My new future chicken guard dog

[kingfrodo]

she wants to herd them (she's a cattle dog) and wants to nip them to turn them and her nipping is dangerous. I have taken her out on a short lead with me and she tries her darndest to get at them. I correct her but I can tell her herding desire is still too high. she doesnt pay them any attention when they're in the pen. it's like she knows they are where they should be but if they are out and about in the yard it drives her crazy!

 

[Debs55]

We have a beagle who stays outside. My brother tried to train him to be a rabbit dog but he is gun shy so that didn't work out. One day one of my silkies got out of the pen and Rex went running after her. At first I thought he was going to kill her but he caught her in his mouth and held her on the ground until I got her. he was very gentle and she was just a little slobbery

 

[donrae]

Ruger went into the coop with me today. He was more interested in picking up "treasures" from the floor than anything the chickens were doing.

My coop door is problematic, so part of Rosco's job is to stand in the door when I'm feeding, going in and out, to keep the birds inside the coop. He was adventuring when I went in the other day, so I decided to start Eve doing the same thing. First she came in the coop, which I don't want, so we worked on that. Then, I was down on my knees and couldn't see, but I could hear from the birds she was in the coop again. I told her to get out, and by the time I got stood up (that takes longer and longer nowadays, let me tell you

) and turned around, she was gone. Abandoned her post! I found her in the hay barn, happily trying to crack the egg she'd stolen while my back was turned. Sigh. We have more work to do.

 

[tonstevens]

Good luck !!! He is a cutie ! my heeler doesn't mess with my chickens be loves to run around the pen and my chickens look at him like he is crazy lol

 

[crazyfeathers]

I must add my two cents lol. Our monster shepherd lab mix was 6 years old before he was introduced to chickens. He was trained by me as a pup, all basic commands learned and the most important command "Nice" we taught him this with treats and we use this command for a new dog, an elderly person, a baby, or any animal we don't want him to hurt. It is all about how you raise and train your dog, dogs need rules as well as obedience training. When I go to the barn in the morning I am escorted by 2 dogs, and 3 cats who will lie right down with the chickens, the chickens are a bigger threat to the cats and dogs than the cats and dogs are to the chickens. My cats will sleep in the nesting boxes, everyone lives in harmony at my farm lol. I have never had a predator problem except for the sparrows that get in the barn and the cats are working on that. It is not "impossible" to train your dog to be a chicken guardian, mine is. Best of luck with your new pup. He is very handsome.

 

[Beekissed]

My coop door is problematic, so part of Rosco's job is to stand in the door when I'm feeding, going in and out, to keep the birds inside the coop. He was adventuring when I went in the other day, so I decided to start Eve doing the same thing. First she came in the coop, which I don't want, so we worked on that. Then, I was down on my knees and couldn't see, but I could hear from the birds she was in the coop again. I told her to get out, and by the time I got stood up (that takes longer and longer nowadays, let me tell you

) and turned around, she was gone. Abandoned her post! I found her in the hay barn, happily trying to crack the egg she'd stolen while my back was turned. Sigh. We have more work to do.

That's not too bad!

My Jake is an egg sucker from wayyyyyy back. I just deny him access to the nesting sites and then any egg that is laid out where he can get it is his reward for the job he does. I feel he will guard these food makers much better if they are seen as a source of food for him~eggs, not meat.

 

[Beekissed]

she wants to herd them (she's a cattle dog) and wants to nip them to turn them and her nipping is dangerous. I have taken her out on a short lead with me and she tries her darndest to get at them. I correct her but I can tell her herding desire is still too high. she doesnt pay them any attention when they're in the pen. it's like she knows they are where they should be but if they are out and about in the yard it drives her crazy!

You'll need to tie a few up in the yard so they cannot get away but can flap and flop around, while squawking....then do some training on that. She can be trained..that's a smart breed. If you have to even use an electric shock on her while the birds are tied, I'd do it. But, first, I'd use voice and correction for her even looking in their direction. For a quiver, for eyes in that direction, for ears turning towards the sound and movement....correction. Any ignoring of the sounds and sight, reward.

Keep working at it. When you can trust her around these "loose" chickens while you are there...go in the house and watch out the window. Then use voice correction if she even walks into the "zone" or looks at them at all.

This could take one time or it could take several, but it's worth it so you can have peace in the animals on your place.

 

[kingfrodo]

You'll need to tie a few up in the yard so they cannot get away but can flap and flop around, while squawking....then do some training on that. She can be trained..that's a smart breed. If you have to even use an electric shock on her while the birds are tied, I'd do it. But, first, I'd use voice and correction for her even looking in their direction. For a quiver, for eyes in that direction, for ears turning towards the sound and movement....correction. Any ignoring of the sounds and sight, reward.

Keep working at it. When you can trust her around these "loose" chickens while you are there...go in the house and watch out the window. Then use voice correction if she even walks into the "zone" or looks at them at all.

This could take one time or it could take several, but it's worth it so you can have peace in the animals on your place.

you are correct she is very smart. she has learned the cat chasing and distinguishing just in two months. She loves having a job. I'll try the tying the chickens up...wont need a shock collar. she responds well to verbal commands. thanks for the tips!

 

[outdoor family]

I must add my two cents lol. Our monster shepherd lab mix was 6 years old before he was introduced to chickens. He was trained by me as a pup, all basic commands learned and the most important command "Nice" we taught him this with treats and we use this command for a new dog, an elderly person, a baby, or any animal we don't want him to hurt. It is all about how you raise and train your dog, dogs need rules as well as obedience training. When I go to the barn in the morning I am escorted by 2 dogs, and 3 cats who will lie right down with the chickens, the chickens are a bigger threat to the cats and dogs than the cats and dogs are to t dohe chickens. My cats will sleep in the nesting boxes, everyone lives in harmony at my farm lol. I have never had a predator problem except for the sparrows that get in the barn and the cats are working on that. It is not "impossible" to train your dog to be a chicken guardian, mine is. Best of luck with your new pup. He is very handsome.

I agree, my cats and dogs know our flocks are part of our family. A good dog is in my opinion the best defense against predators. Dont even have to be big dogs- i got jack russels and they get the job done

 

[Beekissed]

you are correct she is very smart. she has learned the cat chasing and distinguishing just in two months. She loves having a job. I'll try the tying the chickens up...wont need a shock collar. she responds well to verbal commands. thanks for the tips!

Another thing I did with my pup was to hold a chicken and let him sniff it, tell him it was "MY chicken", give correction if he showed too much interest as he was sitting that close or when he was sniffing...even let the hen peck him in the nose when he was sniffing. When I left him outdoors with the flappy tied up chickens, I'd shout out from the house, "MY CHICKENS" if he even looked at them. Took all of 20 min. to get him to walk a very, very wide path around the chickens, not look at them for any reason and to keep his head turned completely away when he walked on his wide path.