Weimaraner and Chickens - need help

[Miss Lydia]

I am trying hot pepper flakes in my chicken and ducks food to see if it will change the taste so my dachshunds will stop eating the poop

 

[Mountain Man Jim]

I believe that it isn't the breed of dog, it's the training. Some dogs just need more training than others.

As chicken owners, I think it's important to training the dogs not to eat the chickens; just like we train them not to eat little children or the cat or the furniture or other livestock or to relieve themselves inside, etc. I have seen way too many threads about how someone always keeps the dog separated from the chickens until that faithful day. To me life is just easier if that eventuality is eliminated.

Don’t misunderstand, it may take a year or so and many, many hour to train this particular dog. But, it should be possible and you would have a better dog for it.

Jim

 

[patvetzal]

I agree with Mountain Man and I think that a shock collar PROPERLY used is the easiest way. There is a learning curve to using one though.....

 

[Oahuraw]

Hi,

I stumbled upon this topic, as my friend has a weimy, and is interested in getting hens.

I have 2 danes, and 5 hens. They have been coexisting for 5+ years. I can leave them all together in my yard while I go to work for 8+ hours in a day, and can come home to a headcount exactly the same as I left.

My first dane (fawn), was able to be trained to not bother the hens after just 2 corrections. Not 2 hours. Not 2 days. Not 2 months, but just 2 times.
When we got our 2nd dane (mantle), I figured the same. Hah. Boy was I wrong.
Took 5 months to stop harassing the hens.

And even today, if I have to catch a hen, she will gladly help me chase it down. Obviously, the hunting instinct is stronger in the black danes, than in the fawn danes, I have learned.
So not only breed, but color of the breed gives you a clue as to their background and temperament.
They may both be danes, but they could not be more different. From how they drink water, to sleep, walk, everything.

I agree with Mountain Man, that you can train a bird dog to respect your other animals, birds or other, but you need to be skilled enough to know what to do. You also need to be the alpha dog. Are you? I find that many dog owners, sadly, are not.
Since many dog owners DO NOT know how to obedience train their dogs to respect other pets (and I'm talking beyond cats), this is difficult, if not impossible, and will result in the unnecessary death of chicken pets due to a lack of understanding/training.

So if you are honest and astute enough to realize that you are not the 'alpha dog,' and you are not capable of the time and effort of full on training of your hunting breed, you may want to choose a non-working dog breed next time, refrain from other pet animals until that time, or take classes to learn how to obedience train your hunting breed.

Many of my neighbors ask me to help obedience train their dogs, as they have seen how well behaved my dogs are in general, and with my hens.
I also dog sit for friends a lot, especially during the holidays, and they all get along and even learn a few new obedience tricks or two.

Additionally, dogs enjoy stinky stuff. I feed raw green tripe, for example. Most humans cannot tolerate the odor, even if they know that green tripe is excellent for dogs.
So the reason your dogs are licking the chicken butts, is because essentially, they are smelling and enjoying the aroma and taste of chicken manure.
If you watch and pay attention enough, they are probably eating the chicken poop in the yard when you are not looking.
I had to train and correct mine to stop doing that, as it is unhealthy (debilitating giardia protozoa risk, for one). I'm sure they're still doing it, when I'm not around. Just have to keep on top of them.

Take care.

Quote:

 

[Gray Ghost]

I have a couple of older labradors who are trained upland bird (pheasant etc.) and duck dogs. They have a lot of drive to chase, catch and retrieve birds and have been doing so all their lives. When I got chickens 8 months ago I used the "leave it" command (which they already knew) and shock collar reinforcement to teach them not to chase and kill my chickens. So far so good although with one of them I would not trust her around my chickens except if I was nearby.

There is nothing inhumane about using a shock collar to train a dog. Done properly, it's effective and the pain is very short term. Not morally different from a pinch collar or a choke collar or any other form of physical correction. The shock collar is just more efficient because you can correct the dog while the dog is farther from you.

Before using the shock collar get advice from a professional trainer on how to do so, or read up on it.

UPDATE: Yes, the dogs know the difference between a chicken (not allowed) and a wild pheasant or duck (allowed and encouraged). They are plenty smart enough to tell the difference if you explain it to them carefully. My dogs are still enthusiastic hunters of ducks, not of chickens.

GG

 

[dianaross77]

I agree that every dog is different but one cannot discount the generations of breeding that has occurred to strengthen certain traits and characteristics. That said, I have a boxer/bullmastiff with a really high prey drive. She thought my daughter"s bunny would be a lovely toy! She has also tried to eat the ducks. Every time I go to feed them, I take her with me. She goes into the pen. She is told to sit and stay. She is corrected verbally at even the hint of interest. When I'm done taking care of them, I have her lay on the floor of the pen on her side and put a duck on top of her. The first time I did this, her attitude changed. Now when they look at her, she backs up, sits at my feet and stares into my eyes like they are going to eat her. I've also taught her that being around the rabbit means it's nap time. He sleeps on the dog bed with her. There is a really interesting book that teaches you how to be your dog's link to their prey drive. It's called Natural Dog Training by Kevin Behan. Some of it got a little too new age for me but he makes a good point. All dogs are predators, they need to hunt. They don't need to kill, but they need to hunt something. My suggestion would be to scent train the dog for something "non-bird". You can buy training scents at sporting good stores. There are a lot of good books and online information on the subject. Get his nose working because right now he is too visual and those flapping birds are too much temptation. One way I've used training scents is to take the dogs on a "hunt" in the car. I soaked a piece of towel in the scent, and taped it to the outside of the car in front of the window. I cracked the window, and my beagle mix thought we were on the trail. You can play hide and seek too. One person drags something soaked in the scent on the ground in an intricate pattern and then hides with it. Another person keeps the dog where he can't see where they went. Take the dog to the beginning of the trail and give him the "find it" command and watch him go. Good luck.

 

[RGBistro]

Wanted to bump this and say "thanks" to everyone who posted in this thread.

We pick up 8 chicks next Friday.

Yesterday, we brought our weim (Britta) to the feed store with us. Mostly because it was hot and she goes everywhere with us. But I digress -

We've been worried because Britta has a high prety drive, and has been out in the field pointing chukar and doves.

Oddly enough (or maybe not?), she had zero interest in the two cages of chicks at the store - one had about 50 mixed chicks, about 3 - 10 days old, and the other (on the floor), had about 25 3-day old bantams. So now, I'm very intrigued about what will happen when the chicks come live with us (penned in our living room) next week?

- pen will be covered
- we won't leave them unsupervised
- Britta will still get plenty of attention (she gets jealous when we pet our cat)

Any additional advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

- Kim and Britta