training a dog to be safe with and even guard my flock...

[black404]

I recently got a Komondor to guard my chickens...He was very interested in them for two weeks. Then, I showed him that I love them and fed them and just took general care of them. Within days, he just started to ignore them when I was around and watch over them when I was away.

Much easier than I thought.

So now I have a Great Dane and a Komondor watching my flock.

 

[redhen]

thanks for all the help and input guys!...
black404...what is a Komondor?....ya got me interested now...

..i'll have to go goggle it..

...thanks again guys!,, Wendy

 

[Beekissed]

Funny looking dogs that look like sheep!

Good LGDs, from what I understand. Not real common in the states.

 

[redhen]

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i just googled them!..pretty!..that hair is so neat!...

...

 

[ninny]

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I would say you are very lucky. If you had pure labs of hunting lines this would not have worked.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

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I have to respectfully disagree here. Maybe that is often the case but definately not always. Where I first lived in California I introduced chickens to the property where the ranch hand had a well trained un-neutered purebred labrador hunting dog. He used to breed and train the dogs. His personal hunting dog was hunted every weekend during the season and snoozed surrounded by chickens during the week. The lab was around 4 years old when I first got the chickens. I don't know why it worked but it did.

 

[fowltemptress]

People who interact with their chickens more have an easier time of it, I think. An intelligent dog can figure out for himself that those funny feathered things are yours. I have mice and guinea pigs that my terriers won't touch, but they kill every small mammal that wanders around outside that they can get their jaws around. Of course, you have to know your dog and gauge his prey drive yourself, but there's no reason to assume right off the bat you won't be able to trust your dog with chickens. when you're out there with all of them together I'm sure you'll be able to judge for yourself what kind of chicken dog you have.

If you do wind up with a trustworthy dog, I'd start watching him closely if you ever have new chicks running around. One of my terriers was introduced to chicks, but by the time they had grown and had their own chicks he had forgotten that they weren't squeak toys. It only took one firm "No!" to remind him back into trustworthiness, but I always start acting more vigilant when new chicks are introduced.

 

[redhen]

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thanks!..hubby is on his way to Ohio now to get him!...

...i cant wait!..puppy breath!...

...

 

[fowltemptress]

Will there be pictures? I've seen adults, but for some reason never a puppy. I just think that breed is gorgeous

 

[legacyln]

We have a 4 1/2 yr old border collie who pays no attention at all to our parttime free range flock. I would echo what a lot of folks have said already, that you just need to take it slow and give the dog a long probabtion before trusting him alone. There are so many knowledgeable BYC dog people who give great detailed advice!!

Here is my experience... we got chicks for the first time last spring when our dog Maverick was 3 1/2 and weren't sure what to expect.

I was alarmed at how interested in the chicks he was. He would snap at them sometimes when we had them out of the brooder in a little "pet fence" designed for rabbits. When he honed in on them, I verbally discliplined him and re-directed him by throwing one of his toys. He has a very strong herd/prey drive that we had channeled in to ball fetching when he was a pup. His interest was less intense when they were outside but he would sit outside their run and watch them. Later I let them out around him supervised and he pretty much ignored them.

I think partly it was the fact that he is just more interested in balls, but also I kind of suspect that part of it was they got less interesting as they got bigger. Picture a hoppy litle chick that peeps-- a bit like a fuzzy squeaky ball, right?

So anyway, he now ignores them completely and we leave him outside with them all the time and have no qualms. In fact a couple weeks ago a hawk got one of my Buff Orps while he was outside with them! I think he was hanging out on the other side of the house, though, but I can't say for sure. I drove into the driveway, the hawk flew off from the chicken carcass, and the dog came around the corner wagging hello. I was like, what kind of operation are you running here, bud???