Will my German Shepard ever get use to my chickens?

[YoYofranko]

I think so we have a labrador x staffy that loves to chase anything on a walk, birds like pheasants are his favourate game. Our chickens he seems to have no interest in, although the chickens are also used to him and don't run away from him. My partner also has a bull x lurcher that he uses for hunting, he is completely trained with all lifestock, put him in front of a rabbit and thats a different story. It really depends on the dog tho. Goodluck

 

[mandelyn]

It depends on the dogs ultimately, but training is totally worth it even if you can never really just the dog, so that you have their respect and they'll listen if they are caught in trouble.

My girl Shepherd is turning 6 soon, she's been around chickens a total of 4 years, killed her first one several weeks ago because of a series of human errors. We know better with her. She's PERFECT around me. Without me.. she gets sneaky. Shepherds are either 100% loyal when you aren't looking (to whatever training they have received) or that's exactly when they get sneaky. My girl is perfect right in front of me. But I know I can't trust her any farther than I can throw her. The only thing she won't get sneaky about is if I leave my food on the coffee table and leave the room. She won't steal my food. So I have some kind of respect from her. She just can't seem to leave my feathery "squeaky toys" alone if I'm not watching.

The boy is different, he's my shadow and follows the rules whether I'm watching or not. That, or he knows if I'm sneaking a look through an upstairs window. Could he be that smart? Haha.

Shepherds are super smart and learn quite easily. They can learn what you teach them, and also teach themselves. For chicken training, never let them have the opportunity to teach themselves anything about it. Never let them think it's fun, and make it clear that they are yours. And don't ever get complacent when your dog is acting perfect around you. You could have one of those sneaky ones you can just never trust.

They can also forget their training in the midst of fun. With a lot of training though, you can call them off it immediately. They can come with you for chores and not have to be on a leash and be perfect little angels. Just don't ever leave them to it and let them think on their own about it. Chickens... are just a lot of fun for dogs. Some can resist them, or not care for that kind of fun, or they have a huge respect for what it yours. Or they can't help themselves without you there to monitor.

My boy dog prefers a tennis ball, hands down. He knows I won't throw a chicken for him. The girl... she knows those chickens will throw themselves if she gets close enough and I'm not looking.

 

[trailchick]

Dogs like the cat crap because cat food has a higher protien level and so does the leftover in their poo.

RE: Dogs and the poultry: I have a couple of Original Mountain Cur dogs, which are an old American settler breed still found mostly in the Central SE US (registry - OMCBA). The dogs are called squirrel or tree dogs because they are a type of hound which are used to hunt squirrel, coon, & wild cats, & even feral hogs. I dont use mine to hunt but they are a very loyal companion and farm dogs. They alert us to rattlesnakes when we are out farming and irrigating. I was also very worried I would never be able to keep them from killing my free-rangers.
I had ordered a bunch of one day old chicks a year and half ago since getting our small farm. My female cur would attack the other dogs when they got too close to the brooder box to protect those chirpy babies. Was the funniest thing. When the chicks were old enough to free range our boxer-rottie mix got one hen, but dropped it & he was really yelled at, and never took one in his mouth again. My male cur did the same & killed it - I whipped him and the dead chicken whipped him and has never touched them again either - and I trust him out with the older birds, but havent let him around young birds yet. My female cur never bothered them, except she wanted them to be her babies.
So it just depends on the dog - I never thought I could get my curs to be safe around them. BTY, Old Yeller was a cur dog which means curtailed - they are born without tails.
I hope you are able to get across to your dog that they are not to be predated but protected. For training with mine, I would frequently hold the chicks or birds in front of the dog and tell them "Dont hurt the Baby!" with a strong firm training voice.
Good Luck!!!!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

GSDs tend to have high prey drives....Is your dog well trained otherwise? LEAVE IT is a command you absolutely MUST teach the dog. If you can not successfully 100% teach the dog to recall (come back to you) and "LEAVE IT" 100% of the time with ANYTHING - then no I would never trust the dog with the chickens even under supervision - unless the dog is on leash in hand. If the dog is well trained, knows leave it and recall, you need to start now with a long lead outside the run, EVERY DAY for a half hour or an hour, and when not on a lead keep away from the chickens, cover the side of the run the dog can see them - cloth, tarp, anything so the dog can not see them when you are teaching and interacting with the two.

Lead in hand, (short first, then longer and longer) start off with a standard 5-6ft leash. stand the normal distance away from the coop (say dog is usually stationed 30-40 feet away start there) when she pays attention to the birds, tell her "LEAVE IT". When she pays attention to you only, reward the dog. keep this up every day 1-2 times a day. slowly make the lead longer, put a training lead on (usually 20 or 30 ft leash) and rehearse like shes off leash. if she runs at the chicken run, start over with lead in hand on that 20 ft so you can jerk her back. get closer and closer to the run and the chickens.

the dog has to learn that the chickens are not toys and ignoring them is what you want and expect of her. it will be a slow process, it can take months for a dog to learn. The important thing is when you are not outside and the dog is tied up or something, she doesn't need to be able to see the birds until she gets the hang of ignoring them. - if you don't take away the sight of them, shes just going to keep getting excited by their presence when shes bored.

Good luck. You may want to seek a professional's advice.

 

[basketballndl]

Slowly introduce him to a bird. First start with just holding on to the bird and let him sniff. If he tries to bite, tell him no. Then put them in a pen in the yard and let him watch them. Even hold him on a leash and let the chicken walk around him. The more he gets used to having them around the less interesting he will find them. Therefore he won't bother them.

 

[chickenbythesea]

we have a shep/husky mix... he's incredibly smart and loves to go and check out the chickens. When we first got them as day olds I let him give them all a lick as they went into the brooder: and then for the most part he ignored them... checking on them only occasionally. Now that the chickens are almost 6 weeks, he likes to go to one side of the run and that makes them run to the other side... then he runs to the other side to make them run to the opposite... we have to watch him because he finds that fun... making them run. He's an extremely well trained dog and we can call him off anything... I say all this to say... I'd never trust him: chickens would just be too much fun for him to resist and it's his nature as a dog to "play" with them. Having a well trained dog is imperative because that makes the dog enjoyable to the owner but also to those who encounter them. It's awful to meet a dog who jumps and slobber and humps you when you're around them. I hope you have a great time with you GSD but don't ever think you can fully trust it... they're a dog and no matter how well trained they have inbreed instincts.

 

[chickengoober]

I have two dobes and am taking extra measures to be sure my girls will be safe. They are 8 and 7 so I doubt training will help much but I will definatly give it a shot after hearing all these good ideas. Perhaps one day Chicken and Dog will live in peace

 

[LilyD]

Quote:
Gorgeous dogs! Don't write them off yet I have an 8 year old Dobe (also red and rust) when I got my chickens I would let him come out to the coop with me always keeping myself between him and the coop door so he could look in and see them. I would let him interact with a chick when it was sitting on me. That was 12 weeks ago and now he has decided that they aren't my chickens they are his. He patrols around the chick yard for other animals and will let me know when one gets out, I have also had the brooder right in the house and he has watched the chicks (with supervision) and has never once hurt any of them. They have a natural protective streak in them and they love to use it even for chickens.