Re: Breaking a Dog from Killing Chickens

Posted by Chi on August 23, 2009 at 08:54:39 from (66.82.9.79):

In Reply to: Breaking a Dog from Killing Chickens posted by Dreamweaver on September 10, 2001 at 05:30:30:

This is a problem that I've come across many times during my years in agricultural settings, whether "out in the country" or "in town". The answer, unfortunately, is not the same for each dog. As a matter of fact I came here today looking for a NEW option in dealing with this very old question.

I continue to believe that this problem is almost 100% solveable, and so far have not personally been involved in a situation where it wasn't solveable. Dogs have been domesticated to be in relationships with humans for thousands of years, and generally they "live to please their "leader" ".

I have had the following methods work:
*Recently killed fowl tied securely around the neck of the dog until it rots, while keeping the dog "segregated" from the other dogs and humans (takes about 5-7 days). Obviously you provide the dog food, water, and shelter. This IN NO WAY harms the dog, and works almost every time.
The fowl must be tied securely and you should have as little interaction as possible without the dog during his "segregation", not even saying his name.
*put the dog on lead and take him into the general chicken area and use a "bark collar" (which I personally don't like to do, but better that than the continued killing of fowl or rehoming the dog) to give the dog a quick "zap" and a firm "stop" ("no" is used for too many lesser infractions) to let the dog know clearly what you are communicatind. This must be done several times a day for several days. Then release teh dog and sit where you can be comfortable and he can't see you, but within range of the collar. Have someone else go into the chicken area and feed/pet/inteact with chickens, watch the dogs recations- if he starts getting excited have the person in the enclosure tell him "stop" or "no" then they leave. The dogs interest may them be on the chicken area. Now you have to put in some time and patience and wait for the dog to return to the chicken area and see what his reactions are, whiel you sit within "zapper" range. When no one is around the dog must be segregated from the chicken area so they can't even get within sniffing/sight range.

A "simple" way to solve the problem, if you don't want your dogs near the chickens , but want your dog to be able to roam, is to put an invisble fence around the chicken area and an invisible fence collar on the dog... unfortunately I haven't figured out a way to put and invisible fence-like collar ON THE CHICKENS to keep the dog away form them! (LOL).

OK, good luck to everyone!
(and, seriously, the fowl around teh neck is not cruel to the dog, I think it's just as hard, or harder, on the caring dog owner... and, if you don't have chickens but have the dog with the problem, it is a caring thing to do for a neighbor who also cares for their pet.)

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