I keep 17 chickens in a run in the garden and shadow is usually all right even if they are loose in the garden when supervised, but if he isn't supervised when one gets out he will chase it all over the garden.
When collecting eggs yesterday he tried to squeeze past me to see the broody bantams roosting on the eggs, I decided to let him sniff them (as a broody will not leave the nest as a rule). He sniffed them and then tried to lick their faces (bless) to which the chicken gave him a swift peck!
He backed off a bit then licked them again, again a peck!
Again he tried and again a peck, by this time he thought it was a game and seemed to be getting a bit excited so I removed him.
My question is - will he ever accept that they are part of the family or will the shepherd in him always chase the birds?
He was introduced to them from day one so they have always been there.

You'll probably find that if the chickens give him a good pecking, that will be the end of it. Animals seem to have an amazing way of warning each other off, and then getting on with it. You see this with cows and sheep, if introduced young enough, they give the pup some short sharp treatment, and hey presto, cured.

Oh Dave.....oh to be this naieve!!!!! Sorry, but once a chicken chaser, ALWAYS a chicken chaser! I have half a dozen hens pecking around the farm yard & all but one hound ignores them, yet she has been reared with them all her 8 years. She will pretend its not there, let it share her food bowl in the mornings & so on, but it only has to make that "I am going to start laying an egg" noise & it has to get up the nearest tree to save its neck!!!!
I don't know what shadow is, but, depending on that & how hard you are prepared to be on him for his own good, will be your answer!

Sam, you admit all but one of your hounds ignores them, so it must be reasonably successful. But what to do about the one that chases? You mention being hard for the dogs sake, so you can share your knowledge with the original poster?

It would be good to know how old Shadow is, as if a pup he could just be trained out of it without too much harshness, just as one can with kids, bikes and ponies etc. If it's just curiousity, and him esploringhis world, then I don't see a problem yet - and prevention is better than cure from a training point of view, isn't it?

Lindsay

shadow is a 6 month old german shepherd and only seems to chase them when they run around, he seems to think its a game and there doesn't seem to any malice in him even if he catches one occasionally, he just looks at me as though to say, well I caught it now what?????

Yes sorry I remember now, who Shadow is!

Well, I know opinons will vary here, but my method would be to teach a reliable Leave, using food to start.

Food in clenched fist, dog tries to get but can't. When dog sits back and looks at you, say "Take it" and open fist. Keep donig this until dog shows understanding, then start to use the word "Leave".

Start to then generalise this to say, toys so you start to have some control over the chase instsinct.

Use 2 toys, one very exciting and one not so. Have dog on long line, and harness. Throw boring toy boringly and say "leave" and when S. obeys, immediately play/throw him the exciting toy. Soon he should start to respond on the word whatever he is chasing.

Gradually build it up over months to Leave in all sorts of situations.

It's hard work and means lots of dedication, but if you enjoy traininig can also be good fun!

HOwever, if he chases them a lot now, you will need to stop this for a while or the training won't work so well.

If the worst comes to it try a MasterPlus collar, which is a remote citrus spray, and then give an alternative behavour such as a recall or something.

Just a few ideas anyway, hope you manage to sort it and can relax with Shadow!!

LIndsay

Hi lyndsey,
Shadow will leave anything (but other dogs) when I tell him to and is 100% on telling him to leave then throwing something and then telling him to take it, the problem is when a chicken is out by escaping and I don't know and I let him out for a wee or something and we surprise the chicken, his natural instinct is to chase. If I am there its not a problem, but if out on his own and one gets out then he chases it all over the garden, I don't know if it is possible for him to grow out of this behaviour?
We are going to stay with a friend on a 27 acre smallholding who has 2 dobermans he has never met and tons of poultry and other animals of all
descriptions.
Probably have to keep him on a lead first and test the water as to how the dogs react with each other and the other animals. GOD HELP US!!!!!

yes Dave....sussessful....but not because they got pecked on the nose by the hen!!!!!!
Suggest you refer to my previous reply to post about biting puppy......same applies!!!!!

Sam, I remember your post, and agreed with it. I would recommend your methods for this as well, if the chicks & dogs didn't solve it themselves. If it was my dog, and it was a problem, it would get such a b*ll*cking, but I've learnt that some on this site get a bit excited when the short sharp shock approach is suggested!!!

I'll get a bit excited if you don't watch your language Dave!

Please remember that kiddies read this board.

Leigh

Well, if he starts off by licking them he is exploring but obviously you don't want him to get excited!! It's terribly important to ensure he never gets the taste of killing or even really a very good chase...as for a chase orientated dog, that is so exciting in itself isn't it, even without the kill.

To be honest, IMHO, I would "manage" this; mend all fences, or whatever, and do a big chicken check when letting Shadow out. If he sees a chicken and you can reward him for coming to you with a game that would be a positive step....or try the Masterplus, as at this age Shadow will feel the chicken is fighting back and that they're not nice!

As for your visit to your friend's, are the chickens all free range? It would be interesting to know if being "saturated" with chickens would make him bored with them LOL!!

Lindsay

LINDSAY!!!

>>Well, if he starts off by licking them he is exploring but obviously you don't want him to get excited!!

Can you clarify that you are talking about Chickens please! :D lol

Remember the kiddies Leigh ROFL Gina

I had the same wicked thoughts for a moment Leigh.......but thought i might get told off if I mentioned it!!!

Leigh, sorry. I thought kids only went to the p*rno sites!!

LOL!!!

Yes, I was definitely talking about little chooks and not, um - anything else!!! :o

lindsay

Come on everyone only having a joke! Kids no more swear words than we know now days! Not saying that is right but in some parts the way of life!

Julieann

I had this problem too!
Even had a couple of then killed by the dogs as youngsters{they were 5months old when it happened} They got a good telling off at the time and whenever they ignored them I praised them} and they now ignore them even if the odd one escapes.
The only problem is I know have a 5month old puppy who is doing it so back to square one again!!!!!!!!!
Good luck with your broody hen, my hen hatched out 2 lovely chicks 3 weeks ago and somehow a rat must have got in and they disapeared overnight!!!!!!!!!!!