Pyrenees issues need advice

[ScaredOfShadows]

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this is not true. a chicken killer is not always going to be a chicken killer. dogs live in the moment. - This is an action, you can always teach them that action is wrong and teach them the RIGHT action - sometimes it just takes way longer. Prey drive is something that can be curbed - lots of excerise and socializing, and teaching the dog pack leader. A dog must look to the human as the leader - the teacher. They must TRUST their human. Fear gets you nothing but fear and a scared dog - thats the dog that as soon as they see you after doing something wrong runs for the hills or goes belly up whimpering or yelping while submissively peeing. - thats the act of a dog that is TOO submissive for the wrong reasons.

I have 2 dogs one is a GSD/Chow mix the other is a pit/lab mix. my dogs if they do wrong - will lay down, give me a guilty look, and lay at my feet, but don't whine, yelp, whimper, or pee. One will go belly up - if i reprimand her verbally and point at her. its pretty funny, shes a good dog though. Shes also really headstrong, but listens in the yard.

my pit/lab is a known chicken killer, she has 4 under her belt. - Every time she killed one it was when I wasn't around. the last 2 were last year - I have not had another one since. I started back to re-training her and making it known the chickens are NOT to be messed with. she knows she'll strike my displeasure and disappoint me - she can't stand that. she aims to please me. Now I trust her out unattended on their side of the yard - the chickens free range in the dog area and sometimes the dogs chase 'em from their food but thats it. I have seen chickens out there in the food bowls and dog houses, and the dogs don't bother them. the GSD mix likes to chase the chickens when they get skittsh, but shes never killed one. - however she will kill the neighbors guineas or turkey if she ever got a chance - she hates them with a passion - don't know why maybe just because they don't belong down here.

My dogs will kill possums, rats, snakes, etc but not the chickens or ducks when the ducks hung down here.

A dog must respect and understand a human's wishes - you have to keep it simple and keep it consistant. my dogs know leave it - one knows recall 100% the other if she gets loose past the fence is a menace to re-catch but in the yard knows recall 100%. I had to train both dogs differently - thats just the thing - every dog is different. One I can simply look at, and by body language she understands what I expect. the other I have to TELL and sometimes direct. - one dog I can trust loose in the enclosed run with the chickens and chicks, the other I trust in the dog yard or just in the yard in general but not locked up with the chickens supervised or unsupervised.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

My understanding is its not advisable to use a shock collar on a LGD dog you want to guard chickens.
IF you decide to use a shock collar, you will HAVE to shave the collar area of the dog so the shocker can make contact with skin. -
an LGD needs to see the flock of birds as FAMILY/PACK - not an avoidance, you want them to be able to sit in the flock and be part of it, not avoid them like the plague like your method is going to do to a young dog.

Who gave you that advice?

You don't have to shave them IF you put it on correctly.

You're not teaching them to "avoid" but simply not to TOUCH

They can protect them quite well without sitting "in the flock".

They just have to learn not to have physical contact with them.​

 

[1livelychick]

Quote:
Who gave you that advice?

You don't have to shave them IF you put it on correctly.

You're not teaching them to "avoid" but simply not to TOUCH

They can protect them quite well without sitting "in the flock".

They just have to learn not to have physical contact with them.

So Sorry you are having problems. That is true about shaving where the prongs actually touch the skin. My trainer had to do it to one of my Border Collies. She is super smart and crafty. My collar was for the invisible Fence system. She figured out she had a few seconds between breaching the electric field and the shock. Dogs are just like any other living creatures with a personality. There are all types!!! LOL!
She never breached the electric field once she was retrained which involved taking the timed delay off and shaved her where she could feel the shock.
All three of my kids with fur, which are Border Collies were professionally trained. It was the best money I could spend. THen I was trained to speak their language. They follow me everywhere I go and know my routine better than I do. It also works to have her lead line tied to your waist every time you go out. So, I guess.... Get the professional trainer and Keep up the good work with having patience and perseverance. Hope this helps! Good Luck!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I honestly think you need to speak with an experienced breeder/trainer of great pyranees for ideas and methods. I did not read the whole thread, but are you certain that your great pyr is the one doing the killing? You did say it never happens when you are around.

 

[La Mike]

Yes I am positive. My blue heeler wants nothing to do with any bird. He never lost his training. I had to spend several days in the hospital and a total of a solid week she was chained and never lost a bird the whole time. I have also seen her with them. The day she was let run again she struck again. So I cant see anything else doing it. She has a jail sentence right now and I hate that for her but it has to be that way. I am starting over as of tommorrow re-training her with diligence and have high hopes of working this out. I still believe the spaying triggered this or at least hope that was waht did it and it can be worked back out through tough training and rebuilding a confidence level in her. All I can do now is to start from the beginning all over and pray it works.

 

[annep]

I did the dog whisperer thing with my Pyr...made her submit to the birds..Put them in front of her, and made her lay down, put them on her, made her not whince at them, etc...It's worked well..She got one of our chickens, we tied it around her neck, and she ate the rest of it...But the submission thing worked really well...

 

[annep]

"I have a newfie/pyrenes mix and he is a Nightmare with my chickens, will kill one in a heartbeat. I hate to say it But your girl is not going to stop, once they will kill the critters they dont stop. Dont let some trainer or trainer wannabe tell you diff. I went every route and mine cant be stopped and from what I have learned they cant be told to just leave them alone once they have it in em, she cant help herself. I would never get rid of my dog so I just have to make changes so that he doesnt get the opportunity to get them and despite that, he got one yesterday"

Mine stopped..but, she's not a puppy..Shes 4..Before we got her, I dont think she'd been around many critters at all...
Right now, she doesnt want to be watch dog at night..She wants to come sleep inside..Nope..Im not feeding this 100lb dog and not getting the protection for my birds..That's her job..Also, another thing I did was to make sure she knew her job..I walked our yard over and over, twice a day for practically a month telling her that our yard is her job. The chickens are her job..She needs to be submissive to them, our kids, and our birds..

 

[La Mike]

Ok update she is doing great. Talked to a million folks and came up with this. Kept her in lockdown for 2 weeks then started retraining her. Have not lost another bird since I started from scratch with her. She actually is more loving and careful around the yard than ever before so think we got back to the right track. The shock collar isnt used much at all she went right back to verbal commands but knows when she has it on and works perfectly

I think shutting down all activity for her got her attention and am happy as can be but still knockin on wood lol

Thank you all for your posts and ideas and now I firmly believe you can fix any dog if you want too.

Hopin she continues the course now and really loving my dog again

 

[yinepu]

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I'm glad she's doing better and you got to talk to the "experts" about her..

give her a hug for me when you get the chance!

 

[La Mike]

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I'm glad she's doing better and you got to talk to the "experts" about her..

give her a hug for me when you get the chance!

Yea bad thing was all the experts told me to give up (WRONG) I wasnt just gonna quit on her. She honestly has descerned its better to play nice in the sand box than not be allowed to play at all

I really hope it continues the way its going because she really is one of the best dogs I have ever had and want her to be here a long time