Training dogs to leave ducklings alone

[Duckstail]

Since we had the first sunny day over 50F in what seems like a month (or longer), I was able to get my pair of Pekin ducks out in the yard with the dogs, under close supervision. Long story short, good thing for remote controlled shock collars. At first, the pitbull was staring them down, ready to lunge. As she approached, I used the warning beep, then she got a little over anxious and approached the ducks a few times, had to resort to giving her a couple of zaps. She left the ducklings completely alone from that point on. The 15-yr old beagle was a different story - she was also anxious, she started sniffing the ducks while they were out in the yard, but proceeded to try and bite them. Had to swap the remote shock collar onto her until she got the message. Eventually the Pekins defended themselves and snapped back at her when she tried to sniff them. After 20 minutes or so of commanding her to leave them alone in combination with the shock collar, she laid down and left them alone. The ducks were out in the yard for hours with no incident. Will definitely not be letting the ducks roam around the yard unsupervised with the dogs for awhile, but there was progress nonetheless. The dogs seem to get that the ducks are not food or chew toys at this point!

You need your dogs to know those ducks are yours and not theirs. Meaning you have to claim the duck. I highly suggest you watch every episode that Cesar Millan made about dog training. Seriously.

 

[Hyroler]

What kind of dog? It looks like he is herding them around?
You have a grocery cart full of milk crates - is that supplies for new nest boxes?

My dog is 6 year old GoldenDoodle.He follows chickens around but he doesn't try to grab them with his mouth.Instead once in a while he gets close enough he will put his foot on chicken to hold it still them he lays on top of it.It doesn't hurt chickens but they don't like it.When I see him sitting on chicken and tell him to let it up he always gets off it immediately.I don't think he would hurt chicken purposely but accidents happen so I try not to leave him unintended in yard with chickens.
Shopping cart was sitting in front of my house one day when I came home from feed store so I used it to bring 4 50LB bags of feed into backyard.I used milk crates in co-op to keep chickens safe from full grown chickens. If you put them upside down chicks can squeeze thru handle opening when running from chickems.The full size chickens can't fit they handle so this keeps chicks safe.

 

[Hyroler]

You need your dogs to know those ducks are yours and not theirs. Meaning you have to claim the duck. I highly suggest you watch every episode that Cesar Millan made about dog training. Seriously.

If some of chickens aren't in co-op when I go to close it up at night my dog with herd them into co-op for me.