Predator Prevention: Dog Training

[LBKS]

At some point in the near future I will be doing some dog training to prevent my dogs from bothering the chickens (along with working on dog training in general). I was thinking though: with all the horror stories of loose dogs killing chickens and paying the ultimate price - what are some training behaviors that could help prevent these sorts of losses (on both sides)? I'm hoping some experience from those who have suffered dog-predator losses can help me prevent my own from ever being those predators.

A sturdy fence is the first line of safety for all parties, but I really would like some additional security in case that fails. Here's my list of behaviors I want to work on, could all of you wonderful folks help me out with ideas/opinions? I just feel like I'm missing something important because the list is so short beyond the assumed basic obedience skills (stay/down/etc).

• Teaching them to stay on the property even if the gate is open (and hoping it translates to any failed fencing chances to escape).
• Teaching them to leave chickens alone (but this won't necessarily save them from harrassing someone's pigs/goats/cows/etc if they haven't been trained for those animals). They have some herding instinct so I do worry about them 'worrying' livestock if they should escape. I'll have plenty of opportunity to work with them reguarding chickens since I'll have some of my own, but not most other livestock.
• Teaching them to run to my front porch when someone yells "Get out of here!" "Go home!" (so potentially someone can send them packing before they do any harm).

These two aren't escape artists, but I'd like a bit more peace of mind than knowing they just haven't dug a hole under a fence yet. I guess they really are my furbabies.

If this isn't quite the right place to ask, could someone point me in the right direction?

 

[aart]

What kind/age are dogs?

Great info on dog training at homesteadingtoday.com in the guardian animals forum

 

[LBKS]

They are two years old and are Bearded Collies (basically 40-60lb cousins of the sheep dog).

Thanks for the link - I'll check over there

 

[aart]

If they are already trained to please you, who should be alpha dog pack leader, and especially if they have been trained to accept other household critters as part of the pack.........including chickens into the mix should work with some additional training.

If they are NOT already trained to obey you without challenge, then you might be in for a real rodeo....or rather some careful confinement for both dogs and chickens.

Good Luck!

 

[LBKS]

They accept cats but just have had no exposure to livestock before, which is my concern. Overall training is less than I would like, but that's due to my lack of skill/experience rather than any fault of the dogs.

The plan is to have a dog-proof run for the chickens as a bad weather backup plus as a dog training safety net. That'll mean two fences between chickens and strays/other predators, who will have to cross the dogs to get to the chicken enclosure. Once they are behaving on the other side of the fence we'll slowly introduce a few outside in dog-zone free ranging with dogs on leash then progress to off leash.

I don't actually plan on letting them outside with chickens unsupervised the first year since this is a new thing for all of us. So free-ranging will be only in supervised hours, most likely when we'd be doing some training for part of it anyway.

 

[aart]

........... but that's due to my lack of skill/experience rather than any fault of the dogs........

Yep, a well trained dog always has a well trained owner ;-)

 

[LBKS]

Yep, a well trained dog always has a well trained owner ;-)

Isn't that the truth! I think the better part of dog training is training yourself

 

[centrarchid]

If doing this long-term, then give your perimeter fencing more thought. With persistance you will get your dogs into shape but dogs belonging to others will be biggest concern unless your dogs can repell them. I am presently evolving my management for dogs that are not mine. My dogs deal with most and wildlife very well but when my dogs abilities are exceeded I am become increasingly reliant upon fencing. The very same dogs that are most difficult for my dogs or even chicken containment are the easiest to keep out with careful placement of electrified fencing. The big dogs are slower and less agile making it easier to zap them when they visit. Additionally my dogs know their way around fencing and they use it to their advantage. Fencing has also given protection when both dogs taken to vet making so I am not totally unprotected.

 

[LBKS]

If doing this long-term, then give your perimeter fencing more thought.  With persistance you will get your dogs into shape but dogs belonging to others will be biggest concern unless your dogs can repell them.  I am presently evolving my management for dogs that are not mine.  My dogs deal with most and wildlife very well but when my dogs abilities are exceeded I am become increasingly reliant upon fencing.  The very same dogs that are most difficult for my dogs or even chicken containment are the easiest to keep out with careful placement of electrified fencing.  The big dogs are slower and less agile making it easier to zap them when they visit.  Additionally my dogs know their way around fencing and they use it to their advantage.  Fencing has also given protection when both dogs taken to vet making so I am not totally unprotected.

Could you elaborate on what you mean about the fencing? Strays should be kept out of the property by the exterior fence that keeps my dogs in, then there is a second fence around the chicken run/coop to keep my dogs out from the chickens.

So for other neighbor's dogs to be an issue they will have to get past the exterior fence before they could approach the interrior (chicken) fence. That outside fence is as much to keep the dogs in as it is to protect my dogs from agressive dogs.

 

[centrarchid]

In most areas I use a single or sometimes multiple strands of electric wire fencing. By itself it is not reliable against most dogs but if dogs are slowed by another barrier, even one that dog can force itself through, then the electrified fencing zaps them pushing them back. I have so even if dogs get past first layer of fencing, the have at least one more to get zapped by. The first fence gets them less willing to challenge the last layer.

If fencing is properly placed it does not detract from yards appereance nor does it cause major issues with lawn maintenance.