My new puppy has suddenly taken an interest in our new hens.

[Nym]

He's pretty much on his best behavior when he's with me about 90% of the time. The only other issues is he still likes to jump up on me and steals the occasional egg from a duck nest. when he dose playfully romp at a chicken I call him off and he comes right over.
Its only been these six hen's he's had an intent to chase or bite.

Never allow this. In his mind he is being rewarded for playfully jumping at the chickens: I jump at chooks, then I hear my name / get attention from the human. As far as the eggs go, concider offering him an egg as reward. This reward will only come from exceptional behaviour, maybe in a few weeks time, say, after you can safely walk him to collect eggs and have not a single moment when he stares at a bird with intent, playful or otherwise. then I would collect the egg, take it to his bowl in the house and open it for him as a reward.

 

[AJDots]

Management. Management. Management! Like a toddler, you wouldn't allow them to roam off and play in the horses water trough. Allowing puppies too much freedom guarantees they will make bad choices (for you). Use a longline attached to you at all times. use puppy's kibble to reward - he get's no food unless he's making good choices (for you). Meaning: he looks at you = reward. He sits beside you = reward. Each and every time he is playing with a toy, fetching a ball, not looking at the chickens is when you make a huge fuss of him. Lay on the beef, the cheese, the love. his job is to please you. Exploit it like you mean it.

When I brought home 4 new chciks last September I kept my young Boxer dog on a lead each and every time I went out to feed the chicks, even though they were in a tractor. As I fed the chicks, I was watching my dog so I could reward the exact behaviour I wanted from him. he was already fine with the free-ranging Pekin hens but dogs are black & white thinkers, always! So each time he looked up at me he got cheese, roast beef, calm praise, etc. the chicks also learned to trust him being very close to them, and to this day I have not any issue. He is allowed to bark and lunge at them if they approach his bone, but he has never grabbed one and the young hens completely understand his intent and back off! They seem to have a good mutual respect. I wouldn't assume my dogs have my best interests at heart because they surely never will lol

My ducks have no self preservation. they aren't allowed out in the morning till the dogs are fed, and are put away just before feeding dinner.

Okay, Todays starts the new approach then. I'll keep working with him and teaching myself to!

thank you all for the input.

 

[AJDots]

He's pretty much on his best behavior when he's with me about 90% of the time. The only other issues is he still likes to jump up on me and steals the occasional egg from a duck nest. when he dose playfully romp at a chicken I call him off and he comes right over.
Its only been these six hen's he's had an intent to chase or bite.

Never allow this. In his mind he is being rewarded for playfully jumping at the chickens: I jump at chooks, then I hear my name / get attention from the human. As far as the eggs go, concider offering him an egg as reward. This reward will only come from exceptional behaviour, maybe in a few weeks time, say, after you can safely walk him to collect eggs and have not a single moment when he stares at a bird with intent, playful or otherwise. then I would collect the egg, take it to his bowl in the house and open it for him as a reward.

That's the thing, he's already pretty good at ignoring them, glances at them as he walks past but not chasing. its fairly infrequently that I have to call him off. Until these 6 new hens.

Eggs are a regular part of their feed, I've never really used it as a treat. It might be to late to change it to just a treat now.

 

[Kimmyshappychickens]

Now, Creed is about 2 to 3 months now.
And for the most part he's very good at listening, he comes when called about 99% of the time, sticks close to me when I'm out working and leaves the fowl alone accept for the occasional playful jaunt towards one which ill call him off of.
He is a, or at least I have been told but have not yet confirmed with a DNA test, A Great Pyrenees Anatolian mix. and he's been perfectly fine around the chickens up until about 2 weeks ago.

First of all, I do have 3 other dogs, girls. they are several months older then he is and are also a 4 dog mix of none livestock guardian breeds. but all high energy. I've gotten to the point where I let them out one at a time because they listen to commands better when they aren't getting in each others way. and Creed gets to play with them.
2 weeks ago I was working in my chick nursery when I realized I couldn't see Tango and neither would come when called. come to find out she'd attacked and started eating one of my ducks, the same duck she'd gotten in trouble for attacking last year. and Creed was there. So I gave them both peroxide to make them throw up when they had eaten.

But the day after that, My mother, my grandmother and Myself went to a swap, and my grandmother bought 6 hens, spending a pretty penny on them. their more standoffish as they get used to their new area, and they have some attitude but their nice looking hens. Cochins, full size.

And almost immediately he's started harassing's these 6 hens, we have lost 2, one seemed to go to sleep and never way up again the day after he attacked her she was missing a few feathers but seemed okay, the second one he ate. I don't catch him harassing's any of the other hens, and when I've watched him walk/follow one of the new hen's its different. I don't understand.

Is it maybe because these hen's are new? they don't smell like the rest of the flock? he'll get caught and knows that he's in trouble when I catch him, but punishing him for harassing a hen only seems to last a day before he forgets and dose it again. he's not going after the ducks, the guineas or the bantams. So I don't understand why he keeps going after these hens Specifically.

I'm planning on shutting the chickens up for a few days. but honestly I don't know what else to do. and I don't want to lose anymore of the new hens.

I got a "remote" vibrate, tone, and shock collar to train my anatolian pyranees LG Dog (he's not even 5 months and is well over 50 lbs) and now since he did finally attack one of our hens yesterday (see my most recent post of you feel like it) he's on an aerial lead until I can get a chain link fence up for my hens to still have a free range area away from him on our property. I train him all day every day since I'm a stay at home mum but it seems our teens and their darting and fluttering in the new pen we made for them has increased his prey/chase drive and he went after our older white hen and got her good. Constant vigilance for training, if you can't be there while they are around the livestock keep the dog or livestock locked up separate. I've heard over and over it takes about a year to train this prey mentality out of LGdogs. Some say once they taste chicken blood its even harder to train them. Guess I'll find out. Mine KNOWS he's in trouble now without saying a word to him. Such good dogs generally. A really great breed. Train train train and separate livestock from them when you cannot actively train the dog. I'm so sorry for your losses I included a picture of my Anatolian (3/4) Pyranees (1/4) in case you wanted to compare the look of your dog to mine to now for sure what breed they are it's a pretty standard appearance for those breeds although can vary slightly.

 

[StinkyAcres]

There is a high risk of aspiration when inducing vomiting. It is dangerous and should only be done in an emergency and with vet approval.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

My biggest issue is he's been perfectly fine until now. no issues until these new Hens. I want some idea as to why its these specific hens.

so he has been 'be nice to chickens' accept these ones.

But I suppose just consistency then. I have to keep on top of it.

My 3 girls were supposed to be Leonburger mixes.

I have watched this occurance in my Leo's, they target specific hens, not randomly the whole flock. I've watched the dynamic to see what it is about that particular hen. Possibly it's a percieved thread to ME. My pup will "charge" the fence when on the other side the specific hen is close. It's not always a super dominate hen but it's doesn't seem to be the lowest in the pecking order either so it's just a dog's keen sense telling it to go after that one. Leo's are known for sizing up threat before the person or chicken gets close to their person. He really might just be trying to protect you. But I have to say again, if he's been "great until now," that's just nice. I would never have expected that to stay without ALOT more training.

Leonberger mixes btw are not very common because backyard breeding is not as common with this breed. That said it's common for people think they can "create a Leo," by mixes 3 breeds, it's just not true. I love all of the breeds in your dog gang, I would have them in a heartbeat. They're positively wonderful, you have good taste. I've learned that alot of the stuff my grandma told me to do was done back when we did not have as much information as we do now. Therefore I don't totaly blame her generation for the crappy care they adminstered to animals. The peroxide thing falls into that category, I really hope you don't keep doing that. I predict you're going to be super successful training your sweet pup. Just keep at it and dig into your patience, he'll be grown soon and you'll miss puppyhood (sometimes.)

 

[SandyRiverChick]

This is a puppy. Yep, still puppy, 14months. He's almost ready to be trusted with chickens, not quite.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I included a picture of my Anatolian (3/4) Pyranees (1/4)

Beautiful !!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

This is 2 month old baby, charging fence because there is something about that hen in particular. It takes me that long to train....

 

[AJDots]

I got a "remote" vibrate, tone, and shock collar to train my anatolian pyranees LG Dog (he's not even 5 months and is well over 50 lbs) and now since he did finally attack one of our hens yesterday (see my most recent post of you feel like it) he's on an aerial lead until I can get a chain link fence up for my hens to still have a free range area away from him on our property. I train him all day every day since I'm a stay at home mum but it seems our teens and their darting and fluttering in the new pen we made for them has increased his prey/chase drive and he went after our older white hen and got her good. Constant vigilance for training, if you can't be there while they are around the livestock keep the dog or livestock locked up separate. I've heard over and over it takes about a year to train this prey mentality out of LGdogs. Some say once they taste chicken blood its even harder to train them. Guess I'll find out. Mine KNOWS he's in trouble now without saying a word to him. Such good dogs generally. A really great breed. Train train train and separate livestock from them when you cannot actively train the dog. I'm so sorry for your losses I included a picture of my Anatolian (3/4) Pyranees (1/4) in case you wanted to compare the look of your dog to mine to now for sure what breed they are it's a pretty standard appearance for those breeds although can vary slightly.

I Tried that for the girls and had no luck, but I think that was due to how thick their fur is. It may work for him but unfortunately the little plastic slit holding it to the collar broke off.

He's a good looking dog! Creed looks a little different. I'll get a DNA test for him soon just to double check. I have 1 picture from the day I got him. but now that he's a little bigger some of the color is coming out and he's got a funny little flame pattern on his back.

I have watched this occurance in my Leo's, they target specific hens, not randomly the whole flock. I've watched the dynamic to see what it is about that particular hen. Possibly it's a percieved thread to ME. My pup will "charge" the fence when on the other side the specific hen is close. It's not always a super dominate hen but it's doesn't seem to be the lowest in the pecking order either so it's just a dog's keen sense telling it to go after that one. Leo's are known for sizing up threat before the person or chicken gets close to their person. He really might just be trying to protect you. But I have to say again, if he's been "great until now," that's just nice. I would never have expected that to stay without ALOT more training.

Leonberger mixes btw are not very common because backyard breeding is not as common with this breed. That said it's common for people think they can "create a Leo," by mixes 3 breeds, it's just not true. I love all of the breeds in your dog gang, I would have them in a heartbeat. They're positively wonderful, you have good taste. I've learned that alot of the stuff my grandma told me to do was done back when we did not have as much information as we do now. Therefore I don't totaly blame her generation for the crappy care they adminstered to animals. The peroxide thing falls into that category, I really hope you don't keep doing that. I predict you're going to be super successful training your sweet pup. Just keep at it and dig into your patience, he'll be grown soon and you'll miss puppyhood (sometimes.)

Maybe. I feel like its something else. But I'll keep working at it, working him and learning new things myself.

"I predict you're going to be super successful training your sweet pup."

I don't think you understand how much I needed to hear that right now.

Right, and weather or not the previous owners knew or did not know I'll never know. But I did get a DNA test for one of the girls.


Juno, Tango, Ripley and Creed.
3 super snow dogs that Will never, ever be cold in the Kansas Winters.
And Creed my sweet baby boy.