When and How to Introduce Ducklings to Dog

[Toad9000]

Hi, we just got our first ever ducklings (5 Khaki Campbells) last Thursday. They seem to be doing great and growing right on schedule. Since day 1 we have been working hard at socializing them with multiple, gentle handlings a day and during pretty much all our spare time we're at least in view of them in the brooder room, if not actively engaging with them. This seems to already be paying dividends as when they get outside time, they love coming over and crawling all over my hands and arms and walk right up to peck at my glasses.

My question is, at what age and how do you typically introduce ducklings to a dog? Our Corgi is 12 years old and without a mean bone in her body. In fact, she almost has annoyingly little prey drive. I've tried taking her squirrel hunting with me and rather than chase squirrels she'd prefer to wander back to the truck and wait for me to let her in. I can genuinely say I don't think I've heard her bark threateningly more than 5 times in the past 5 years. On top of all that she is well trained with a firm command of "leave it, wait, drop it, and stay". She is clearly aware that something is going on with the ducks and seems to really enjoy watching them from outside the brooder.

Is 1 week old too early to make introductions? Should I just let them both loose in the yard and supervise? Opposite sides of the garden fence? Leashed and together? Should the ducklings have some kind of shelter they can retreat into?

Any input would be great appreciated.

Pics of the ducks hanging out in the grass and of Cookie looking over top of the brooder

 

[BlueO]

You can start introducing them right away! You can just let them be together for a bit each day. Make sure to watch them when they’re together, dogs can be unaware of their straight. If they hang out a bit every now and then they won’t be scared of the dog. When they’re adults they’re probably not going to be best friends but they will not runaway in terror every time the dog walks by. Hope this helps!

 

[ruthhope]

I have a beagle and a beagle mix. Both lovely sweet dogs, but I dont trust them unsupervised with my ducks. I introduced them to my most recent rescued ducklings that were in a pet carrier. The bigger mixed breed was frightened (perhaps because of her history. I adopted her at about 6 months old after a traumatic life.) When I have the ducklings in a large tub swimming, my dogs are not interested. BUT... when the dogs are in the back garden with my flock of drakes, all is well unless a scuffle breaks out between the drakes. As soon as the drakes start running (they all join in when one drake is chasing another) the dogs want to join in too and run to catch up the drakes. I can't let that go unchecked, as the pups could easily try and pick up a drake in their mouth.

So be around when your dog is with your ducks /ducklings. Corgis are herding dogs and they keep control by putting their mouth round a leg. You can never know what might trigger your pups herding instinct and what tragedy could happen if that is a duck leg and the duck flaps its wings and panics, or if it bites the nose for the dog.