Puppy and chickens

[paprikash]

I have a Newdle (newfoundland x poodle) pup thats 7mo and cant stay away from the chickens. She is big 65lbs and growing. I have put up 2x4 welded wire over the chicken wire to keep her from breaking the chickens out. She did get hold of our easter egger and it didnt fair to well, she is alive but permanently damaged.
Can I break my pup from this behavior or do I have to continue making obstacles (she figures them out after time) to protect the chickens for life?

 

[thomasboyle]

Each dog is going to be different. Some can be trained to ignore the chickens, but others just can't get past the urge to chase them or worse. We have two small dogs, and at first they loved the chase the chickens. We would reprimand them, and for one of the dogs, that was enough. But for the other one, we had to resort to "water boarding" - hosing her off with a super soaker squirt cannon, which she hates. She quickly learned chasing chickens led to a spray of water in the face, so she gave it up. Other dogs may take much more than water. They have shock collars which can be highly effective. We use them for the underground fence, and the dogs never cross the line. A training collar like that might be the next level if simple reprimands and other deterrents don't work. Good luck!

 

[centrarchid]

Doing harm at this stage not a source worry or predictor of inability to train.


Virtually all can be trained with effort. Current effort with your pup should concentrate on control and development of communication. Also invest in getting dog into other activities that can occur near chickens but not involve them. Once dog is about 1.5 years old, it is a good time to start working on getting it to consistently leave birds alone. Effort may require a good six months to get dog trustworthy.

 

[bobbi-j]

Each dog is going to be different. Some can be trained to ignore the chickens, but others just can't get past the urge to chase them or worse. We have two small dogs, and at first they loved the chase the chickens. We would reprimand them, and for one of the dogs, that was enough. But for the other one, we had to resort to "water boarding" - hosing her off with a super soaker squirt cannon, which she hates. She quickly learned chasing chickens led to a spray of water in the face, so she gave it up. Other dogs may take much more than water. They have shock collars which can be highly effective. We use them for the underground fence, and the dogs never cross the line. A training collar like that might be the next level if simple reprimands and other deterrents don't work. Good luck!

Of course every situation is different, but the problem I see with spraying with water or using a shock collar is, I don't know that it really makes the dog trustworthy all the time, or just when you're near with the supersoaker or control for the collar. I'm really not trying to be argumentative, and like I said - every situation is different. For our dog, I think he'd wait until I wasn't around to chase the chickens again if I used the squirt gun or shock collar. He's young - only 8 months, but is still in training. He's never really messed with the layers since the rooster nailed him but good, but he did kill several of my meaties when he was left unsupervised for an afternoon (I was gone, "someone else" had a serious lapse in judgement). When he's with me near the chickens, I will make him sit and stay outside the coop door while I go in to check for eggs. I will not allow him to chase them away from their food or the kitchen scraps I bring down. So far, he's done fairly well. I still don't trust him. He's very high energy and I think if he were to get bored, it would not go well for the birds.

 

[Howlet]

The way i see it is- DOgs were once wild, and you cant remove that drive and kill instinct! most of the "predators" in this section of threads, are dogs or something somewhat K-9 like foxes. i was reading one where a husky wiped out 67 hens in 3 hours, tearing down electric fence and all.... and my neighbors dog ran right past her into the coop and grabbed her RIR which had 2 b put down. so id have a HIGHLY secure run or supervise her outside.... you can take an animal from the wild but not allways the other way around! and like Bobbi said, i glimpse my dog chasing after my slower chickens and grabbing there tailfeathers all the time from my window so i need to run out there and drag her inside. its really not worth the risk....

 

[Howlet]

The way i see it is- DOgs were once wild, and you cant remove that drive and kill instinct! most of the "predators" in this section of threads, are dogs or something somewhat K-9 like foxes. i was reading one where a husky wiped out 67 hens in 3 hours, tearing down electric fence and all.... and my neighbors dog ran right past her into the coop and grabbed her RIR which had 2 b put down. so id have a HIGHLY secure run or supervise her outside.... you can take an animal from the wild but not allways the other way around! and like Bobbi said, i glimpse my dog chasing after my slower chickens and grabbing there tailfeathers all the time from my window so i need to run out there and drag her inside. its really not worth the risk....

ooh and i forgot to mention, newfoundlands and poodles were at one point used for hunting and fishing pourposes. poodles i believe were used as bird dogs to fetch ducks from the water like labs. and newfoundlands were used to bring in fishing nets. so both are in some way breed suggested to go after something like a duck or chicken.

 

[Orpie]

I have a 41/2 month old Beagle who loves to chase and play with everything. His first experience with the chickens went like this.
We had one I our Buff Orps out free ranging supervised. We thought our pup was inside. Out of no where she comes bounding around the corner like the dogs in the food commercials heading straight for the Buff. My wife and I are both screaming "NOOOOOO", but she chased that poor Buff for about 5 minutes before I got to our pup. The Buff fared well, never getting caught by the Beagle.
Second experience was with the dominant bird in the coop, our Barred Rock. Once again, same story... Supervised free ranging when the Beagle broke loose of his run... I think he has chicken radar... And run toward the Rock. Well yawl... That Barred Rock just Attis up and confronted that puppy. He stopped dead in his tracks and ran away from the Barred Rock. Hahaha!!! It was soon funny.

 

[mamahenAtlanta]

My 3 year old Old English bulldog (80 lbs) got into the run the other day. By accident--my fault. He pushed past me as I was coming thru the coop door with a water pail. 6 week chicks have only been in the run for 2 weeks now and dog has been pretty good--just sitting outside the run watching them, but not obsessed or anything. He (supposedly) learned he's not allowed inside. But.... when the opportunity came, he took it! I was shaking for 3 days over this--we were all traumatized. (Me, 6 chicks and the dog!) No one was hurt, thank goodness. One pullet was slobbered on and so upset she slept on the coop floor under the roost all nite. (I thought her wing had been damaged but it was fine on further inspection). All the birds were running crazy and even out of the run into the wooded yard (where they had never been before) -- no free range here! Can't say exactly what all happened except that we all ran in circles for about 30 minutes. As soon as I'd get the dog off of one bird, he'd grab another--I saw one in his mouth -- the slobbered on Lucy-- but miraculously-- NONE were hurt. We were just very lucky. I don't know for certain if the dog would have hurt/killed/eaten any of these chicks-- he certainly had the opportunity. I think he was just playing, but I will not trust him. .... to be around them unless restrained. We do plan on some intensive training. He's a very sweet boy but definitely not fully trained to obey certain commands, such as "NOOOOOOOOOOO Leave the chickens alone!!!!!!!" He will sit, lay, and stay (for a period of time that HE deems appropriate) We need a lot of time to work on the STAY and LEAVE commands. So, just saying..... Be Careful With Your Family Dog!!! I certainly learned a big lesson this week, and was fortunate to learn it early and didn't suffer a loss. I would have been devastated. I was in hysterical tears during this whole episode.

The day after, dog followed me around like a shadow--he knew how upset I was at how he'd acted. (But I don't trust him for a second with the birds, and seriously doubt I would ever leave him with them unsupervised, no matter how well trained I think he his). Wish I could have a nicely trained protection dog for them. Maybe I need to send him to chicken college or something!

 

[centrarchid]

My 3 year old Old English bulldog (80 lbs) got into the run the other day.  By accident--my fault.  He pushed past me as I was coming thru the coop door with a water pail.  6 week chicks have only been in the run for 2 weeks now and dog has been pretty good--just sitting outside the run watching them, but not obsessed or anything.  He (supposedly) learned he's not allowed inside.  But.... when the opportunity came, he took it!  I was shaking for 3 days over this--we were all traumatized.  (Me, 6 chicks and the dog!)  No one was hurt, thank goodness.  One pullet was slobbered on and so upset she slept on the coop floor under the roost all nite.  (I thought her wing had been damaged but it was fine on further inspection).  All the birds were running crazy and even out of the run into the wooded yard (where they had never been before) -- no free range here!  Can't say exactly what all happened except that we all ran in circles for about 30 minutes.  As soon as I'd get the dog off of one bird, he'd grab another--I saw one in his mouth -- the slobbered on Lucy-- but miraculously-- NONE were hurt.  We were just very lucky.  I don't know for certain if the dog would have hurt/killed/eaten any of these chicks-- he certainly had the opportunity.  I think he was just playing, but I will not trust him. .... to be around them unless restrained.  We do plan on some intensive training.  He's a very sweet boy but definitely not fully trained to obey certain commands, such as "NOOOOOOOOOOO Leave the chickens alone!!!!!!!"  He will sit, lay, and stay (for a period of time that HE deems appropriate)  We need a lot of time to work on the STAY and LEAVE commands.  So, just saying..... Be Careful With Your Family Dog!!!  I certainly learned a big lesson this week, and was fortunate to learn it early and didn't suffer a loss.  I would have been devastated.  I was in hysterical tears during this whole episode. The day after, dog followed me around like a shadow--he knew how upset I was at how he'd acted.  (But I don't trust him for a second with the birds, and seriously doubt I would ever leave him with them unsupervised, no matter how well trained I think he his).  Wish I could have a nicely trained protection dog for them.  Maybe I need to send him to chicken college or something!

You carried out quite well one of the early training steps I go through to make for a very well trained dog that can trusted with birds 24/7. Dog learned distress calls and will not forget them. Also learned mouthing birds is a no-no but you will need to re-inforce that further. Later when you do get dog past wanting to mess with birds, he will respond to threats indicated by birds. A dog that does not do what yours did in the beginning tends not to be as effective at guarding the same birds later.

Effort to calm down when dogs does not naughty. Getting riled yourself excites dog. Keep working with him and he will be trustworthy when he is fully adult.

 

[duluthralphie]

I suggest a shock collar. They are not as cruel as you think. They make a BEEP before the shock. ( at least mine does). Also you can use a beep only command on the collar. It only take one or tow mild shocks for the dog to understand.

I also have an underground fence with a collar to give the chickens place to go the dogs cannot. My dogs are trained hunting dogs. Chasing birds is there job. They do not chase my birds though, they know better. That said I try to limit the opportunities to chase them. Also make sure your dog has lots of healthy safe ways to wear off his energy. A bored energy full dog is a danger. Dogs do not think well when excited, bored and energy filled.