Nevadans?

[SunnyDawn]

Kim, I'm sorry to hear about your birds!

Our other child Mark now has a drivers' license and a car, so he figures the next step is getting a dog. (He's never ever owned an animal before, even a goldfish.) He's been having hours-long conversations with us on the right dog to get and where to get it, and now is looking at Craigslist and is reviewing the dogs with us. So far, the direction points to a lab. I got on my soapbox and said, "No matter what dog you get, if it is aggressive to my chickens and ducks at ALL, it will not be welcome in this house or this yard ever again. If that's important to you, I recommend not getting a hunting dog." He took me seriously, because he wants his dog to come hang out with ours. However, even Oh'no and Tater took training to be totally trustworthy with even ducklings and chicks. And since the dog talk keeps revolving back to labs (he wants a man's-best-friend type that isn't aggressive to kids) then I think I might have to just sit back and wait for a chicken or two to die before I get to set my foot down about rules. Even a non-hunting dog that has never been around chickens might try to kill one. I just really hope it's not one of my favorites.

I used to have 2 black labs when I had chickens in the Bay Area and they were both great around the chickens. They didn't pay any attention to them at all but they were raised around them from the time they were puppies. Actually they were 1/2 black lab and 1/2 Irish setter but they looked and acted like labs.

You may need to take the dog right away and do the same training with it as you did with your two dogs. Hopefully it will work out well and you won't lose any chickens at all!

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Well just remember that labs are soft mouthed dogs. They are bred to retrieve without damaging the carcass. So basically I can see it naturally wanting to put one in its mouth but I bet a lab will be real easy to train not to kill...




Kim I'm sorry for the immense loss. I don't think I could ever have an outside dog and that's really one of the reasons why. I'm so lucky that Elvis is a lazy poop who prefers to send his days snoozing in the house

 

[wolftracks]

I don't think without reading the whole story that everyone misunderstood. The problem with my dog was after she watched what I think was several dogs, killing my birds. She didn't kill mine, but she did put 2 small puncures a put her into shock. She's fine now. The birds have actually liked my dogs up until the past few days. Anyway, long story and if you're interested, it's on the CA thread.

I'm not or have ever been a fan of Labs, especially the black ones. I do like the chocolates, they have a different mannerism. I love dogs, but as I get older, I have found several breeds I don't care for, which shocls the heck out of me since I worked so hard to get my grants and scholarships for Vet school. I thought there would never be a dog I didn't like. I do know that if I ever had a Lab I would make sure that it was from a reputable breeder and I'd really have to study the pedigree if possible to see what they temperment was like in past generations. I've trained so many of these dogs in the past and almost every one of them was there because they were biters.

Dakotah is now hooked on wolves and wolfdogs. LOL He can hang out with the wolf rescue people at the pow wows for hours. I have had wolves and wolfdogs but not for years and I'm not saying I want him to have one. I have a cousin that has raised wolves on a reservation in Wash for decades, but that's different. It's our job to make sure they're safe and we can not hurt one unless we're protecting ourselves or another person. I have a wolf pelt robe, but I traded medicine bag for it. LOL So when Dakotah came back to camp last year talking about the wolves I had to talk to him about what you can and can't do with them and how cruel it is to keep them locked up or in the city. My big guy Henricks, was a big lover. His only problem was he would try to answer a phone and eat it. He was wolf and Malamute. That was the 70s and I sure wouldn't have one in the city now. So between me and the rescuers and a few other out campling, he already had decided he really didn't want one, but something that resembled them. First he picked Huskies. I've owned those too and have family that races them. He doesn't have the energy to raise a Husky. I don't have tall enough fences to keep one in and so his breed of choice is now a Malamute. Not as vocal, a lot more kickback and since Dakotah is so tall, they're a good size for him. Thing is he wants to race them. I think he's too tall for it, but that's what he wants to do. But when he saw the pups we bought to rehome, he was really disappointed. He thought he had walked in to a gift and I told him, they aren't staying, I just didn't want the kind of people who were buying them to get hold of them. He said he just knew I was getting him a Malamute and when he heard the pups and then saw them, he thought his hopes were out the door. LOL

 

[2seth2]

Missy you know what would be best is if he got the lab really young and you let it in with the chickens and if it is small enough the chickens will put it back in its place

 

[SunnyDawn]

Well just remember that labs are soft mouthed dogs. They are bred to retrieve without damaging the carcass. So basically I can see it naturally wanting to put one in its mouth but I bet a lab will be real easy to train not to kill...
Kim I'm sorry for the immense loss. I don't think I could ever have an outside dog and that's really one of the reasons why. I'm so lucky that Elvis is a lazy poop who prefers to send his days snoozing in the house

Exactly what I was thinking. I've only owned the one pair but they were soooo mellow. I think when they are bred by someone reputable, that is selecting them for being good family dogs, you do have a better chance of getting a sweet tempered dog but my 2 were rescue pups. The owners were planning on taking them to the pound (they never planned on mixed breed pups and didn't want them) and in those days a trip to the pound almost always meant they would be euthanized in 3 days. I didn't really want more dogs (I already had 1) but they ended up being great members of the family for many many years. But like I said, those were the only labs I ever had so I'm no expert on the breed.

Dakotah is now hooked on wolves and wolfdogs. LOL He can hang out with the wolf rescue people at the pow wows for hours. I have had wolves and wolfdogs but not for years and I'm not saying I want him to have one. I have a cousin that has raised wolves on a reservation in Wash for decades, but that's different. It's our job to make sure they're safe and we can not hurt one unless we're protecting ourselves or another person. I have a wolf pelt robe, but I traded medicine bag for it. LOL So when Dakotah came back to camp last year talking about the wolves I had to talk to him about what you can and can't do with them and how cruel it is to keep them locked up or in the city. My big guy Henricks, was a big lover. His only problem was he would try to answer a phone and eat it. He was wolf and Malamute. That was the 70s and I sure wouldn't have one in the city now. So between me and the rescuers and a few other out campling, he already had decided he really didn't want one, but something that resembled them. First he picked Huskies. I've owned those too and have family that races them. He doesn't have the energy to raise a Husky. I don't have tall enough fences to keep one in and so his breed of choice is now a Malamute. Not as vocal, a lot more kickback and since Dakotah is so tall, they're a good size for him. Thing is he wants to race them. I think he's too tall for it, but that's what he wants to do. But when he saw the pups we bought to rehome, he was really disappointed. He thought he had walked in to a gift and I told him, they aren't staying, I just didn't want the kind of people who were buying them to get hold of them. He said he just knew I was getting him a Malamute and when he heard the pups and then saw them, he thought his hopes were out the door. LOL

Awwww, poor Dakota. Well in my experience, teenagers always think they will do everything to take care of a dog but they rarely do. Still I think they deserve a chance to try. This philosophy has led to me having to take over the care of my kid's dogs a couple of times. And I agree with you, wolves are too much work and it is not fair to the animal to keep it away from it's pack and cooped up. Much better to get a Malamute or some other dog that isn't as high strung.

I had a half black wolf and half GSD when I was young and he was the most amazing dog EVER!!! I still miss him horribly! But he needed a lot of exercise and attention and I would not attempt it now that I have so much less energy. We kids shared his care but he still got into trouble when we were at school. If he wasn't getting a lot of attention he acted up. He was an angel with me though and I will never forget him.

 

[americanvalkyrie]

Missy you know what would be best is if he got the lab really young and you let it in with the chickens and if it is small enough the chickens will put it back in its place

I hope he gets a puppy. But he doesn't seem to want to do much cleaning up, so he might go for a grown dog. I guess we'll see what happens... there's only so much freaking out that I can do before anything actually needs to be done.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Hey you never know... The dog could surprise you like Elvis surprised us!

 

[wolftracks]

Tell him to come get one of these Pittie pups! They're sweet but getting big fast! Well not too big, but I want them to bond with someone at a young age.

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:
We inherited our black lab from my brother when he passed away from cancer 4 years ago.....Gracie was 6 when she came to live with us and had experience hunting but once she knew the chickens were not for her, she was fine. She's a smart cookie. We bred strong hunting lines in our cocker spaniels and also just taught them they were off limits. Every new chicken they did ask if they could have them but as soon as they were told no they were fine. We just got a new Springer Spaniel with field bloodlines but shes smart and minds. She thinks the chickens are her play toys....the chickens hate her! LOL A couple of the hens try to attack her but she thinks they're playing and puts her rump in the air and barks at them! I won't let her chase them too much but she does trot around asking them to play! They can be taught to get along.

 

[wolftracks]

That's all Dusty would do too until the flock was attacked. She's doing better, but I'm still watching her like a hawk. She grabbed that pullet quick. The birds aren't afraid of my dogs, which is probably why the ones that were out weren't attacked. I think the dogs riled up the pullets in the pen and just had to have them. Ganche wasn't as mellow around the dogs as Baby was, so maybe they scared her. I'm shocked they didn't try the guineas, Dusty did kill another pullet months ago. She was playing with it and the pullet would even sleep with her, but it just took that one rough move and she was gone. Just chased 7 dogs off my porch. I'm getting so sick of this.