@iwantmorechickens Has your LGD's behavior improved? I have been told it should only take 15 min of training a day, but getting an LGD to ignore and guard poultry may take 6 months to a year? I want an LGD, but I don't know what I am getting into.
Have you worked with/trained dog(s) for any purpose before? That could mean anything from competitive dog sports to simply sucessfully teaching your dog not to jump on you, come when called, etc. If so, you at least have a basic understanding of the training required for a lgd. Consistency and time are the keys.
First and foremost is to know that typical lgd breeds are still Dogs. Meaning that they have the same instincts as other dogs, but certain characteristics such as prey drive/chase instincts are not generally as high. But if someone puts a lgd breed puppy out with chickens and thinks the pup will instinctly guard and protect them, that is a recipe for a disaster. The pup is very likely to eventually chase and "play" with chickens until they stop moving, same as other puppy breeds would. Same thing can happen when tossing in an untrained, unsupervised pup with a herd of goats
If you get a pup to protect your chickens (no matter the breed), the more daily exposure the dog has to poultry the better. But ONly let the dog loose with the chickens if you are present 100% of the time to supervise. Otherwise never leave the dog unsupervised at all. It's much easier to teach a dog not to harm poultry in the first place than it is to retrain a dog not to kill. Depending on the breed and the individual dog, some dogs cannot be trained to be trustworthy around poultry. When you think your lgd-in-training is trustworthy when in your presence, go inside and watch from a window, go behind a building, etc. Be ready to reappear immediately with a prompt verbal correction if the dog's behavior changes in your absence. If that situation happens more than a few times the dog may never be trustworthy. Plenty of dogs are "good" when their owners are nearby, but revert to their own desires if they think no one will see.
There's a whole lot more that goes into training a lgd for poultry than i can say here, but 6 months to a year is about right, assuming the pup has daily intensive interaction and supervision. That time passes faster than you think, & a pup cant do much protecting til it is full grown anyway. To be considered fully safe around chickens, a dog should show no reaction to chickens at all. No reaction to their running, flapping & squawking, no sniffing them for any reason, no interest if a dead one is laying in the yard.
Lgds dont bond with birds the same as they do sheep and goats. But they do understand their job to guard and protect their premises, & that keeps the poultry safe. Older dogs and other breeds can also be trained as lgds. It depends on the dog's temperment and how willing they are to please.
