Puppy behaving badly

[dainerra]

I think sourland's advice is spot on. You have to train the dog. Start right now and make up for lost time.
Step 1 is to set the dog up to succeed. That means you don't give him the opportunity to make the wrong decision. Confine him when you aren't in complete control. Leash him when you have him out in the yard with the chickens. He is never outside to entertain himself!

training. training. more training. Just like cleaning the coop and scooping poop and all the other jobs that come with having a pet. The only thing more necessary to a dog than training is food!

You already know that he is excited with the chicks. Find the closest distance that the dog first notices the birds in the brooder. This might be in another room if he is one to constantly glance at the door. Put your dog on leash and get some extra special treats that he only gets for this work - bacon, grilled chicken (no spices!), hot dog chunks, etc. When the dog glances toward the birds, say his name and "leave it" If he looks at you, give him a treat - if he doesn't, give a light pop on the leash (think tap on the shoulder). When he looks at you reward him.
You can also teach him "watch me" the same way. You can practice this at random times though out the day. If you have a couple extra minutes while you're watching TV or whatever, just say his name, pause, "watch me" When he makes eye contact, then reward him. You can also (if you get in the habit of keeping a small treat in your pockets) catch him looking towards you say "watch me" and then reward. Or just praise him verbally.

Once the dog is reliably paying attention to you and the birds at a distance, move a little bit closer. If he absolutely blows you off, you're too close. Just back up a bit and begin again. Eventually you will be right amongst the birds. You can then start at a distance or with a long line (20' leash or so) and work from there. I never ever leave my dogs/chickens loose unattended together.
I don't even trust Rayden
I don't mean I constantly hover over the dogs when they are out with the birds, but I am in the area and aware of what they are doing. Think of it as a small child. Even though you've taught them not to play with matches, would you leave them alone in the house with matches scattered all over the floor?

The most important part of the training is to set the dog up to succeed. Don't give him a chance to chase the birds. Don't give him a chance to disobey.

ETA: The best thing about teaching "leave it" is that it works for everything. Drop something on the floor and don't want the dogs to touch it? "leave it" See dog running toward a snake? "leave it" Lots of training and work, but it pays off!
Of course, some dogs just can't be trusted off-leash. Period. They are just too focused on the birds. In that case, just confine the dog when the birds are out.

 

[luvmydux]

Wow. Give the dog bacon. LOL. Pork in dogs causes pancreatitis just so ya know!! Don't give any dog bacon!!

 

[peteyfoozer]

Quote:
Not true. Continue your training and realize that many dogs and puppies especially should not be left alone with poultry. He is a herding dog, and his instinct is triggered by the movement of the birds.

I agree with sour land. Herding dogs do have a high prey drive and it takes a lot more to teach them NOT to play with the squeaky toys. I have had dogs kill poultry as pups that have become perfectly trustworthy around them as adults. Don't give up, but do separate them so the dog doesn't keep having opportunity to do this, as it is self rewarding behavior. I would only let him/her around the poultry while supervised with either a leash or a remote collar.

 

[dainerra]

Wow. Give the dog bacon. LOL. Pork in dogs causes pancreatitis just so ya know!! Don't give any dog bacon!!

no, too much fat in the diet causes it (one cause anyway). 99% of dogs eat pork with no problem, esp raw fed dogs. The only risk is if a particular dog happened to be allergic, which is true of any food

 

[jacoblipford]

you can retrain him i raise and train coon dogs and curs and even trained a heeler or 2 all of my dogs at one point of time would kill any small furry or feather animals now i can leave em alone with anything other than coons and they wont touch it i have a couple of hounds now who at one point killed a couple of chickens who will pee their selves if i make em sit around one you can do it with a switch or a shock collar (shock collar works best because he wont know who did it with a switch a real smart dog will figure out it only hurts when your around) when they get close to a chicken shock em or a swift hit with that switch i dont mean love taps i mean a solid lick if you dont like that idea ( i dont know how well it will work now since hes tasted blood) get a long leash 15 to 20 ft walk within the leash distance of the chickens and snap him back hard he will figure out that it hurts to be around em and will go in the opposite direction when he does that you praise him if none of these work its time to decide what you want more dog or chickens or just build a big fence

 

[bj taylor]

i agree with the training part, but i also think you have to accept that the dog will be a pill for the duration of puppyhood. the impulse control isn't there yet. i've been wrestling w/my german shepherd female that is 1 yr old. she recently killed 10 of my 14 girls. i was sick. i know your feelings. it was my fault, i accidentally left a gate open one morning.
she is making progress, but i will not trust her unsupervised where she can get to my chickens - the temptation is just too great.

 

[leadwolf1]

I am not trying to be disagreeable, I just truly want to know why people think that their dogs and birds have to get along and live together? I've had dogs that I would trust with the chickens and dogs that even with a ton of training would never be trustworthy. I don't really care that my dogs and birds don't comingle. I would rather have everyone safe and happy. Right now, I have 4 dogs. 3 of them would eat a chicken in a heartbeat..the other, would lick them to death. Neither is acceptable. So, they do not comingle, ever! Am I afraid of the training work...not a bit. I am more afraid of the setback of an accident. If they kill, I'm to blame, period. I don't want to be angry and upset about it. So, they each have their time in the yard. The dogs are kenneled when the chickens are out and the chickens are in their coops when the dogs are out. Easy and safe.

 

[stargazerlabs]

I think sourland's advice is spot on. You have to train the dog. Start right now and make up for lost time.
Step 1 is to set the dog up to succeed. That means you don't give him the opportunity to make the wrong decision. Confine him when you aren't in complete control. Leash him when you have him out in the yard with the chickens. He is never outside to entertain himself!

training. training. more training. Just like cleaning the coop and scooping poop and all the other jobs that come with having a pet. The only thing more necessary to a dog than training is food!

You already know that he is excited with the chicks. Find the closest distance that the dog first notices the birds in the brooder. This might be in another room if he is one to constantly glance at the door. Put your dog on leash and get some extra special treats that he only gets for this work - bacon, grilled chicken (no spices!), hot dog chunks, etc. When the dog glances toward the birds, say his name and "leave it" If he looks at you, give him a treat - if he doesn't, give a light pop on the leash (think tap on the shoulder). When he looks at you reward him.
You can also teach him "watch me" the same way. You can practice this at random times though out the day. If you have a couple extra minutes while you're watching TV or whatever, just say his name, pause, "watch me" When he makes eye contact, then reward him. You can also (if you get in the habit of keeping a small treat in your pockets) catch him looking towards you say "watch me" and then reward. Or just praise him verbally.

Once the dog is reliably paying attention to you and the birds at a distance, move a little bit closer. If he absolutely blows you off, you're too close. Just back up a bit and begin again. Eventually you will be right amongst the birds. You can then start at a distance or with a long line (20' leash or so) and work from there. I never ever leave my dogs/chickens loose unattended together.
I don't even trust Rayden
I don't mean I constantly hover over the dogs when they are out with the birds, but I am in the area and aware of what they are doing. Think of it as a small child. Even though you've taught them not to play with matches, would you leave them alone in the house with matches scattered all over the floor?

The most important part of the training is to set the dog up to succeed. Don't give him a chance to chase the birds. Don't give him a chance to disobey.

ETA: The best thing about teaching "leave it" is that it works for everything. Drop something on the floor and don't want the dogs to touch it? "leave it" See dog running toward a snake? "leave it" Lots of training and work, but it pays off!
Of course, some dogs just can't be trusted off-leash. Period. They are just too focused on the birds. In that case, just confine the dog when the birds are out.

Awesome training tips, you took the words right out of my mouth!
I have ten Labs and all but 2 (4 months and a 9 months) are allowed with me (one or two at a time) but they must maintain a down stay when they are inside the run with me. I would NEVER leave the dogs alone with the chickens. My guys have been trained to "leave it" weather the chickens or children are walking over or on them. Leave it is a great tool for all sorts of stuff.
PLEASE keep training the dog. Treat with anything high value. I give my dogs very small pieces of chicken, steak, Bacon, Turkey, Hotdogs, String Cheese, Block Cheese etc. Small pieces of high value treats are not going to hurt your pup. If you are worried about weight gain cut the night time kibble down by a quarter of a cup or so, depending on the amount of treats you give during the day. Clicker training is also another great way to train your pup. Just be consistent. Good Luck

 

[centrarchid]

leadwolf1,

You are insistent in effectively storing pure oxygen next to a flammable liquid. When so close an accidental explosion is more likely.



Sometimes putting effort to break chicken molesting habit is the easy thing to do. That way when commingling occurs, which it does as a function of being our fault, the consequences are not so dire. Potential benefit also to be realized is dog proves to be guardian.

 

[leadwolf1]

I don't agree. I know what my dogs are capable of and what they aren't. I have 3 akitas and 1 shiba inu. I've had akitas in the past that I have allowed baby rabbits to sleep on, they have lovingly played with baby chinchillas. They are all very well obedience trained. I've had my intact male akita rank #5 in the country in obedience. I have had nasty dog fights, I have to keep my females separated and my males separated. It's just what you do when you live with a certain breed. There will never be an accident. Each has their own separate runs and pens. If I chose to have my chickens free range, my dogs are locked in their kennels. NO ONE but me is allowed to let dogs out/chickens out. That's how it has to be. I know my dogs. Each are trained to leave it and will respond immediately...but I don't wish to try it with one of my other animals. Once prey drive kicks in, leave it is worthless!!! Especially in a dog such as an akita and shiba. Once prey drive kicks in, there is no turning back.

My dogs are trained in both obedience and for conformation showing. That doesn't mean that I would let them run with other dogs or with my chickens. I don't want to lose any of them.

And, my dogs do prove to be great guardians even without comingling. They alert when something is near, they alert when a chicken gets out and they will alert if a chicken has been left out of the coop or is injured. All this and I don't have to worry about any killing and/or hard feelings.