Tips on training puppies to manage my flock, please...

[aart]

My puppy acts like she gets it. I have been very consistent. She is on a leash around the chickens, right by my side with no room to move unless I move. She leads to the orchard where I drop the lead. This is free time and play time. At night she goes right in her crate right at the level of the birds. I can tell the are getting used to her and her to them. They don't mind when she cries a little.

Today I had her in the chicken yard. Leashed. The three roosters didn't recognize me this way and all three started to pounce at me. I stood still but reminded them it was me and shook the leather leash end at them...the puppy never moved. She has yet to act like she wants to chase them.

Tomorrow I will start giving her a treat when she enters her crate with a word "get in". Soon she will enter on cue and love it! This is her bed. Her rest. Her blanket. Toys. And her post. Love my dream dog in with my dream hobby! Dare a creature to try and break in!

Sounds like you have the right attitude to train a dog well, that's great that you are starting her off so well so young!

Just remember, it may take up to 2 years before she can be completely trusted on her own, there will be ups and downs.

You know, we need pics of this girl ;-)

 

[AuburnJavas]

Won't take 2 years... 2 weeks tops, even if she is hard to train...
They (Shepard's) are 'Naturals' at this... My Rottie will chase my Roos
On command when they get aggressive but only the Roos (not the hens)
He knows the difference. He even keeps he Roos from fighting when I tell him to...
Doesn't hurt them just a distraction... He help me herd the babies back to their crate at night.

If anyone wants to see please visit my FB page

Guy bookout in Cortez Co.

 

[RachelLeigh]

Awesome! And thanks! I do expect two or even three years of training on a leash before I would trust her alone with them. My last shepherd that was stolen was three and she had just got to where I could trust her..she was a rescue, so not at all the same early start as this baby has.

Pictures coming up! I took some yesterday when it was nice out.

 

[JJSS89]

For those of you folks who say "mine" do you say it like the gulls on Finding Nemo?

 

[alldembirds]

nothing would work if you said it like the gulls from nemo, you must be dominant or nothing will work

 

[JJSS89]

My dogs know that if I snap my fingers to STOP what they're doing and look at me. If I am pointing at them, it means "Go Lay Down" If I am not pointing it means "Come here, you are in trouble..."

 

[TalkALittle]

you must be dominant or nothing will work

My dogs respond to hand signals. It's pretty hard to sound "dominant" with your hands. My cues work because I have made it a point to reliably deliver favorable consequences for doing as I ask and unfavorable consequences for not doing so-- every time. You do not need to dominate a dog to train them, you need to teach a dog that it is in their best interests to defer to you. There is a difference.

 

[alldembirds]

, since two of my dogs are deaf it was easy to teach all four of my dogs modified signs, all my dogs know signs for sit , lay. stay, stop, mine,fetch, guard, follow, get-em-play and a get-em-fight I have a sign that means "I am watching you" lol. and when i use it they know not to mess around and are on extra good behavior . I even sign to ask if they are hungry or thirsty, if they want to go outside, if they need to potty. you don't need to talk to my dogs at all..... oop and the two hearing dogs understand the sign for speak, and my youngest deaf dog just learned the sign for beg, its too cute

 

[alldembirds]

My dogs respond to hand signals. It's pretty hard to sound "dominant" with your hands. My cues work because I have made it a point to reliably deliver favorable consequences for doing as I ask and unfavorable consequences for not doing so-- every time. You do not need to dominate a dog to train them, you need to teach a dog that it is in their best interests to defer to you. There is a difference.

no its not hard to be dominant at all with your hands, the dogs wont listen to my in laws at all, but if I walk in waving my hands around they stop the BS drop to the ground and lay in there beds quick

 

[TalkALittle]

For those of you folks who say "mine" do you say it like the gulls on Finding Nemo?

That is a freakin' hilarious idea!