Need dog advice.

[centrarchid]

LyonPride: I hope your chat with your neighbor is the solution, but I am sure the fence won't hurt.

I have a similar problem, but with my own dogs, a lab and a lab mix. We just moved to a rural property from the suburbs where they were leash-walked. They have had free run of our 20 acres for the past couple of years, and then, just last year, we got the chickens. My husband insists they need to be free range, but I know the dogs will eat them if they get a chance. Lucky for me they are older and slowing down.

cetrarchid's comment seems to suggest that you can break the dogs of this "habit". In my case, it is not actually a habit, but how do you train an older dog that was not raised around chickens to respect them?

Multiple methods may work. For me it involves maintaing exposure between problem dog and a chicken under controlled conditions. Controlled as in chicken behind a partition that dog can otherwise see, hear and smell chicken through. Keep dog near partition and reprimand dog every time improper activity is directed at chicken. More details but no time for here. Even dogs with established history can be broken of habit. Speed also a function of how you are in controlling dog.

 

[IsbelAcresTN]

We have lived at our place in the country for 10 years. My neighbors (who are renting), came over to complain about our roosters being noisy. I politely informed them that our laws allow us to keep as many birds as we want as long as they are properly contained and cared for.
Well... since then, my "neighbors" have made it their mission to let their yappy little dog out on a daily basis to run free through my yard to dig and bark at my coop pens. I went out the other day to run the dog off and it growled and ran at me.

We are in the process of fencing our 4 acres to quell this little problem. I believe the best way to put it is: "Good fences make good neighbors"

 

[centrarchid]

We have lived at our place in the country for 10 years. My neighbors (who are renting), came over to complain about our roosters being noisy. I politely informed them that our laws allow us to keep as many birds as we want as long as they are properly contained and cared for.
Well... since then, my "neighbors" have made it their mission to let their yappy little dog out on a daily basis to run free through my yard to dig and bark at my coop pens. I went out the other day to run the dog off and it growled and ran at me.

We are in the process of fencing our 4 acres to quell this little problem. I believe the best way to put it is: "Good fences make good neighbors"

In every instance I have seen fences employed, it was because neighbors were not being neighborly. Fences allow us to go our merry evil ways with less, although still not zero impact on each other. Fences are simply put "expensive semi-permiable membranes".

 

[bj taylor]

i have german shepherds (two). i know they will kill my chicks given the chance, but they'll give any other dog or whatever heck if they try. i don't know if i'll ever get them to leave the chickens alone (they're chicks right now). the dogs are young & the chickens are young - bad combo i think

.

 

[centrarchid]

i have german shepherds (two). i know they will kill my chicks given the chance, but they'll give any other dog or whatever heck if they try. i don't know if i'll ever get them to leave the chickens alone (they're chicks right now). the dogs are young & the chickens are young - bad combo i think

.

Yo-can-do-it. If my knumb-nut German Short-Haired Pointer can be trusted, you can get your shepards to do same.

 

[galanie]

We have lived at our place in the country for 10 years.  My neighbors (who are renting), came over to complain about our roosters being noisy.  I politely informed them that our laws allow us to keep as many birds as we want as long as they are properly contained and cared for.
Well... since then, my "neighbors" have made it their mission to let their yappy little dog out on a daily basis to run free through my yard to dig and bark at my coop pens.  I went out the other day to run the dog off and it growled and ran at me.

We are in the process of fencing our 4 acres to quell this little problem.  I believe the best way to put it is: "Good fences make good neighbors" 

In every instance I have seen fences employed, it was because neighbors were not being neighborly.  Fences allow us to go our merry evil ways with less, although still not zero impact on each other.  Fences are simply put "expensive semi-permiable membranes".

Unfortunately we can't control other's actions. Better safe than sorry.

 

[SkyeSchazade]

LGDs are a great addition, but as was mentioned before it will be quite a bit of time before they will be really effective. I have raised a couple LGD's and none of them were safe around chickens initially. For puppies a chicken is a very funny and entertaining toy, they can easily hurt them without trying. It will take alot of work on your part to properly train yours, you also have to think that your dog will protect their flock, this very often will mean that they will chase off or fight with wandering dogs and coyotes. Are you prepared to handle that? Another guardian option is llamas, I absolutely love my llamas, they are very alert and protective, and alot less likely to attempt to "play" with your chickens. Just yesterday I watched a pair of llamas herd my flock of chickens and goats into the barn after they saw something suspicious out in the woods, then they stood in front of the barn and just watched. When the perceived threat passed they went back to grazing. I never saw what it was but I know something was there as my dogs in the house all went off too. Good Luck!