How do I train my German shepherd to avoid eating live chickens?
Question by It’s OK, I’m on drugs now.: How do I train my German shepherd to avoid eating live chickens?
I have young chickens in a small corral enclosure I built. I want to have them roam freely around the backyard without my dog killing and eating them. He has already eaten a pet rabbit and a young rooster that jumped over the enclosure.
I feed him plenty of dog food regularly.
Add your own answer in the comments!
6 Responses to How do I train my German shepherd to avoid eating live chickens?
Leave a Reply
Sorry, but I have ZERO tolerance for a dog that will harm livestock/other pets.
Since you are incapable of providing the animals with a safe enclosure,the best thing to do is rehome the dog to someone who does not have livestock or have it put to sleep.
UHave2BeKiddingMe
April 20, 2013 at 9:34 pm
Simple! Train your dog and don’t let your dog have access to the enclosure/coop!
Pom♥Mom Spay & Neuter!! Ni4Ni
April 20, 2013 at 9:39 pm
That is harmful to both the dog and pets. You may need to sacrifice the pets for a while.
Kima
April 20, 2013 at 10:03 pm
You need to train the dog to avoid the livestock. You can do this by short-leashing and correcting when the dog fixates on the chickens. Try watching ” The Dog Whisperer”, Cesar Millan on the National Geographic chanel ( Fridays at 8pm, I think ) or go to his web site, Cesarsway.com. He is based in LA. This is not a reason to get rid of your dog or your livestock. You just need to learn to be the “pack leader”. Good Luck.
Ruth
April 20, 2013 at 10:50 pm
Whenever a dog kills another animal be it a chicken, a cat, or another dog, it is acting in it’s natural predatory mindset. Dogs with a strong prey drive will chase things weather it is a tug toy that you’re pulling by a string or a chicken running for its life. Your job as the pet owner is to teach the dog the things that it can chase and catch and the things that it can’t. One way of doing this is by taking a live chicken and putting it into a wire cage so that the dog can see it, smell it and hear it. Take the dog to the cage on a leash with a choker chain or a pinch collar and as soon as the dog begins to show any interest in the chicken, give the dogs leash a sharp quick jerk and say “no” in a firm voice. This should distract the dog and cause it to look at you. as soon as it does give it another command such as sit or lay down and praise it when it obeys. This will teach the dog that looking at the chickens earns him a correction but sitting and laying down on command earns him praise. Continue this for several minutes (4-5 min. for puppies, 5-10 min. for adult dogs) 2 – 3 times a day. By the beginning of the 3rd day the dog should not even look in the direction of the chickens. Eventually the dog will completely ignor the chickens even while they are running free around him.
Good Luck!
http://www.carewhiz.com
Nancy
April 20, 2013 at 11:40 pm
Do NOT have your dog put to sleep just because it’s acting like the predator it is. You either take the time to train it to leave the animals alone or you rehome it to a home where there is no other animals.
Thorhalla
April 21, 2013 at 12:33 am