Rooster and a Guard Dog?

[Bill752]

In learning to train a puppy/dog is by learning from a professional. So when I needed a PT I chose an 18 month old dog to adopt as I was suspected of being terminal. My wife & I disagreed on how to train her so she adapted 2 ways to mind. My wife barks orders & our dog acts like she is in basic training & obeys to commands abruptly. I chose this other way of using treats to get her to do/not to do things up until she does it for the praise alone afterwards. Both methods work. Here's a link to the professional that I learned from & he has other youtube videos as well. The one on how to get them to ignore outside influences like other dogs are also there & just replace the dog in the video with your chickens.

 

[Vicker]

Please get on some LGD forums and be very sure of what you're getting into. First, a mixed breed should only be a mix with another true LGD breed. With LOTS of training, they can be trusted alone with chickens at about the age of 2 yrs. Be prepared to deal with barking, digging and escaping.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@centrarchid

 

[Ineke9909]

Unfortunately we really do not have a full fence, only about half the property if fenced in. However, we have been told that temporarily using a shock collar can be a good idea. Some friends of our used one on a Black Lab, and have never had any issues with it after it got shocked once or twice. IMO its not my first choice since I don't want to hurt him, but hopefully it won't be on him for long. I'll for sure be doing a lot of research on the breed in the coming weeks!

If you have never trained a dog before, don’t use a shock collar, especially on a puppy. Takes very precise timing, and you could make the puppy very skittish and scared. GPs do roam, keep them fenced in. If you want it to be friendly with people, socialize socialize socialize!

 

[Judy Todd]

Unfortunately we really do not have a full fence, only about half the property if fenced in. However, we have been told that temporarily using a shock collar can be a good idea. Some friends of our used one on a Black Lab, and have never had any issues with it after it got shocked once or twice. IMO its not my first choice since I don't want to hurt him, but hopefully it won't be on him for long. I'll for sure be doing a lot of research on the breed in the coming weeks!

I have owned two Great Peer, they do not roam, from my experience. Their natural instinct is to guard their property. When I got them, I walked the property line several times a day, about two acres, fenced. That was all that was needed. Both girls slept in the barn and I never lost a chicken the whole time I had a LGD. I could keep the gate open and neither of them ever left the property. They do bark a bit during the night, so hope that does not bother anyone. They are just guarding , which is why I had them. Miss them, getting too old to have such a large dog, both over 100 pounds.

 

[centrarchid]

An LGD is about the most expensive protection you can buy. LGD's were not developed for guarding chickens on small acreage.

I have experience with dogs and roosters, lots. I likely have more roosters than the experts listed have had chickens in total and for at least as long. I will be a hard ass on this because too much fluff on this site is not taken as unquestionable gospel and leads people down paths that more often than not lead to failure.

@Phantom_k9 your rooster being aggressive as described will not be be an asset long term. Since you are not interested in working with him, then I suggest swapping him out.

The pup will more than likely become a threat to the chickens at some point and you will have to take measures to train the pup from being a problem. Your interventions will likely be needed until the pup is a good two years old. The pup will not be a problem every day so do not get complacent.

I would get a 10' x 10' shaded dog kennel to confine pup when not supervised. Ideally the kennel be located near location chickens are kept at night.

Then start getting into a regimen where pup gets exercise, becomes familiarized with chickens, and learns property boundaries. Latter step may or may not prevent roaming later.

There is more and that is best addressed as pup goes down his or her path of life. There are no hard and fast rules based on breed or cross of dog.

 

[Vickischics]

Hello!
In a few weeks, we are planning to get a great pyrenees mix puppy to train into a guard dog. Aside from not *really* knowing how to train a guard dog, it hit me that we have a Rooster who could cause some trouble...
Generally speaking, this Rooster is the best we have had. He will run up to us when we walk outside, and side step towards us, and run up behind us if we aren't looking, BUT he is probably the best Roo we could ask for. He is protective, alert, and hasn't been really violent. Ok, yes, we all have been bit by him before, but only once (lol).
However, I'm not here to ask about Rooster training, rather the dynamic between him and a guard dog. We have had an incident several months ago where a dog escaped from up the street and wanted to, play, with our birds; killing three in the process. Ever since, our birds have been pretty scared of dogs. With that, should I be worried about our Roo provoking the dog?

Just looking for some advice on how we should go about having both a dog and a roo.

Here is mine!!
She is 7.5 years old GSD with all the advance obedience possible. I did train her myself because I was trained to do so.
I trained her to protect the chickens since I do not have a Roo, therefore, she is my 4 legged Roo.
Even with the most advanced training, you will probably lose a few chickens in the mean time. The Prey Drive hits their heads and they can't think! So, it's not always 100% proof positive. A dog is still a dog.
Training is your friend. A shock collar does not need to be used. A Balanced training method is what I suggest you become trained in. The dog is only as good as it's Master.

 

[Malamute1]

Unfortunately we really do not have a full fence, only about half the property if fenced in. However, we have been told that temporarily using a shock collar can be a good idea. Some friends of our used one on a Black Lab, and have never had any issues with it after it got shocked once or twice. IMO its not my first choice since I don't want to hurt him, but hopefully it won't be on him for long. I'll for sure be doing a lot of research on the breed in the coming weeks!

Great Pyrs consider their territory anywhere from 5 miles to 15. Not having full fencing will be a problem. The shock collar will not keep them home, but they will use it as an excuse not to come back in the yard! Lol Pyrs are big barkers. Training classes are a must. Any pup you get will need to learn to listen to you above all distractions. A squirt gun might help with your Roo n people. That said. Great Pyrs make wonderful farm dogs!! We had acquaintances whose Pyr gave hawk warnings, at which point the flock would run to him for protection. You do need to know more about Pyrs. I would suggest going to a Great Pyrs rescue site and reading about pros and cons for honest info about the breed. We rescued a 2 1/2 yr old male and had him for over 10 yrs. We have 3 sided hog wire property fencing and 1/2 acre full fenced dog yard. He still managed to go walkabout a couple times. We would find him a few acres away wanting to play with neighbors horses or other dogs. I wish he was still with us to protect my flock and we are looking to rescue another Grt Pyr. We even miss the barking telegraph every evening at dusk! Lol Good luck with your pup.

 

[Grumpy Gus]

I hesitate to "give advice" but happy to share what my experiences. I have 17 chickens, 18 ducks, 2 guineas ... and a German Shepherd (Delta) who has been near them ever since they went into the brooders. She was a 2 year old rescue when we all started on our journey together.
Delta has never showed aggression or roughness to any chick, duckling or keet. I firmly believe her watching them grow up forged a bond. She did 'scare the willies out of me' when she caught a chick escapee on their first trips outside, when she "soft mouthed" the chick and brought her to me unharmed before I knew the chick was loose. Delta now "ignores their nonsense" but God help the hawk, crow, fox, coyote or racoon who even stops to look at her kids.
Delta wanted to roam the neighborhood when I got her. Her first taste of "freedom" after a life of apartment living. FREEDOM!!! No fence was her equal.
Then a friend told me about the Spot On Virtual Fence Collar.
The following is NOT a commercial ... just an honest assessment of my experience.
I've had different "invisible fence" collars over the years, using them on Labs, GSDs, beagles, and a Great Pyrenees/Lab. This system is very different. And it's the best I have ever come across in the last 20+ years.
No buried wires, it's all done with GPS, six second intervals. Adjustable shock/no shock with 30 levels of correction. NO SHOCK when returning to the confinement area (only system I know of with this feature). My 10 acres was easily custom mapped.
Be warned, this is a very expensive system, almost $1,500!!! But it works, when nothing else met my needs. And the neighbors have finally stopped complaining.
The manufacturer has 3 different training program options, free on-line support from real dog trainers to help you train your new guardian puppy. You can make the initial training painless and playful (if you have the time for that). I admit that I had to take a more "assertive" mode to get Delta to respect the confines of the property before neighbors called the cops on her. She now is quite happy, watching over her feathered buddies, playing with the horses, and most importantly staying home rather than roaming the neighbors' yards. And I no longer keep looking over my shoulder, asking "where has she gone off to now?"
No fence, no collar, no "whatever" is ever going to eliminate the need for patient, persistent and consistent training with the owner/handler/partner.
Patient, persistent and consistent training. You can do this!

 

[AJane]

Hello!
In a few weeks, we are planning to get a great pyrenees mix puppy to train into a guard dog. Aside from not *really* knowing how to train a guard dog, it hit me that we have a Rooster who could cause some trouble...
Generally speaking, this Rooster is the best we have had. He will run up to us when we walk outside, and side step towards us, and run up behind us if we aren't looking, BUT he is probably the best Roo we could ask for. He is protective, alert, and hasn't been really violent. Ok, yes, we all have been bit by him before, but only once (lol).
However, I'm not here to ask about Rooster training, rather the dynamic between him and a guard dog. We have had an incident several months ago where a dog escaped from up the street and wanted to, play, with our birds; killing three in the process. Ever since, our birds have been pretty scared of dogs. With that, should I be worried about our Roo provoking the dog?

Just looking for some advice on how we should go about having

It is with the best of intentions that I decided to reply after mulling this over since you first posted. We are Great Pyr companions/owners. They are good with our chickens and they are family dogs. They aren't trained as LGD, but their having been bred for those purposes is evident in their personalities. We deeply love our Pyrs, but they are not your typical doggie type dog. For example, they aren't anywhere near adulthood till 2 years of age, they are known as one of the breeds that barks the most yet it can break their spirit to stifle their barking, they frequently love to roam and will climb fences to do so, and they love a good garden to dig a nice big hole or holes in.
I'd urge you to learn A LOT about the breed before you undertake having one. While very loving, they are also often extremely independent and make up their own minds about what is the right decision to make... You can learn a lot about them at: https://itsdogornothing.com, including reading replies from Pyr owners. (One of their articles is aptly titled "101+ Reasons for Great Pyrenees Barking.") I dearly love them, but if I hadn't had 40 years of previous experience with a variety of dog breeds, which still left giant gaps in understanding the Great Pyrenees, I would have utterly failed to be a decent companion/guardian/owner.
Best of luck!