I've 3 dogs. An 8 year old Chihuahua, a 7 (in 6 days) Great Dane, & a 5 year old Chiweenie.
- How do you/did you train your dog(s) not to kill or mess with your chickens?
It was an issue of socialization, desensitizing, deterrent, & distraction training. Luckily I've taught them that anything smaller than them are babies & that they have to be gentle.
So, when I introduced the chicks to them I referred to them as that. When introducing the chicks I would let them smell each chick, if they wanted, every inch of the chick. They were allowed to look into the brooding area. I would expose them to the chicks by holding them up to them, having a chick out next to them, letting the chicks freely roam where we were. If the dogs reacted due to being pecked or a chick wanting to be next to them I would either correct the behavior (light snarl, etc) or distract them & have them ignore the chick. Really as chicks, there was some interest. My chiweenie would jump into the brooder. They were highly socialized to them, desensitized to what chicks did, & redirected the dogs' behavior by distraction when needed....so much so that they don't defend themselves when a rooster/chicken do anything to them or defend each other.
Once I went to take my first chickens outside to their coop we had a problem. One escaped me & started running all over the place. For my Dane, that was game on--time to play! See, he plays chase with his pet bunny. So to him, it was just another game of chase. Unfortunately, he did catch her & due to his paw size & weight of it broke her back or neck. His paw wasn't even on either, it was on the wings. I think he did hit it in getting her wings pinned. Up until that time he ignored, even walked away from the chicks. More & different training was needed for him.
He has a remote training collar (tone & buzz) which I used to correct the chase/want to play behavior. This works because he'd already been conditioned to the collar that a tone (buzz if needed) means something (stop/return to me). Since the behavior I want is for him to be able to walk freely among the chickens anytime he would show interest, start to chase, or anything I would use the collar. The instance that got things to "click & stick" with him is not something I recommend, but it is what happened & what worked. Normally, his collar is on & adjusted properly as doing so if you use the buzz it's not in anyway painful to the dog. However, as he was wearing it during daylight hours & I was only using the tone, I had it adjusted loosely. Well, one day he went to chase & verbal command failed (drive set in, high focus, etc) so I reached for the remote & accidentally hit the "emergency" button. It's a button that raises the buzz setting by 2 levels. Since the collar was loose I heard a puppy yelp just as I realized what I'd done. This was a very fast, just react & move instance. He was hurt at all, more the ouch & startle type of thing. He hasn't gone to chase a chicken since.
I had a rooster attack my chihuahua a couple of times, including in the doorway to my house. I've also had birds follow the dogs & do bird things like peck at them, etc. The dogs just ignore it & move on. Even when attacked the worst my chi did was turn his growl & try to run away. Please, don't give hate for this.....when my chi was attacked in the doorway I was several feet away. The rooster was following my chi into the house. So, not thinking it'd work really, I did the only thing I could think of as I was trying to reach him. I told my Dane, who was standing there watching this happen, to "get him" meaning the roo. Well, to my amazement he did. By the time I got in the house to where they were my dane had caught him. My chi was a few feet away & my chiweenie was holding back waiting to join the chase. We did have a bit more of a chase when I tried to get the roo & he got loose, but I told the dogs back while they did help round him up so I could pick him up. I haven't had my dane chase a bird since. Neither has my chiweenie. My poor chi, who by the way is shorter than a bantam cochin & an oegb, must be escorted outside if he thinks he's going to be picked on. It can be a human or one of the other dogs, but he needs an escort.
- What is the best/most effective way to deal with/retrain a dog that killed birds already? (No cruel or inappropriate suggestions, please… Let's keep this thread friendly and informative)
Work on desensitizing & teaching the dog not to touch/go near. It can take time. It helps if there's a good base of training base. However, there are breeds & dog who have too strong of a prey drive. That drive might be able to be curbed, but it's still there. Sometimes there are those dogs that just can't be left without supervision, no matter how well trained, how well socialized, desensitized, etc.
- Tell me about livestock guardian dogs (LGD's)
LGDs is a term for a variety of dog breeds whose breeding purpose is to guard livestock. Although cases can be made for training, a dog's genetics do play a strong part. These dogs are loyal, brave, trustworthy, but they do still need training. They can be wary of strangers as they are meant to be due to their job. They are breeds that are meant to work. Just as many dogs who are now considered to be pets were/are breed to work.
- Are some dog breeds more or less prone to be a problem around the flock?
I'd say yes. Though it does depend on the dog & the dog's training. Any breed that's a bird hunting, sight hound & the like could be more inclined to be a problem. However, there are exceptions. I had a weimareiner mix who constantly wanted to save & help birds...she even brought a did baby bird that fell out of the egg into the house to save her. Some problems are just the dog doing what it's been bred to do. Sometimes you can work with it, other times you have to work around it.
