Training my dogs to protect my flock

[Chelseyb123]

Hello looking for all the info I can get to train my dogs to protect my flock. Now I have a 3yr bullmastiff rottie mix. He's a big baby loves to watch my chickens and wants to play with them if he can get a chance. He's a lover not a fighter. But definitely barks at anything that moves. And I have a 4yr female boxer. She's very smart and listens well. Shed make a good hunting dog if I hunted.but she loves to watch my chickens but shed also like to eat them just like any other wild thing around the yard if she could. Now my problem is not just trying to train them but I within the last week I came home an my neighbors said theyre was a fox at the tree line. They called the game an wildlife people don't know if they caught it yet. But my flock usually free ranges all day and there little door had also been open so the can come out before I get out there. But since they told me this I only let them out of theyre area when Im home or outback with them and been locking them down every night like fort knox. my yard is fenced in. I do go out at night a lot and check on them because I just don't want anything to happen to them. But id like to put my doggies to work and correct behavior so they protect and not harm my flock. And my I add my boxer did bite and mald a little bit on one of my young roos didn't really harm more of shocked it. So I don't know if there's hope for her or not.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I would suggest that neither would ever be 100% German Shepard, Great Pyrenees. Anatolian Shepard they have a natural instinct to protect their flocks there is also a English shepard

 

[Chelseyb123]

Well yeah I know that. But they will chase after other animals if they see them. My boxer will run after to kill my mastiff will run after to play. I just want them to protect and not harm my flock. I have seen a few things about training dogs with chickens but I just don't know how to go about it with both of them or Would I only be able to do it with one an not to the other due to temperament? An what type of methods should be used? I have never had chickens before until the end of August. So my bAck yard use to be just for the dogs and kids now its just for the kids N chickens. And I hook my dogs up on my side yard and drive way area to go to the bathroom.

 

[dainerra]

if hte dogs have access to the area where the chickens are, in most cases that will be enough. Also regularly walking the dogs along the fence line so that they can mark the area with their scent can help

 

[Chelseyb123]

Okay thank you I will try that today and see how it goes.