Do you keep your dog penned or on a run?

[Quiver0f10]

We used to keep our last dog on a run and it seemed to make the dog wild during the times we let her off the run, so I don't really like them. We have almost 12 acres and our dog never leaves the yard. The problem is now she decided to chase our chickens. Up to today she'd just play with them and we have tried everything to stop her, but just now she killed one.

I am at wits end with this mutt. We had a St Bernard we gave away 3 months ago due to her killing a chicken and now this one. This dog is a German Sheperd we have had since a pup and she is 18 months.

Anyhow any advice? Is it worth it to put her on a run or should we get rid of her?

[big rockpile]

If it was me I would have tight Pens for both Chickens and Dog.

Think of it this way Chickens are vulnerble to a number of things that will kill them,maybe let them out every so often but most part have a stong pen.

It cost me $200 to put up tight fence around my Back Yard so my Dogs stay out of trouble,and less likely for a neighbor to shoot them.

big rockpile

[Natureschild]

Well before you give her away, have you tried training the behaviour out of her?

[Lrose]

Originally Posted by Quiver0f9

We used to keep our last dog on a run and it seemed to make the dog wild during the times we let her off the run, so I don't really like them. We have almost 12 acres and our dog never leaves the yard. The problem is now she decided to chase our chickens. Up to today she'd just play with them and we have tried everything to stop her, but just now she killed one.

I am at wits end with this mutt. We had a St Bernard we gave away 3 months ago due to her killing a chicken and now this one. This dog is a German Sheperd we have had since a pup and she is 18 months.

Anyhow any advice? Is it worth it to put her on a run or should we get rid of her?

We have a border collie/ collie mix that is now two years old. She has been raised with chickens running loose ever since a puppy. We never allowed her to chase chickens but about six months ago she herded the flock up and then chased them. She grabbed one and killed it. As soon as we saw what she had done my husband took her by the collar and hauled her over to the dead hen and very sternly scolded her and pulled sharply on her collar and told her "bad dog". Then we took a live hen and held it near her . When she tried to grab it; she was scolded sharply. Then we put the chicken right into her nose and let her sniff it but not nip it. This process was repeated for several days. Now she follows the hens around and will touch them but not hurt them. While the garden is growing the hens are penned up. One got out of the pen and our dog herded it and picked it up with her mouth and brought it to us . There was no broken skin as the hen had not been hurt. !! I sugest after owning many breeds of dogs over the years; that a good homestead dog is a border collie or border collie crossed with collie. The old fashioned farm collie like a Scotish collie is really good but hard to find. English Shepherd Dogs I hear are good also. Dogs are bred for different purposes. I couldn't teach a hound to herd for example. German Shepherds are good working dogs for police, seeing eye dogs, rescue dogs and companions etc. . I have owned a few but never had one that was a good farm dog. Look on the internet under Farm Collies and you might find something you like. Linda

[Terri]

I walked my dog on a leash when he needed to go out for 6 solid months, until he learned not to play with the chickens. Your older kids could perhaps help with this chore.

The thing is, when a dog "plays" with chickens, he is learning to hunt the chickens. He is regarding them as prey, and finding it exciting. I corrected my dog every time he tried to "play" with the chickens, and every time he pointed at them as well (he is of a pointing breed). The REASON I corrected him was because he was treating the chickens as prey.

A point will not hurt the chickens, but the next step AFTER the point is the retrieve, and that probably would. So, no pointing or chasing was allowed.

To relieve his hunting instinct I praised him for chasing the rabbits out of the garden and barking at opossums. By the time he was 9 months old he ignored the chickens even when they were loose, and really keen to hunt his allowed prey.

[sisterpine]

My hens are farm food animals and my springer spaniels are pets and guard dogs. So the dogs will indeed capture, kill and bring me a chicken! That is one of their jobs to capture and kill varmits! So the hens are kept in a securely fenced very large yard with a tight coop all to keep preditors out. Occasionally one gets out and then the dogs kill it. I do not scold the dogs for doing what is their job. I still cry over the chicken though!

[Ravenlost]

My dad has a very successful method for breaking dogs from killing chickens. Tie the dead chicken around their neck and make them wear it until it rots and falls off. They'll never want to get close to a chicken again!

This has worked on every chicken killing dog he's ever had.

[TedH71]

A very simple solution..nobody has said it thus far which surprises me...well not really. Get an electronic collar and make sure you're not in her field of vision when she's trying to sniff or catch a chicken and hit the button briefly. It will make her think that it's the chicken giving her a shock not you...don't yell at her or anything just make her think it's the chicken doing it. She WILL leave them alone if you keep it up on a daily basis. I use those to break my dogs off cattle. I prefer them to work only hogs...that was when I had catahoulas..now I have mostly lacys mainly because they're not as hard headed and have more hunting/herding instincts and are nicer to strangers.

Ted

[daffodil]

I have a German Shepherd, too, and plan to eventually get chickens. I suspect my dog would chase the chickens as he does some cars! I have heard the dead chicken around the neck thing, too and probably will have to resort to it someday.

I will try to always have him with me when we go near the chickens--but I doubt any training will affect him; his big thing is stealing my girls' hats and mittens now and the only way I can make him docile is to tie a sled to him and for some reason he's gentle with something attached to him. No jumping or stealing--don't know why??

[sancraft]

I think my shepherd is part bull she's wo hard headed. I tied the dead chicken around her neck and she still chases them if given the chance. I had given her away, but the person wasn't taking good care of her, so I got her back. We're hoping to be on the land by the end of next month. I will build a strong pen for her and put electric fence around it too. She is such a smart dog. You can see her thinking. She's a great protection dog for us and I like her for that reason, but she's horrible with all the livestock. She did learn to leave the horses alone after getting kicked and sailing about 6 feet through the air. And she learned to leave our buck goat (full set of horns) alone after tangling with those horns once. But the doe goats, kids, chickens and ducks are no match for her. Her name is Violet, but my mom calls her Osama bin Violet, dog of mass destruction. :no:

[Freeholder]

English Shepherds ARE old-fashioned Scotch collies, basically. They aren't all that hard to find -- if you go to the American Working Farmcollie Association Yahoogroups list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AWFA/?yguid=109437082 , I think there are three or four litters with still some pups not spoken for. Most are PB English Shepherd, some are part collie (AKC type). They are *wonderful* dogs, but all dogs are going to need some training when it comes to chickens!

Kathleen

[Quiver0f10]

Ok, we are going to try and train her out of this before we decide to do something drastic. I had to laugh at the Bin Violet dog, reminds me of this dog. She is smart but oh so hard headed.

Thanks for the help!

[comfortablynumb]

the shock collar will do it... I see chicken... ZAP
i dont like chicken grrr ZAP

someone let me back in the house.. ppplleeesssee