I had to introduce my four dogs that had never really been around chickens to my chickens and I have been able to get everyone to get along, including the stray cat that showed up recently. I started by just putting my dogs on their leads and sitting them near where me and my chickens were. I walked over to my chickens and squatted down and started talking to and touching them, just like I do my dogs. I moved the dogs closer, reminding them to behave and let the chickens just wander around them. Once I did that several times I felt comfortable letting them loose together in the yard, but I purchased some training collars off ebay for three of the four dogs (just in case they were beyond my reach and went into "pack pursuit" mode). It didn't take too many hits with the collar when I told them to "leave them" if they got close and hungry looking near my chickens. These dogs ranged from a lab to a great pyrenese to two dalmation/?/mix dogs, all with varying degrees of stubborness and built in chase instincts.
If you do some googling, you should be able to come up with some shrubs or plants that horses won't eat. Personally, I'd prefer the look of shrubs to dog houses just for asthetic reasons, but that's just me. Mine go through, in and around every plant and tree I have around here, including the boxwoods around the foundation of the house, so I don't think you'll have to worry about your chickens caring what kind of shrub it is.
If you do some googling, you should be able to come up with some shrubs or plants that horses won't eat. Personally, I'd prefer the look of shrubs to dog houses just for asthetic reasons, but that's just me. Mine go through, in and around every plant and tree I have around here, including the boxwoods around the foundation of the house, so I don't think you'll have to worry about your chickens caring what kind of shrub it is.
