I sure could use a few suggestions on training a new dachshund puppy to stay away from my backyard flock. He believes they are in the yard for his sole exercising enjoyment. I normally keep the girls in their fenced area but sometimes allow them to scratch in the rest of my yard. ( I am a backyard city farmer) Our previous dog just needed a few swats on the nose but Max is determined to run these girls down. any suggestions? Thanks eggstreme

If the puppy is under 3 months old, he's just being a puppy and there's not much you can do. Being consistant is the best way to handle a dog though. After 3 months he should be able to start controlling himself a bit.

Let Max see the birds in the fenced in area and talk to him in a soothing voice when he's looking at them through the fence. Everytime he starts to get excited and wanting to get at the birds tell him "NO!". Some folks will take a tin can and put rocks in it and shake it when the dog is misbehaving. Not only do they get the "NO!" but they are bombarded with the loud unpleasant sound of the rocks in the can.

When he's good tell him what a good boy he is and reward him with petting and more soothing talk. Following the same pattern over and over when training a dog is the important thing. Don't confuse your puppy with inconsistant training.

Alot of people paper train their puppy as a way to housebreak. Often this does not work, because you have already given him permission to do his business on the paper IN the house! Then you have to turn around and make him understand that no, he now has to go out to do his business. Some dogs never get this and then you have a real problem.

I have found that crate training is really the best way to housebreak a puppy. It also greatly reduces the chance the dog will tear up your house when your not home. I found this out when someone dropped a tiny puppy in my yard with my 90 lb. Doberman! I couldn't find anyone who wanted the puppy, so I had no choice but to crate her when I was gone. After 3 days of her crying when I was gone (my neighbor told me) she suddenly learned the crate was "her" place and I would literaly have to "dump" her out of it when I got home! I would put an old shirt I'd worn in the crate and some chew toys and off to work I'd go. Never had her mess in my house (ever! she's 6 now) and she never tore up anything either. After she grew up she also grew out of the crate. I gave it to another dog of mine, and now I still find her in it sometimes.

I have 4 dogs and many chickens. I can let one of the dogs out with the birds, but I never leave them unattended. I've never tried with the other dogs. With 4 dogs I'm afraid the "pack mentality" will kick in and I'd have a bunch of dead birds. The only time they do act interested in the birds is if I'm in the pens messing with them and then the dogs just seem to be jealous.

They did get out once after I'd had the birds about 4 months. Most of the chickens ran back into their pen and huddled in the corner while 2 of the dogs raised cain barking behind them. My crate trained dog was the least impressed with the birds and pretty much left them alone. The one 9lb terror of a terrier (a manchester terrier) had chased one clear around the garage and the poor bird was huddled up behind some stored stuff back there. Of course my rooster (Sebastian Bock, you know, bock bock) had flown over the fence! Lot of help he was to his hens!

That is my experience with birds and dogs. If I only had one calm dog I'd probably not worry. You have a dachshund, who was breed to run prey to ground. The prey they were bred to chase was vermin, of course, but I'm not sure he'll be able to tell the difference. Running down critters is running down critters to him, it's in his blood. Being able to turn him loose with your birds may be tough.

Other breeds may work out better, like sheepdogs. I had a Shetland Sheepdog ("miniature collie" is what people who don't know there is no such thing call them) who was totally docile around the birds. Some of the working dogs are ok around chickens, it all really depends on the dog and/or how you train them.

All the best to you and Max, drop in from time to time and let us know how it's going. I will suggest obedience school for your dog. It helps them in all areas of their lives and their life with you. Max is now a part of your family for all his life. You want the best behaviour from him to make his life and yours enjoyable. The key is consistant training and if you are unsure how to go about it, put him in a puppy kindergarten, and have fun training your new best friend and family member (cuz that is what he really is, and you sure don't want an unpleasant family member if you can help it!!) ;^)

Good luck!!

I've heard of people who would buy a newborn dog or cat and keep it inside the chicken cage. The chickens and the dog would then grow up to think of each other as family. I think that's very interesting, although it wouldn't work for you because your puppy is too old.

I also heard of people who, when they're dog attacked the hens and killed them, would tie a dead chicken around the dog's neck. He would then become disgusted with chickens and leave them alone.

I'm not advising you to do any of the above. Those are just some stories that I've heard during my raising-chickens-life.

We have a rat terrier who will soon have his first birthday. He is only allowed out on a leash - he will never, ever get over his hunting instinct to chase chickens. He has been to obed. school and graduated. I worked consistently with him on leash to get over seeing the chickens but as soon as he is unleashed, the chase is on. Our other dogs - yorkie & mini schnauzer only required a couple of no's to get over it and dont pay least attention to chickens.
A very good friend of mine has dashound. Her husband was a hunter (hogs, deer, whatever) and started taking the dashound along - she turned out to be his best and he had lots of dogs bred just for hunting. Your pup might have to be like mine - leashed.

Hi,
Like Josh, I have also heard of tying the dead animal to the back of the dog. Down island some towards Nevis and the West Indies in general, when the dog killed an animal that it wasn't supposed they tie the dead, rotting body on the dogs back for a couple of days. The dog gets disgusted with the dead animal on its back and learns to leave them alone. It doesn't work 100% of the time but not many things do. Just thought I'd give some input.
Daniel

Sick! What would they do if the dogs killed a cow or pig? Tie the giganitic body on the little critters? I feel sorry for the owners of the dog since their dog would probably stink till kingdom come!

Baahahaha!!

Ok, not sure I'd try the dead chicken tied to the neck routine. Plus, I'm picturing that with a dachshund and I think it's just way too much for the little guy!

I had an "old timer" tell me once that the way you break a dog of killing chickens is to put it in a barrel with a dead chicken and roll it down a hill. No telling where all these stories come from. I have no doubt they've all been tried but I love my dogs like kids so I could never do any of it!

I haven't been successful training any chicken *killers* to change their ways but I have worked with dogs who just thought chasing was a great sport. It took lots of time invested, lots of being around the chickens supervised and eventually they just got bored with it. I also just let them know that *I* am alpha dog and these chickens are my "babies" (by holding and petting the chickens with the dog around). Mess with them and get my wrath! Beyond that, leash time.

Susie

Hey Susie, you have the right idea! You have to let the animal know YOU are the one in charge, not them! I have a Manchester Terrier (bred from the rat terrier or visa versa, can't remember) and she too loves the chase. However if I'm out with her she's fine with the birds, but I don't trust her to leave her alone with them.

About the dead bird around the neck. I owned a Doberman for many years. Rex was a headstrong animal, but knew his place. Very protective and obedient he was. But, he loved to pull clothes off my clothesline. I finally took a sweatshirt he'd pulled off and played with and put a bunch of tobasco sauce on it. I then tied it around his neck and made him wear it. If he pulled it off, it went right back on. After understanding he was to wear it, he did. All day. And he never pulled anymore clothes off my clothesline.

Had another dog (mixed breed, best dog I've had till I was blessed with one I have now) who could somehow catch birds and squirrels in my backyard. I would find these animals dead in the yard and I knew she was somehow doing it. Finally saw her out the window one day throwing a squirrel in the air that she'd just killed. I went out there and made her watch me bury it. I spent the whole time I was digging the hole making her very aware of the fact I wasn't happy with her. Made her look at the squirrel and watch everything I was doing.

Believe it or not, she didn't dig it up or kill another animal (I never found another hurt or dead one again.) But then again, we had a bond I've never had with another animal, and I think she wanted to please me more than she wanted to "play" with the critters.

Rat Terriers do LOVE to chase, so maybe when he's older, he'll chill on chasing the birds. Like Susie says, take him out when he's already pooped from running and playing, and maybe he'll soon get bored with chasing them. Dogs bred to chase down prey are the hardest to break from that instinct, if it can ever be broken.

My uncle has a golden retriever who loved giving my chickens heart attacks. He would chase them back and forth and try to kill them. How'd my uncle solve the problem? He beat, kicked, and cruely hit the poor dog until he (the dog, although I wish my uncle learned it instead!) learned his lesson.

If you do this...please STOP! Being cruel to animals who can't defend themselves is a crime! What are the people who do this trying to prove? That they're tyrants who like hurting living things because they can't control other aspects of life?

This rat terrier NEVER, ever gets pooped - ever, ever. He doesnt get bored either - he will create something fun to do. Think rats are descendants of manchesters with turbo added.

Josh,
Obviously they can not tie pigs and other large livestock to the dogs..but they do with smaller ones.

Roy, think your right about the order of descent with the rat. The part about the turbo added is for real too. The only dog who ever wore out my manchester was a rat terrier. They can run like no dog I've ever seen. They looked like one black and one white streak running through the yard!

Josh, the only thing people that beat dogs teach the dog is to hate PEOPLE!

I do not condone abusing any animal for any reason. I've found websites about what happens to chickens raised for meat and eggs and am appalled by what happens to them. I am careful to treat my animals with compassion, keep them all well fed and watered, and provide lots of LOVE!!! (They are really spoiled rotten!)

Yep, my chickens are spoiled little brats. Okay, maybe the brat part isn't true but they ARE spoiled. Their immense body size proves that eating too much cake and ice cream isn't too good for you! :)

At least they're obedient! Sometimes, when I let them out of their cage to go for a "stroll", they jump up onto my porch and make it muddy and filthy. All I have to do is call them and they fly down the steps and come running to me. The reason their obedient is probably because I give them treats.

I want some chickens so much that we have already built the pen. The problem is that I have a 5 year old English Cockerspaniel who's greatest joys in life are; to run with her nose to the ground(hunting instinct), bark her head off when her pet cat gets in a fight and to go absolutely berserk at our wild backyard hedgehog every night. We shut her in her own shed at night to solve the hedgeog problem (I am a Yank in New Zealand). What do I do if she decides to be a barkaholic at the chickens?
I am hopeful as she is currently ignoring the birds that eat our rotten pears (it is summer here).

I would play safe and make the chicken run absolutely dog proof. Cockerspaniels can be strong-minded.
As for the barking, who can tell? In the worst case a couple of days with an anti-bark collar would cure her.
Just my opinion. Good luck, Anny.

Thanks, I've done some extra dog proofing and have gotten my chickens. She didn't go as berserkers as we expected. A couple of swats on the nose from alpha dog was enough.
The dog seems to think it is 'chicken t.v.' and likes to sit and watch them. As a matter of fact, so do the kids.
This site really inspired me to get chickens, as everyone seems so happy with them and great with the advice.