time other than when you are training to leave the chickens alone. And put it on a good half hour before you start a session. Dogs are smart and will learn that they only get corrected if they are wearing the collar unless you take some precautions.

 

[Elizabethwood09]

You have not been told correctly.

I was told that on several separate occasions by experienced chicken owners so I took it to be true. I suppose one could try to retrain a dog who had already killed a chicken but personally I would never fully be able to trust it. Good fences make good neighbors and all that.

 

[centrarchid]

Would you care to share your methods? I'm sure a lot of people, including the original poster would like to know how it can be done. Thanks.

I have describes the approach so many times it sickens me. Let the "experts" that keep chickens only as a second thought do it. They got more air.

 

[surprzchx4life]

So sorry to hear about your hens. We also have a Shepherd and he has on occasion been aggressive. We try to reward him when he is calm around the chickens. Our Vet said that theyhave a hearding and protection instinct that can take over and cause problems. The Vet suggested a training shock collar (on a very low setting) to give a correction from a distance... when he thinks he isn't being watched. So far our dog has not had any further issues. I hope our info is helpful.

 

[WildfireSmitty]

Tie one of the dead hens around his neck where he cant reach it. Shock collars do work, but you might not always be around to push that button. Shock collars can also induce agression in some breeds.

 

[surprzchx4life]

I was wondering about shock collar and if people have had luck. How would I administer shock? At the point he is actually chasing my free range chickens? Thank you!

 

[surprzchx4life]

Tie one of the dead hens around his neck where he cant reach it. Shock collars do work, but you might not always be around to push that button. Shock collars can also induce agression in some breeds.

it is all said and done now. Would it benefit tying the chicken around his neck after the fact?

 

[WildfireSmitty]

it is all said and done now. Would it benefit tying the chicken around his neck after the fact?

It helps to creates a bond (yeah she may be dead) if constant exposure to your hens is not working.

I did this with my dog once, all it took was one day. He had this chicken following him where ever he went around his neck. Now he is way over protective of them. He hears the hens singing, and he runs over every time to make everything is ok with them.

 

[WildfireSmitty]

The point of the chicken around the neck technique isn't to form a bond between the dog and chickens. It is to make the dog associate chickens with unrelenting unpleasantness such that a strong negative association with chickens is formed that deters the dog from interacting with chickens in the future.

It works both ways.

 

[Akrnaf2]

Dogs are wolves! and chicken and wolves don't mix together! I am sorry for your loss but you must remember to separate them.