whats my dog doing?

[sunket77]

I have a german shepherd/ collie mix she just turned one year this month. I got her at 10 mo. but have been training diligently with her and my chickens. She has never harmed a chicken as of yet but most of my flock is in a pen/ coop. I have some mutt game bird that where given to me (one roo and 3 pullets) that I raised form chicks but they have started to get agressive with my other chickens so I decided to let them free range. The roo has been out for a while now and I just let the pullets out yesterday.

My dog is chasing them but not aggressively, when they start to flap and holler she backs off almost like she is scared. They hang around the pen and try to get back in with the other chickens since that is what they are used to. My dog will do what looks like herding, she tries to keep them together is one strays she goes at it until it gets with the others and like to keep them in one corner together. I THINK she is trying to get them back in the pen or at least on top of the pen where the rooster like to hang out. So far no one has gotten hurt she never gets close enough to even nip at them but they freak out and run themselves into the pen or try to climb the pen. Is ther any harm in this behavior? or should I try to stop it? she is almost obsessive about it she is totally focused like it is a job I have given her to do.

any dog/ chicken experts out there???

 

[jerseygirl1]

I have a german shepherd/collie mix, also, and it seems like he needs a job - mine walks around with toys in his mouth, but when he goes out, he wants to come in and walk around with toys. I really think that your dog needs a job, being shepherd, he is technically doing a job. As far as herding, generally GSD are not really herders, but as far as jobs go, I would let him do it as long s he is not harming any thing

 

[walkswithdog]

Ummmmm

GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG

aka a HERDING breed

And yes, the pup is herding the chickens.

You have to teach the pup when enough is enough. Even if it's an artificial perimeter - like a rope on the ground, that she can herd them to.

They're a DROVING breed, so contain the herd in an area is what they instinctively do, when they have the instinct.

If you give her an area to keep them in - and her out of, she'll calm down.

GOOD luck with her. She's a prize.

So some more work, a few limits and she should be an absolute gem to own.

Extra exercise if you can arrange it will help her stay calmer and be more patient.

Fetch or better yet fetch while swimming wears them out really quickly and most that herd will fetch.

The breed was born bred and designed to HERD. Hence the name. Collies are also herders.

Just define her job for her and help her with the rampaging puppy energy level and it'll be fine.

 

[sunket77]

thanks! she starts out fine and then gets more and more excited! So yes good defining a parameter hopefully will help!! She loves to fetch, we go to the river and she loves to fetch in the river (although she is not a fan of the deeper water!) So I will try to define a parameter for the chickens, although that might be tough trying to figure out where I want them to be. I just don't want her to get carried away one day as she has never gotten close enough to actually touch a chicken but she might accidentally trample one!

 

[Brindlebtch]

You have been given good advice. You need to get this behavior under control ASAP because GSDs can also do a herding technique known as 'gripping' and border collies will perseverate or fixate. Since herding instinct is a kind of modified prey drive and she is winding herself up over your chickens it is only a matter of time before she attempts to put the chomp on them.

GSDs do like boundary lines, so any type of boundary will do, like the rope suggested above. Walk her around it on leash many times during the coming month but don't let her go in. Better yet if you can do that with the free range chickens inside the boundary in a small temporary pen, to let her know that the chickens belong on one side and her on the other side.