*sigh* Livestock Guardian Dog training screwed up.

[Scrambled Egg]

So sorry Rosalind, I have alwyas heard that those are the best watch dogs. If you still have the dead rooster maybe you could cover it with bitters and peppers and give it back to him?

 

[City2Farm]

Briefly threadjacking to say, Ruth, those photos of your GSD with the chicks are absolutely adorable!

Rosalind, I haven't got any experience with this sort of thing but I did want to say that I do hope it all works out. Do keep us posted.

 

[lacyloo]

Its to late for my lgd, we have desided to get rid of the main chicken killing dog , to a home without any "feathered" friends. I just hate to have to do this but im putting to much time and efort into these chickens for this dog to kill more than preadtors probaly would, ohh the dog killed a chicken today and was playing with it" definatly the dog wasent hungy". so , maby I can get a heler like my other dog for the animals,Helers are really loyal good animal protecting dogs, and want eat as much as the pyrenness

 

[City2Farm]

I heard last night that the "old timers" have a remedy for dogs who eat chickens... like I said in my prev. post, I don't have any experience with this sort of thing, so you can take this "advice" or leave it.

Supposedly, if you tie the dead chicken to the dog's collar and leave it there for a couple days, the dog will never harm a chicken again.

I don't know the "science" behind that or if it's safe.... and, frankly, it sounds a little cruel to me BUT, passing it on anyways.

Anyone have experience with this "cure"? IS it safe? DOES it work? Or is it a...erm... rural myth?

 

[snugglepup]

We had whole 'nother thread about that specifically a while back. The consensus was that it was completely ineffective.

I think mainly because the 'punishment' requires that the subject would be disgusted by a dead chicken... and what self-respecting dog is disgusted by dead things? Dogs LOVE dead stuff! They love to roll in it, eat it, drag it up on the porch to show you "Look mom, I found this 2 week old dead squirrel! Isn't it great?!"

 

[Rosalind]

Yeah, considering that he was chowing down on the dead chicken, and eats deer, rabbit and chicken poo, I don't see that working out too well. This dog is not dumb at all, and would likely figure out a way to get the dead chicken off his collar and into his mouth. I mean, he can open doorknobs, puppy gates, door safety latches, and can get his regular collar off any time he wants. He can very nearly open his crate door latches, if you don't push them 100% down. I can't see him putting up with anything he really disliked for very long, or tolerating a yummy treat just out of reach.

I buried the roo out in the very back of the backyard anyways. Not an easy job in this weather, mostly I lifted up all the ice chunks I could to put over him.

It's quite possible the roo was being bold and annoying him. Still, he knows he is not supposed to eat things which have not been expressly given to him. And he knows he is not supposed to interfere with our animal family, even if they are bothering him--he puts up with the cats attacking him in the most stoic, friendly manner, even when my polydactyl cat unleashes her 26 articulated claws of fury.

Ruth, I will try to teach him "guard" as a new command, that is a great idea. I have been telling him, "Lay down" and "stay" around the chickens, but "guard" is a good idea. He sorta does that now, he will march to his lookout points around the perimeter of the yard and let out a low woof, looking alert and surveying his kingdom. So "guard," as in, "look for danger" shouldn't be a big stretch.

Thanks for all the good advice, you guys are the best!

 

[City2Farm]

Quote:
LOL!! I just choked on my OJ... too true, too true.

 

[City2Farm]

Quote:
Sorry, like I said, it was something I heard, I thought of your thread, so I passed it on.

 

[ruth]

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Yes, guard is a better word. Lay down or stay are both words that should only be used when you don't want the dog to move at all, no matter what. A stay position means all hell can break lose in front of dog and you can walk off and leave it and it will "stay".

One way to teach "guard" is when the dog naturally goes running after a scent or barking in distance or any other thing that puts them on guard and gets them to react - say "good guard". They quicly learn that "guard" means to react on their part, not stay put unless all is well. As Rex naturally camped outside our bedroom door each night we would pet him and say "good guard" - eventually we just had to say "let's go night-night" and he would move to his post outside the door. Each night as I closed the door I thanked him for guarding and each morning when I opened it.

It's funny how quickly they can pick up on small things and doesn't really matter what word or hand gesture you use as long as you are consistent. Rex knows that when I'm having my coffee he is to go lay down and leave me alone (always pestering me to play ball). So initially I went through the "go lay down...I'm having coffee" routine. Then it got shortened to "coffee" and now I just show him my cup and he automatically goes and lays down near my feet waiting for me to finish - at which time I play with him as his reward. My friends all laugh because my dog is trained to react at the sight of a coffee cup.