PLEASE HELP! DOGS ATTACKING

[kstaven]

I agree that they can be trained IF you can give it enough time and devotion. I know that can be a tough thing to do with dogs. They may get the idea the first time but will continue to test the boundaries 10,000 times after that.

I have a lab x pitbull male and female. Both adults when they came from a rescue. A ridgeback x shepherd from the rescue and a registered german shepherd from very good service dog lines. The dogs all know the property lines which denotes their territory and they also know the chickens are part of the pack. Other birds are fair game and they can differentiate between the two.

It was a long and often frustrating time getting them to this point but well worth it in the end.

Good ideas from mountain man and I can only stress the word "supervision".

 

[Ocala]

Quote:
I agree with the few here that say they can be trained, it will be hard and take time but you will have to remember the PACK instinct. If you are nervous your dogs will not listen to you " THE PACK LEADER " you need to remember YOU are the boss, calm and assertive is the way you will need to be.

That's just my 2 cents

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Great advice Mountain Man!!

I agree that is the way to train a dog to live with chickens. That is almost step by step the way I train my dogs. It is so much easier with a puppy or a dog that doesn't have such a strong prey drive.
I used this method with a Blue Heeler/Border Collie cross. She now lives with my laying hens. I leave the coop open so they can come & go as they please into their large run. She gets to come out every day for play time, so she doesn't get bored & decide to play with the chickens. Even when I let her out, & I go into the run, she comes back in with me without being asked to.
She doesn't play in the chicken pen, that is for outside.

Now, if another dog was in the pen with her, and started chasing the chickens, I believe she would chase them also. It's that pack instinct. She acts well with the Great Pyrenees, of course they don't bother the chickens.
And one other thing, if I bring a new chicken, or any other animal on the property, I have to introduce it to each dog, or it is history!! They know who belongs there!

If you spend a lot of time training your dogs, you might be able to get them where they won't go after your chickens, but you will have to either confine the chickens or the dogs while you are training, if they can chase them even one more time while you are training, you probably won't ever get them under control.

I wish you luck.

Jean

 

[rufus]

I suggest you keep the dogs out of the chicken yards. Fence out a couple of acres just for the birds. That is free ranging enough for them.

And as for the dogs, I sure hope you aren't letting them free range. If they are attacking your chickens, just what do you think they are doing to your neighbor's?

Rufus

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I agree with the few here that say they can be trained, it will be hard and take time but you will have to remember the PACK instinct. If you are nervous your dogs will not listen to you " THE PACK LEADER " you need to remember YOU are the boss, calm and assertive is the way you will need to be.

That's just my 2 cents

I agree they can be trained too. I just find this particular situation more difficult than
the norm. Do a search on me and my dog posts. You will find me to be a dog/chicken advocate.
It takes a lot of work and devotion to train just one dog properly, "retraing" two
is a lot harder. It is possible.

Don

PS Ocala you've been watching too much Dog Whisperer.

(Me to)

 

[Ocala]

Quote:
Yes I know But he is correct at alot of what he says LOL but wanted to see who would be the first to pick up on that

 

[TitiBebbs]

Quote:
Rufus,

The good part about that is that our neighbors are so far that it isn't a problem. Most of the people who drive our road know that if Steele (the chaser) is out and chases, just drive faster. I think he races rather than chases. However, we have been keeping them [the dogs] tethered. I let the younger (bull) out when we are around to supervise, but if I let Steele off, he will just take off to visit his dog friends and chase whatever moves.

Boots is a much better behaved boy. When I let him off, he usually lays right up by the front door, unless he gets bored, then he plays with Steele. This weekend, for only a short time, I put Boots on a leash when I had a minute and walked him at my side. He's always been pretty good on the leash, but he pulls a little. I kept him at my knee and told him heel. Well, later I was out and wanted him to walk with me and called him and he came and walked right at my knee. I think he'll be easier to train (retrain) since he's so eager to please Steele, on the other hand couldn't care less. He sits when told, but only for a moment and then he wants to jump all over. When he's let off the leash, he takes off like his behind is on fire. hee hee.

There is a large dairy about 2 miles from us - across the highway - but they have never gone over there. We have a lot of work to do here on my parents' land and fencing is one of them. But with winter on its way, and no 'real' hen house, that is first priority. That and culling a dozen or so roosters.

Beth

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
In my honest opinion NO you can not. You will simply have to find a better solution for protecting your birds than the one you have now.

I agree!!!!