# Chasing Chickens!



## EliteGSD (Apr 26, 2014)

I recently was finally able to bring my own little bundle of GSD joy home and make her part of my family. Little Maya is 12 weeks old and her little ears are just starting to stand on their own! Anyway, we have 12 free-range chickens and 3 free-range ducks on our acreage. Little Maya, being the puppy that she is, likes to chase and "play" with them...meaning we almost had a chicken casualty and very close calls with our ducks. I want to be able to let Maya run outside without having to be leashed or locked in. How can I teach her to not kill my chickens and ducks? I really would like to get a good handle on this now so we don't have problems with her when she's older. She also seems to have difficultly with the command "come"...very much unlike our lab who is a natural at "come". When something has Maya's attention (a duck/chicken) I can never get her to stop chasing them(I've tried yelling, clapping, ect.) and come to me...and it's very hard to catch her (fast little bugger!) How can I teach her to "stop" and improve her come?


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

You have to teach her it's not okay and it's a plus she is a puppy. I would start by taking her out on a leash several times a day and just sit outside with her in the general area of them. During this time work on leave it and treat/reward her heavily. I would this for a couple weeks, then start walking her on a leash past them, use the leave it. Eventually and hopefully she understands that they are off limits and they can live together peacefully.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Long line until she has a reliable recall and understands that the poultry is off limits. 

I also have free range chickens. LB didn't bother them until she was 10 months. The last time was about a month ago. She grabbed one of my hens. I had a pinch collar on her (one that doesn't tighten), picked her up and basically gave her a couple of good corrections until she let go of the chicken. Since then she has eyed them, but I can stop her with an "eh". All of my dogs go through this and eventually learn. Only one that still gives me problems is Deja who harasses them until she finds the rooster that likes to fight. Then she punishes him. She also believes they should all be in one spot and will push the hens until they move together. They aren't supposed to be spread around the property. LOL


----------



## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

I would teach the "leave it" command. It really works. My GSD loves to swim and so does my smaller dog. They were both in the pool and the GSD kept trying to dunk or swim over the little dog. I said "leave it" in a firm voice and he swam the other way.


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

why did the chicken cross the street ?
--- to find some peace and quiet 

can you temporarily enclose the chickens and ducks so that the dog can satisfy her curiousity without stimulating the chickens to run .


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I agree with Lisa/Carmen

I have chickens, my german shepherd is totally fine with them, my new aussie puppy, (like my other aussies) has incredibly high prey/herding drive..Even at this age (14 wks) she would most likely hurt one of the babies I have, but she definitely keeps her distance from the adult ones, probably because the adults are bigger than her, however, if they "run" the chase is on..

I' keep my chickens confined for the most part (predators), but have been using a long line on her if they are out and about...I must say, she is great at herding up the babies at nite to get them "IN" their coop,,tho she does it thru the fencing LOL


----------



## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

we need new pictures of little Maia


----------



## EliteGSD (Apr 26, 2014)

Thank you all! I did notice that she doesn't seem to even notice the chickens until they run...and then, like mentioned before, "the chase is on." I will try teaching the "leave it" command. Oh, I need to go take some recent pictures of her so you can see!


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

In the past I have solved this by getting an adult mean rooster. ( I trained the rooster not to attack me) Once he and the chickens had bonded, he beat up the dog by slapping him with his wings, and he (the dog) never looked at chickens and even the peeps. Once he was running towards me, saw the hens and took a detour around them.


----------



## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

wolfy dog said:


> In the past I have solved this by getting an adult mean rooster. ( I trained the rooster not to attack me) Once he and the chickens had bonded, he beat up the dog by slapping him with his wings, and he (the dog) never looked at chickens and even the peeps. Once he was running towards me, saw the hens and took a detour around them.


That works until you have dogs that find it fun to spar with the rooster or one, Deja, that sees it as something that needs to be crushed and punished for having the gall to threaten her.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

lhczth said:


> That works until you have dogs that find it fun to spar with the rooster or one, Deja, that sees it as something that needs to be crushed and punished for having the gall to threaten her.


Hmmm, that dog was not a GSD


----------



## EliteGSD (Apr 26, 2014)

Here is Maya! (hope this works)


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Super cute!! She will never chase a chicken; too cute or that 
PS: watch that boney ring. Sometimes it gets stuck around the lower jaw and then they can panic.


----------



## EliteGSD (Apr 26, 2014)

Just wanted to let everyone know...we will be getting rid of our ducks and chickens because of a hawk or eagle that has been coming and killing them off. A farmer has a safer environment for them elsewhere. Maya has been doing really well around them lately and she really is a great, smart dog. Thank you all! She already knows the "leave it" command, too!


----------



## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

EliteGSD said:


> Just wanted to let everyone know...we will be getting rid of our ducks and chickens because of a hawk or eagle that has been coming and killing them off. A farmer has a safer environment for them elsewhere. Maya has been doing really well around them lately and she really is a great, smart dog. Thank you all! She already knows the "leave it" command, too!




Aw man . Can you build them an enclosure? We gave up on free range with the number of eagles we have up by us... It was really easy and cheap to build them a big enclosure. Plus, they get to watch the dogs and the dogs get to watch them and everyone is safe and sound. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Ace GSD (May 30, 2014)

Haha i see the little devil now. What a cutie


----------

