My new puppy

[ChixRock]

So sorry about your chick! I had a similar incident- but, thank GOD my chick is ok. I have two Golden Retriever's. Fortunately for me, my dogs love to please. As soon as they begin to chase a chick, I scream in my deepest.. most furious sounding voice--- "NOOOOOOO!". I also run after them and chase them away from my chicks. I must emphasize the "furious" sounding voice. It is truly powerful! Because I am furious!!!

On the flipside, I let my pups sniff and look at the chicks in their run. I praise them and pet them, and say "nice puppy".

Once again, I am sorry. It is still a training process for me, also. I am hoping to drive out the "wild" in my dogs- but who knows if they can really ever happen.

Amy

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
so... what exactly do you do when you caught her in the act...?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/6/6-4/training_dogs_around_poultry.html

Here's an article on dogs & chickens.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Puppies of any breed should never be left alone with chickens. Just too tempting with the clucking, and the running, and wing flapping. Pups of any breed lack the will power to not want to play and chase. Each breed has it's own issues beyond those that are basic to puppies.

We have to LGD's (lets not start the any dog can be an LGD issue please, talking specific breed here) both Great Pyrenees, the male took right to patrolling and his job, learned quick everything that was his charge. The girl was slow to learn the chickens were not toys, so she is just now (about to turn 2) being left alone with them. I can not trust either of them with the rabbits or quail though. Just something about those flighty birds and warm and fuzzy bunnies they can't say no to. Otherwise they are excellent with everything from ducks and geese to chickens, young and adults alike as well as our goats.

Herding dogs are great, but want a job and will want to group and push the group to where they think they should be. So if you want to free range a herding dog may hassle the birds if they don't think they should be out.

Good luck with your puppy, and what choice you make that is best for you and it both.

 

[Notasnowballs]

Boy howdy, do I feel your pain! I thought it was the neighbors' Rott mixes, but they may just be accomplices to the main offender, my own six month old Rott Husky mix. Today alone he got three Muscovy ducklings that I bought less than two weeks ago. He is going in to get fixed soon, but I'm considering "home surgery". He is a smart dog, and he doesn't touch them when I am out there,and he immediately drops the chase when I scold him. But when I'm not there he plays with them, to death. Chomp, broken neck, no more fun.... on to the next duckie. He did it with baby pullets, too. The little butthead! I have seen Google search stuff about tying the dead bird around their neck and putting them in a kennel for a few days so they can get the stink up in their nose real good and it supposedly grosses them out so bad that they never want to look at a chicken again. My dog eats dead things and rolls in them. I'm not sure how that would work, and I haven't had the guts to try it yet. It seems gross and cruel. But... short of rehoming him. In the old days people used to shoot the chicken eating dog because it was said that once they eat chicken, they never stop and you can never trust them. Any input on this one would be greatly appreciated. My dog is real smart and a good dog, except for that. The chickens and the rabbits are there to feed the dogs as well as us... just preferably after they are grown up.

 

[neffchick]

Well this has gotten bigger then I thought, so I hope to respond to you all. I have a pure bred pit bull who I have never had a problem with in regards to hurting any animal of mine, or anything else for that matter. I also have a Bassett/ Ridge Back who I had to train to leave my chickens alone. After 4 dead and two months they can walk right in front of him and he will not even lift an ear.
My Akita mix is very sensitive. If I even raise my voice a little, she summits to me. I have done training close to Ceasers , but not to the T, I think that might help some. As far as finding her a new home, it is not going as well as planed, so I will just have to keep up on the training. I will never be able to leave her out when any game is free. This is hard for me because I am getting pig and goat this month and peacock as well. Lets hope the dog run holds up as it should.
I have had a wolf mix before and I can see the resemblance. I think with that in mind I can do training in a whole different way. I cam see the rotting chicken working for my other dogs, but Bones(the Akita mix) is a whole other story.
For the person who has a lot of experience with Akita's, do you have any suggestions for me? I see that you can tell me she is not the right breed for my farm, but she is stuck here unless by some chance I find her a home. If not, I will just have to put her in a large dog run and only let her out at night, plus find a trainer that deals with these kinds of things.

 

[neffchick]

oh, when I catch her in the act, like the other day, I put her in the kenel and tell her no, bad girl, leave it. I have only caught her once in the act. The other times I put her in the kenel and the dead chicken on top or in front of the kenel.
I never tied a decaying chicken around her neck. I do not know if that will help, for one because she ate a decaying chicken and because I have young kids that would touch it.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I have a lab and a cocker spaniel, both bred with heavy hunting bloodlines, both are about 10 now and both killed chickens back in the day. They both think any new chick is fair game but quickly back off when I tell them that yet again, it's a no go!

I do think puppies are a constant alert for months, and depending on the brains that are bred with the breed, the process can be short or long.....or they need to be rehomed...that's a tough call but I think the choice in this case is clear.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

I found the best is to put the chicks in a place the dogs can smell them, get close enough to get pecked, examine them, etc. With me right there. I do this for a couple days and long enough for the dogs to lay down and lose interest in all the flapping, flying and poop and pecking. Then, under supervision, I let a couple out, then all of them, telling the dogs to leave it! Before long the chicks are pecking them and jumping on them. Last week my lab helped my Roo fight off a coyote attack at 8:30am!

 

[nzpouter]

Quote:
personally I'd do more than that.... she has to leave the scene in her own accord because she can sense that you're not happy with her.... no point in putting her in her kennel/ any other punishment if you don't catch her in the act...