My new future chicken guard dog

[aart]

Will do! Today when we went to pick eggs, I just carried him in since all the fussing they did yesterday scared him so badly. I'll just keep doing that until they get used to him, or he gets too big - whichever comes first

As far as people telling me it can't be done, I don't worry too much about that. I've always been kinda bucky so when someone tells me I can't do something, it's more like an invitation to prove them wrong. Our last dog was a black lab - he was awesome with the chickens! Thought he was the head of the flock. He'd keep an eye on things, break up the hen squabbles (even though I have a rooster to do that), and would always check out the new babies. Just put his nose down and snuffle them. He was exposed to the chickens from Day 1, also. Only he got to meet chicks instead of full-grown hens first.

What I like about you ;-)

......and have very little doubt that you'll be able to train that pup...and if something's not working, you'll take care of it.

 

[Ren2014]

What a cutie!

 

[SavageDestiny]

I do hope you keep us updated to his training and success as a chicken guardian....and that this thread doesn't turn into a hate fest saying it can't be done.

Goldens and Labs are both pretty soft mouthed dogs in general and don't usually have high prey drive. No reason it can't be done... of course there are always exceptions.

 

[donrae]

How adorable is he

Retrievers in general are my favorite dogs for a farm dog. I think he'll make a great dog for you, once he gets some growth to him--how cute he's scared of the chickens! Lab mixes have always been my best dogs for 1) staying home 2) keeping raccoons, etc away 3) not trying to kill the birds and 4) devoting their lives to making me happy

I'm sure you'll have much better luck with him being a protector than I will with our new pup--her name's Eve, but it should have been Princess Diva, and she believes life should be observed from a velvet cushion....or a lap.....


No expectations at all of her protecting anything.....but she makes my honey happy.

 

[bobbi-j]

How adorable is he

Retrievers in general are my favorite dogs for a farm dog. I think he'll make a great dog for you, once he gets some growth to him--how cute he's scared of the chickens! Lab mixes have always been my best dogs for 1) staying home 2) keeping raccoons, etc away 3) not trying to kill the birds and 4) devoting their lives to making me happy

I'm sure you'll have much better luck with him being a protector than I will with our new pup--her name's Eve, but it should have been Princess Diva, and she believes life should be observed from a velvet cushion....or a lap.....


No expectations at all of her protecting anything.....but she makes my honey happy.

Oh, what a pretty girl! What kind of dog is she?

On our second trip to visit the chickens today, I decided to let them out for some fresh air and sunshine. So, I left the door open, walked away and put Ruger down. He went right back into the coop on his own and started snuffling after the chickens! Caused quite a ruckus, that's for sure. So, leash training will begin next time we go to the coop. I want him to learn not to go after them. He wasn't chasing them, but they were moving away, and he was following, causing upset chickens. Can't have that. So, on the leash he goes and will learn to stay by me.

 

[donrae]

Ruger--I love that name!

The hardest part of having a young dog and free range chickens for me was teaching the dog they weren't squeeky toys. I could see it from the dog's point of view--noisy, flappy, exciting thing to chase and play with......but then it quits flapping and squeaking and isn't so much fun anymore, so you have to go get another......and another.....I don't believe the dog is intentionally killing the birds then, there's no blood or hardly any broken skin, just "played to death".

Eve is a Great Dane, she was 3 months exactly in that picture. So you can see it will be a very large velvet pillow, lol!

Here's our "real" dog Roscoe. He keeps the raccoons, etc away, couldn't care less about the birds, and stands guard in the coop door when I have to go in and out to feed and don't want to open and shut the door over and over--he stands in the doorway and keeps any adventurous birds from sneaking out. He believes life is best lived outside, or within 4 feet of me. Fine dog.

 

[Beekissed]

Beautiful pup and great breed combo!!! Love his name too. I have no doubts he can do the job. Labs and retrievers in general are my favorite breed for this kind of work and for a family dog.

All my livestock dogs have been labs or lab mixes.

 

[bobbi-j]

Donrae, Rosco looks so much like our last dog, Dakota. He was never, ever a problem with the chickens, but like Ruger, was introduced immediately upon arrival at our place. He never tried to "retrieve" a chicken, never chased them. Not exactly, anyway. Every now and then he'd go chicken bowling - he'd just run as fast as he could through the middle of the flock as they were out hunting and pecking, then stop, look back at the scattered chickens like, "Huh - who did that?" Then go on with his day. This was not a daily event, just once in a while. We had a lab once who did retrieve my chickens. The whole flock. It was my fault entirely. We let the chickens out before church, ended up going to town for lunch, went to visit family, and didn't get home until several hours later. Young dog, unsupervised, alone all day.... every one of my chickens was piled up on the back step. They didn't look mauled, and I think it happened just like you said - play with the flapping squawking thing until it quits, then get another. So, after that we put a fence up for the chickens, but didn't cover it. Dog figured out that if you run around and around the fence enough times, a chicken will fly out so you can jump up and catch it. Much more fun than Frisbee! Lesson learned. Our runs are all covered, young dogs supervised at all times.

Bee - except for one springer spaniel, all of our dogs have been lab or lab crosses, too. I just love their sweet personalities.

 

[donrae]

Donrae, Rosco looks so much like our last dog, Dakota. He was never, ever a problem with the chickens, but like Ruger, was introduced immediately upon arrival at our place. He never tried to "retrieve" a chicken, never chased them. Not exactly, anyway. Every now and then he'd go chicken bowling - he'd just run as fast as he could through the middle of the flock as they were out hunting and pecking, then stop, look back at the scattered chickens like, "Huh - who did that?" Then go on with his day. This was not a daily event, just once in a while. We had a lab once who did retrieve my chickens. The whole flock. It was my fault entirely. We let the chickens out before church, ended up going to town for lunch, went to visit family, and didn't get home until several hours later. Young dog, unsupervised, alone all day.... every one of my chickens was piled up on the back step. They didn't look mauled, and I think it happened just like you said - play with the flapping squawking thing until it quits, then get another. So, after that we put a fence up for the chickens, but didn't cover it. Dog figured out that if you run around and around the fence enough times, a chicken will fly out so you can jump up and catch it. Much more fun than Frisbee! Lesson learned. Our runs are all covered, young dogs supervised at all times.

Bee - except for one springer spaniel, all of our dogs have been lab or lab crosses, too. I just love their sweet personalities.

Chicken bowling--I love that

I had a dog that did the exact same thing, right down to the innocent "why are they flying around?" look. Like you said, not often, just once in a while.

 

[Beekissed]

Chicken bowling--I love that

I had a dog that did the exact same thing, right down to the innocent "why are they flying around?" look. Like you said, not often, just once in a while.

I have always had cats that did that....they love to scatter the chickens. They always have a very smug look on their faces when they do this...one would even lay down and just smile!