Need to get rid of a dog…

[ShrekDawg]

The local shelter already said they would put him down, but the place that we took him to amputate said they have people that might foster him until a forever home could be found. He’s a friendly , cute, lovable mutt, so don’t want to take him to a shelter. He’s house trained and likes to hang out with people and hasn’t been aggressive to anyone that comes to the house. Has problems with the sit command, being as it’s a back leg that was amputated , and stay is not a word he understands very often, due to a short attention span and very active.

He still sounds quite adoptable

 

[Nym]

As soon as we saw / heard it, he ran back to the fence and crawled under. So he knows it’s a bad thing.

Not really - all he feels / senses is your energy coming at him, that's why he backs off.

My cattle dog was the same after he stole my clothes off the line Circa. 1989. He knew I was pissed off and would hide under the house when he saw me coming. Everyone offered advice; hang water balloons / bags, but it was only my clothes he wanted and he wasn't taking them when I was at home or playing with him = Big clue! Finally, I got it!

He took the clothes under the house (for the last time) and I didn't react. I waited til dinner time, then sent the kids under to get my clothes (good, expen$ive breastfeeding wear, I might add!) After dinner, when he would usually get table scraps etc with his own dinner, I calmly went out with my expensive top and put it in his bowl. I patted him on the head and told him what a good boy. I closed the door and told the kids they would eat socks if I caught them feeding him a single bread crust! lol

I retrieved my top before going to bed and returned it to his bowl for breakfast, again telling him good boy. This went on for 3 days = a consequence that HE understood for unwanted behaviour. He never stole or even wanted to sniff another thing of mine. Looking back, all he wanted was to be close to me and if I had really been smart I would have simply given him a few old tshirts to snuggle in, something I have done with any new pup since then.

For Chap there is still no real consequence ie a newspaper around the arse, even throwing a rolled up towel at him etc, for his actions. He figures: I crawled away and I got left alone ... until I can try it again. He wins.

We can take Zeus into the chicken yard/ pasture and he won’t chase or even acknowledge them when he’s out there.

You did a good job with him. You are with him when he goes near chickens. In the dog's mind he is being highly rewarded by your company when he goes near the chickens AND that is of way more value to him than chasing a chicken. My GSD x Staffy is the same, but when the chooks sound the alarm she will scope the fenceline for cats. They treat her like their rooster and she loves guarding them. She is very high drive!

Hate to get rid of Chap, but it seems that his chase instinct is too much temptation when chickens are involved.

His chase drive is your power. Transfer it to throwing a ball each time you take him outside - that ball only being used by you when he is with you, never left alone with him to self-reward. This is when dogs start losing value in the Master / the Leader, especially a high-drive boy like Chap. He wants a Leader to teach him good choices, so that he he doesn't make bad ones. Once he is loving the ball sports ... man, the world is your oyster! A single, well-applied correction / punishment is all it will take to stop him chasing chickens forever, and look at you as his Leader. All the best whichever way you go

 

[sdm111]

Gotta get rid of him somehow. In my opinion he won't be ok however he is gonna teach the other one its OK. Then you have 2 chicken killing dogs to deal with

 

[Penpal]

If he will go to a foster home, they will teach him stay, and probably would know how long is a good stay for him. I have fostered 9 foster dogs and if he is housebroken that is a big plus to a foster home.