What is the best FLOCK Guard dog?

[nzpouter]

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not true, all my dogs are fed raw fresh meat, yet they live with goats, sheep, chickens and ducks.... it's all in letting them know what they can and cannot do/ chase....

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

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not true, all my dogs are fed raw fresh meat, yet they live with goats, sheep, chickens and ducks.... it's all in letting them know what they can and cannot do/ chase....

At one time I had Beagles for rabbit hunting. They were feed the rabbit’s hearts and livers while in the field hunting. I had many people tell me that it would cause them to eat any rabbit I killed before I could get to it and pick it up. WRONG! They would just come running when I shot and wait for their treat. None of them ever tore up a rabbit live or dead. And I tested them often by letting rabbits lay until the dogs got there. They would sniff it then look at me. I’d say go get another one and off they’d go.

So no… once they taste blood that isn’t it. Old wives tails!

 

[kickinchicken]

I am a dog walker/basic obedience trainer...any dog of any age can become a predator if they forget what their job is. I think with your GSD, you need to regroup and start over. These are PHENOMENAL guard dogs. His sole purpose in life is to protect YOUR property, not harm it. He needs some refresher training on his job. Keep him by your side on a leash when you go out to care for the chickens. Watch the SMALL movements he is making. Dogs are very subtle in everything. Something we miss is a HUGE deal to them. (Ever notice how a dog fight happens "for no reason"? Well, to them, there was a very good reason, we just didn't catch it.) When he does something, like moves too quickly around the birds, and loud NAH or HEY, or a poke to the rump or shoulder with two fingers, will stop him short. You have to be on him like poop on a roost. But HE WILL GET IT. Its in his nature. Remind him of his job description. This breed THRIVES on having a job. I think perhaps the killing of the rooster has more to it than you think. If he has never killed a bird before and all of a sudden he offs the rooster, something was up.

Now, with the puppy. Young dogs are nuts. Everything is a moving target and he cannot be trusted. Tying him out also makes matters worse. He is frustrated and being tied up only increases his desire to get at the chickens. Start with BASIC obedience with him. Sit, stay/wait/down, come, off, leave it. These are the basic 5 commands that are the basis for any and all obedience training. Have lots of tasty treats-chicken, hot dogs, ham, cheese. Dry biscuits and kibble are great too but sometimes you need to up the ante. Make every day a chance for training. Sit to eat, Down to go outside, Leave It and Wait before eating a treat off the chair. Use the philosophy of "nothing in life is free". Make him earn EVERYTHING. Once you train yourself to just train the dog all the time, it will be second nature for you.

Being alpha has nothing to do with how a dog will handle the chickens. Dogs aren't born knowing what is expected of them, you have to teach them.

Best of luck!

 

[Bedste]

this was the kindest nicest response to my question and I appreciate it. Thank you kickinchicken..... you have lifted my spirits and given me hope.

 

[sheilawagner]

Don't be discouraged, educate yourself, learn from others who have good points, and adapt it to your situation. You can do it. I did it, with 2 of the allegedly worse of them hunters. I've got 2 Airedale terriers (King of the terriers), older Kimi is 5, and younger Rummy just turned 1. As you may already know, terriers were bred to hunt and kill. They have a super strong prey drive, some more than others. But I trained them to accept my birds as part of the pack. From the first day the chicks come in a box, they are each introduced to the dogs, and the dogs have learned to watch them and guard them, and protect them tenderly.

Rummy spends time watching over every chick in their brooder.

Rummy hunts mice and snakes in our yard, but he has a super soft spot for our batches of chicks. They have not hurt a single feather on them, and have been left 100% reliable alone with the chicks.

Kimi killed a baby rabbit, but he has not hunt anything else. He protects the chicks and adult chickens as they free range, but he doesn't have a 'love' for them, unlike Rummy.

That's Kimi tolerating a Cochin bantam on his forearm.

When we have chicks in the brooder, Rummy would rather spend the night watching over them, than sleeping in his own comfy bed. He really loves his chicks, and it is so unlike what a terrier is expected to do.

Of course, everything took training on my part, and I am the alpha in the pack, so I have taken very thoughtful measures in ensuring peace and harmony. From every detail, starting the day the chicks come home, to transitioning to outside, to having the dogs trained to guard them outside, everything takes time, and energy, but I believe anyone can do it. All it takes is patience, knowledge, perseverance, and determination.

All the best to you.

 

[kickinchicken]

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Aw, no problem!

I've been working with dogs for over 11 years now and I feel like people just need to realize that they can forget just like we do. I can see you love your dogs and that you are just at your wits end and need some solid advice. I have a strong affection for GSDs and I KNOW they are great dogs with huge potential. Even the ill-bred ones

Your dogs will respond to you if you talk to them all the time, like a toddler. Not in a baby voice, but just matter-of-fact. This gets them used to actually listening to you when you have something important to say.
OOH! With the puppy, if he has some penned-up energy, try a doggy backpack and weigh it down with some 16 oz. bottles of water. This has a calming effect for them and it burns off some energy. You can increase the water weight as he gets used to the pack. Start with just the pack and add a half bottle of water and so on. I see Cesar Milan do this all the time. It works wonders.

Good Luck!

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

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Something that bugs the hell out of me is that people tend to “peg” a BREED as this or that, (bad dogs, killers, etc.), when it has been proven over and over again when raise in a loving environment and trained correctly the VAST MAJORITY of dogs, any breed, are GOOD DOGS.

Good job!