Your own dogs: Good or Bad

[a.felix]

Just what it says. In more clear terms- do your dogs rotect your chickens and keep pests out, or do you need to keep them away from you birds, far away? Or do they just not care?

My last two Shepherds didn't care about the chickens much, but kept coons and such away. Following them, my youngest one (at about 8 months or a year old) attacked and killed about six birds (of a small free ranging flock of maybe sixteen). After that, we tied her up for a day with the bodies around her and left her alone, then kept her away from the birds for six months to a year or so.

Now, older and knowing better, she loves the chickens. She keeps rats out of the coop and she keeps ravens and racoons out of the yard. She'll even chase ravens as they fly. She likes to see the chickens, but always wags her tail to them, and only barks at them if they eat her food from her bowl. Although she wants to, she won't take their bread if I give them scraps. She also loves chicks, and is both protective of them and super interested. She watches but won't touch unless I hold them out to her, and then she gives the most positive ears-forward tail-wagging interested look and gentle sniffs, maybe a lick.

Here's a video of her and some, to give an idea.

Now, storytime? And opinions?

 

[CMV]

My dogs are both absolutely trustworthy around chickens/ducks/geese and keep most predators away. Never have had a problem with either dog- one was trained to leave them alone and one has been around them his whole life so knows nothing different. So, I guess mine are definitely in the good dog category.

 

[Highlander]

My 3 used to be very bad but after some rehab I have 2 very good (don't give the chooks a second glance) ones and one not so good one (ignores them if I am around but would have chicken dinner if my back was turned). I don't let any of them near the chickens unsupervised though - you just never know what is going through their little minds at any given time and to me it's not worth the risk.

 

[theoldchick]

Do you think I trust this dog with chickens?

Nope.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

delete

 

[hennyannie]

Of our three, the Jack Russell is the only non-reformable in the group. If if runs from him its dead period. So thank goodness we live on a large farm where both can have their own space.The others(Rat Terrier,Lab)seem to just ignore the birds mostly, I have seen the hens go in their outside house and they just go on about their own business.They are also good night guards.

 

[silkieroo]

My dog is really good with the chickens! But if a squirrel so much as rustles a leaf he runs back to the house with his tail between his legs.

 

[Annie84]

My dogs have such a high prey-drive I'm not going to "learn" what they will do, as I already know. But then again, they have been fine with my cat and small animals, so you never know, they may surprise me, but like I said they are very driven.

 

[hennyannie]

Quote:
Oh my, what breed?

 

[carolinagirl58]

My two chihuahuas are fine with the chicks. My Pit Bull...the jury is still out on her. The birds are not free ranging yet and she has a tremendous prey drive. But she is also very obedient. A couple of years ago we got goats and Bailey learned very quickly that chasing them was not acceptable....so she never chased them again. We simply scolded her and told her she was to leave the goats alone and that was it. I have never had a dog with such a strong desire to please us. I THINK she will be OK with the chickens. But I probably won't trust her completely. I don't want to set her up for failure.