Binki
Songster
Hey guys!
This isn't a foolproof plan but it's very logical and plays on your dogs natural psychology - even if they don't have a hunting instinct, you can still make this exciting for them with positive reinforcement by teaming up against "the bad guys"
Someone was considering getting a guardian dog breed because their dog wouldn't protect the chickens and I suggested this and who knows if it will work but I wanted to share in case in helped people and their birds
Note that my dog and I are together almost all day and I've already spent a lot of time training him and he knows about 75 commands to the point where I can have a basic conversation with him lol!! Hopefully he will be safe with the chickens, I doubt it will be too much of a problem but this tip might work even if your dog doesn't like the chickens and actually want to protect them - they could just be having fun and pleasing you!
When i lived elsewhere a few years ago, I would see a stray cat in the backyard I would make a sharp "SSSSSS" sound to let them know get out or I'll chase you out and I would stand and act tense like a dog on guard (you know how they have their chests out, frozen eye contact and tails up?).
You can make whatever sound you like but the dogs seem to respond to more exciting sound than commands like "go get it" so could use a hiss or something haha.
Anyways after a few times of that sound, my dog (who likes kitties and wouldn't touch them even if he did chase them out of the yard) would LEAP UP and stand on guard and look where I'm looking with his tail quivering, ready to go if I let him which I don't because I do the sound for raccoons and stuff too lol but it could be easily transferred into stimulating them into hunt mode! And he's "just" a big old adopted mutt named Leroy who's half boxer and half shar pei - haha!
To this day, even if I haven't made the sound in months if I make it he leaps up and looks and stays statue still unless I release him, if you made that sound every time your chickens made distress sounds and went over there all tough lol like you expect to find a predator, your dog might love that and link chicken distress calls to RUNNING to them for the hunt!
So hypothetically any dog breed, adopted or not trained in guarding could potentially become a good watchdog - waiting for those chicken distress sounds to swoop in and chase or grab what's there, and maybe you'll give him a hug or treat even if nothing is there
I also have other words that are useful for the guard pose - I'll say "watchit" in a deeper, dangerous voice if I just want him to focus at where I'm looking/facing my body on guard (he's not so good at pointing directions believe it or not haha) and I also have "go see" in a calm voice for him to check it out without me and of course "GO GET IT!!" If I want him to chase.
I hope some of this info helps I have no dog training but even people who hate dogs meet Leroy and want a dog that I trained because I can communicate with him so well and the structure and being a good boy makes him really happy and of course.. Here's his picture.. Hehe 
*edit* here's a video I just took of Leroy reacting to the sound - he was great even though I haven't made the sound in about two months
This isn't a foolproof plan but it's very logical and plays on your dogs natural psychology - even if they don't have a hunting instinct, you can still make this exciting for them with positive reinforcement by teaming up against "the bad guys"
Someone was considering getting a guardian dog breed because their dog wouldn't protect the chickens and I suggested this and who knows if it will work but I wanted to share in case in helped people and their birds
Note that my dog and I are together almost all day and I've already spent a lot of time training him and he knows about 75 commands to the point where I can have a basic conversation with him lol!! Hopefully he will be safe with the chickens, I doubt it will be too much of a problem but this tip might work even if your dog doesn't like the chickens and actually want to protect them - they could just be having fun and pleasing you!
When i lived elsewhere a few years ago, I would see a stray cat in the backyard I would make a sharp "SSSSSS" sound to let them know get out or I'll chase you out and I would stand and act tense like a dog on guard (you know how they have their chests out, frozen eye contact and tails up?).
You can make whatever sound you like but the dogs seem to respond to more exciting sound than commands like "go get it" so could use a hiss or something haha.
Anyways after a few times of that sound, my dog (who likes kitties and wouldn't touch them even if he did chase them out of the yard) would LEAP UP and stand on guard and look where I'm looking with his tail quivering, ready to go if I let him which I don't because I do the sound for raccoons and stuff too lol but it could be easily transferred into stimulating them into hunt mode! And he's "just" a big old adopted mutt named Leroy who's half boxer and half shar pei - haha!
To this day, even if I haven't made the sound in months if I make it he leaps up and looks and stays statue still unless I release him, if you made that sound every time your chickens made distress sounds and went over there all tough lol like you expect to find a predator, your dog might love that and link chicken distress calls to RUNNING to them for the hunt!
So hypothetically any dog breed, adopted or not trained in guarding could potentially become a good watchdog - waiting for those chicken distress sounds to swoop in and chase or grab what's there, and maybe you'll give him a hug or treat even if nothing is there
I also have other words that are useful for the guard pose - I'll say "watchit" in a deeper, dangerous voice if I just want him to focus at where I'm looking/facing my body on guard (he's not so good at pointing directions believe it or not haha) and I also have "go see" in a calm voice for him to check it out without me and of course "GO GET IT!!" If I want him to chase.
I hope some of this info helps
I have no dog training but even people who hate dogs meet Leroy and want a dog that I trained because I can communicate with him so well and the structure and being a good boy makes him really happy and of course.. Here's his picture.. Hehe *edit* here's a video I just took of Leroy reacting to the sound - he was great even though I haven't made the sound in about two months
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