Weirdest question yet, concerning dogs and chickens

[jwg423]

I just wanted to share what I am experiencing with my pup right now...
She is in the process of being trained to be good with my chickens, I have meaties and younger chickens for egg laying and are not fully grown yet....
She will sniff my meaties and be gentle with them I can sit and hand feed them with her sitting by my side and watching, but my smaller birds are faster and more flighty and she wants them BAD!
So for my dog the smaller birds are something different for her. She has only been with us for a month and is still learning so she is not perfect and still young, so you may experience something different with your neighbor dogs.

 

[dianaross77]

I have an English Springer Spaniel (bird dog) who after being told "NO!" once when chasing a chick hasn't gotten near another bird. She routinely goes out in the yard with my ducklings and completely ignores them. If those dogs wanted to eat your birds they probably would have already. But I don't like the idea of dogs running loose. It's not safe for the dogs and I wouldn't want them crapping in my yard. I have enough dog poop from my own.

 

[effie]

Quote:
What I had explained to me from a dog trainer is there is nothing to do with instinct or bred into a dog to go after chickens--it is that their level of excitement gets elevated and that is what makes them go after the chickens----your smaller birds you said were more flighty and faster and that excites your dog--my springer spaniel is the same way-he can be around them with no problem but you let the girls get to running and flopping around and he definitely gets more interested. They get excited and can't help themselves--my springer has managed to maintain himself-LOL but I don't know if I could trust him 100%. I wonder if that is why so many use Pyrenees and such big dogs that are more docile-they just don't get as excited as some breeds.

 

[jwg423]

Quote:
What I had explained to me from a dog trainer is there is nothing to do with instinct or bred into a dog to go after chickens--it is that their level of excitement gets elevated and that is what makes them go after the chickens----your smaller birds you said were more flighty and faster and that excites your dog--my springer spaniel is the same way-he can be around them with no problem but you let the girls get to running and flopping around and he definitely gets more interested. They get excited and can't help themselves--my springer has managed to maintain himself-LOL but I don't know if I could trust him 100%. I wonder if that is why so many use Pyrenees and such big dogs that are more docile-they just don't get as excited as some breeds.

Yes, I think you are right. She is probably a little confused as she is a mix of Lab and Pyrenees. I have been chided for getting a mix dog and not going to a breeder but I wouldn't trade her for any other, she has the laid back nature of the Pyrenees for the most part, she does get a little excited for my chickens sometimes but she is picking up on the "rules" quite quickly!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I gonna give you a bit different point of view............just cause I am like that

While her dogs and chickens have no problem mixing...............your birds do not know these dogs and have no reason to trust them, so if startled - chickens will act like chickens and panic, those dogs just might react like............well dogs, and chase the chickens. Not saying it will happen but it could.



My chickens have no problems with our dogs, our dogs can walk thru them - the chickens will peck around sleeping dogs -- the only thing I have to really worry about is the big headed Corso stepping on a chick (oops). The chickens will even steal food from the dogs.


BUT these same mild, dog loving chickens will panic if approached by another "strange" dog. I had another BYC member over a bit ago, and she brought her dog - chicken friendly dog. He was exploring the place and looking in the shade area at my Silver Laced Cochins - those chickens screamed and ran like he had a knife, a fork in each front paw and napkin tucked in his collar! Poor Elvis (dog) hung his head and backed away from the birds.

Hmmmm, on a totally different note............I wonder why her dogs are now venturing up to your place? Must be something drawing them, or do you think you just did not notice them before?

 

[Okie Amazon]

I would be as much or more concerned about the dogs bringing disease onto my place as them physically attacking my birds.