My new puppy

[leadwolf1]

I have raised and trained Akitas both for show and obedience for over 15 years. I have only had 3 akitas during that time that I would have allowed to be anywhere near my birds or smaller pets. The prey drive of an akita is too strong to chance with smaller animals. Right now, I have 3 akitas, 2 male, 1 female and they are never allowed to be out when the chickens are, ever, period. The one male I think I could trust but it just isn't worth it for me. Akitas are an ancient breed that behave much like a wolf, even to this day. Mastiffs and Great Danes belong to the same group. For a chicken protector, I would have picked a much different breed of dog....

 

[leadwolf1]

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Please do not do this to an akita!!!!! Aggression towards an akita results in an aggressive akita....different breeds react differently and English setters are a sedate breed...the akita will take this as a bold challenge and you would ruin your puppy forever!!!!

Same, I'm sure with the Mastiff and Great Dane. Not many trainers even care to work with an akita because of its reputation...try and find a responsible and respected trainer in your area...or, find yourself a new puppy. Akitas can be wonderful , I would never own another breed but they are demanding and require repeat training. Good luck...please, I've got years of experience, do not use aggression on your puppy....

 

[dainerra]

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I wouldn't say that it's IMPOSSIBLE to work. But, it's much like the old method of rubbing a pup's nose in pee for having an accident - there are just better ways of doing it. I don't stand over my dogs every second, but I don't just toss them out in the backyard with the birds either.

If I notice them staring too much at the birds, I just say "eh. Leave it" and the dogs go on about their business. I use the same command for anything I don't want them to touch/chase - deer, the neighbor's stupid cat, etc In 8 years, I've never lost a single bird to my dogs (neighbor's dogs are another story)

The whole idea, though, is that you torture the animal until he is afraid to even go near the birds. Just not a practical way to build a trusting working relationship with a dog. Mine view the birds as part of the family.

 

[dainerra]

http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2008/04/dog-training-with-chicken-reducing-prey.html

not everyone is a fan of Cesar, but this contains a video of him working to teach a dog control around chickens


http://www.dailypuppy.com/articles/...chickens/73ea0684-4e1c-fdcd-c294-829dfc8e153d
another good step-by-step article on how to train "off" again, it's a good command not just for chickens, but anything you don't want your dog to bother

 

[Evelle]

Quote:
I wouldn't say that it's IMPOSSIBLE to work. But, it's much like the old method of rubbing a pup's nose in pee for having an accident - there are just better ways of doing it. I don't stand over my dogs every second, but I don't just toss them out in the backyard with the birds either.

If I notice them staring too much at the birds, I just say "eh. Leave it" and the dogs go on about their business. I use the same command for anything I don't want them to touch/chase - deer, the neighbor's stupid cat, etc In 8 years, I've never lost a single bird to my dogs (neighbor's dogs are another story)

The whole idea, though, is that you torture the animal until he is afraid to even go near the birds. Just not a practical way to build a trusting working relationship with a dog. Mine view the birds as part of the family.

i had no other choice my dog was not listening to my commands anymore. his hunters instinct over came my NO! and i lost to many birds to do him. my dog loves me and he shows it when me and my husband ruff house. so if making it so hes afraid to go near the birds is to smack him on the butt a few time.. and not lose anymore of my "family" as you put it, well so be it. your not going to keep send a child to a corner for repeating the same thing obviously it didnt work. so you go to a more abrasive action. im not saying beat the living poo out of the puppy. but something more has to be done.

 

[leadwolf1]

I really don't want to sound preachy or know-it-all, so I will just leave you with a story about an akita's prey drive.....

I have a male akita, he was raised and trained for both obedience and the conformation ring, he was housed with other dogs, he was around other dogs all the time...yet, at 9 months old he decided that HE was gonna be top dog...he attacked my older dog...we pulled him off. Put him through more training, etc. Did everything right...

Fast forward a few years. This male akita is never allowed out with any other dog now...there is no rehab great enough to overpower his intense dog aggression and prey drive. Unfortunately, a gate was left open. He attacked my younger male akita. He was going for the kill!!! The younger akita was crawling away from him, desperately trying to escape. There were two grown men and myself trying to break them up. We used anything we could find. My husband splintered a brand new wooden table chair across his back! He didn't even shudder!!!!! Finally, my one son went to get a gun. My husband couldn't bring himself to shoot the dog. He fired it into the air...finally Jigger walked away. It took over $700 to put Seger back together. Here is a dog that has been taught every command. He will listen immediately to any of them. However, when that prey drive kicks in, he is a totally different dog. He is that wolf that lurks in his ancestry and no one can stop him...until he is ready to stop. He knows "off", he knows "leave it", he knows "AAATTTT"...none of these work when they are 'set' on killing.

I am not trying to scare the OP away from her puppy. I am just trying to get her to understand the breed she is working with and that they are a totally different animal from a border collie or a setter...

 

[dainerra]

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just going to post this as an education thing for the others reading. What you describe is pretty common, usually because the owner is trying to move too fast with the training. The dog is getting excited and fixated on the birds and the behavior is its own reward.

Back up in training. Put enough distance between the dog and the birds that you are able to keep the dog's attention. Then start getting closer. Interrupt the dog BEFORE his attention is on the chickens. The problem is that many people just say "oh, it's not working" and give up. Others want a quick fix method that will work in 20 minutes or less. The key to almost all aspects of dog training is prevention - keep the problem from starting and you're half-way there.

We started "chicken-proofing" Singe the day he came home at 9 weeks. At 8 1/2 months, he is finally starting to be dependable. For the longest time, he was on an 8ft lead. Then graduated to a long line. Then to short supervised visits off-lead, with the birds in the run. Then visits at a distance with the birds free-ranging. Now, he comes with me (off-leash) to do all the chores. He is a puppy, so full of energy and sometimes his games make the birds scatter. A quick "eh" is all it takes to remind him that he isn't allowed to do it on purpose or give chase once they start running. We're still working on the "poop" issue, but that is getting better too.

 

[sourland]

I have serious reservations about the use of shock collars, but this is an instance where the use of such a collar might have merit. Even after such aversion training, a dog with this genetic bakground probably could never be trusted completely around fowl.

 

[PTFowl]

I'd consider getting a herding dog as previously suggested and finding a good bird-free home for the hunting dog. I've got 2 herding dogs and they do a good job of keeping predators off the property so far, and there are lots of coyote and other wild critters around here. Plus there are lots of ways to deter predators and to keep human intruders off your property other than by keeping a puppy that is killing your fowl. Trying to go against a dog's nature/what is was bred to do is likely to be a constant uphill battle that is stressful for every creature in your household. I agree with the previous poster about not being able to trust that the dog will ever be trustworthy around your birds.

 

[shober]

I had a purebred Akita that could not be near the chickens. She was fine around cats, and other dogs and even a very large white rabbit that we had. They shared the yard together, but she just wanted to get the chickens. I had to be around them if she was. I hope you find a solution. I am sorry about your babies!