How to keep LGD puppy from killing/eating chickens?

CocoNUT

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PLEASE! Someone help me out...how do I prevent/train my sharplaninac juvenile from chasing/catching/eating our chickens?! So far....she's gotten two of them. A silkie hen - and today, a cochin juvenile. Even though she's recovering from some kind of illness (either coon hound paralysis or some other infection type issue - she's responding to antibiotics and not all of the bloodwork has come back yet) and isn't "full-strength," she's still running down any stragglers that get out of their run! It's really distressing! She knows that we DO NOT allow it...but it seems her prey drive/instincts override her better judgement and our commands to stop!

We tried the tying of the dead chicken to her thing. That was REALLY gross as she started muching on the dead chicken as it was tied to her! We've done the rolling her on her back. She doesn't care...she wants those chickens!

Any guidance/help is appreciated! We know we have a year + before she 'matures' and grows out of this...but I would like some help so we can get this under control! No..we don't have an older LGD to 'train' her with.

Thanks!
 

CochinBrahmaLover=)

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Now I'm no LGD expert, but if our dogs do something wrong we give them a GOOD smack on the nose. They always stop then, cause it hurts, and us saying in a very mad voice "NO BAD GIRL/BOY" they stop.

Just a suggestion
 

Stubbornhillfarm

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You may end up having to secure your chickens to make sure that no stragglers get out. Fill in holes, make fence taller or add angled-in piece to top so they can't fly and perch on it to get out, or clip their wings.

Our LGD pups will run after a loose chicken or turkey if they get out because the chicken or turkey is running around all frantic. Where as where they were raised, Mzyla had her chickens all free ranging around the pups and parents. Everyone was calm and lived in peace. But that was largely in part to the fact that her chickens where not running around and acting like they were playing a game.

I believe with maturity and with you consistantly reprimanding, she will get it eventually.
 

MonsterMalak

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I have run LGDs for 23 years to protect my poultry.

If you have a pup doing this, remove her from the immediate area, and only take her in with the fowl when you are there to supervise.
Left unattended, she will continue, and it will be harder to break. Escalate the punnishment to stop the behavior.

Years ago, I had a cross LGD that it took a shock collar to break the habbit. But be careful, as many LGDs are sensitive, and can shut down on you if punnished to harshly.

Alot of your success will depend on the breed, and the bloodline. If you have to start over, do your homework.
Buy pups from parents that are working like you would want yours to work.

A good breeder should offer a replacement if the pup does not have the right temperament for your situation,,,,
As a breeder, I would much rather replace a pup, than have them disposed of or just not working out.

With Poultry, and my experience;;;;
Pyrenees were real good, except a few exceptions.
Had trouble with about 25% of the Anatolians I had (could have been the bloodline though)
Problems with about 15% of the Kangals and poultry.
Have had good luck with my Boz,,,, less than 10%. And they correct easier. So far :)))

Patience, supervised access until can be trusted, and luck!!!!!
 

CocoNUT

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Thanks guys!
Our "puppy" is a sharplaninac female...and quite good at her job. The chickens she's gotten a hold of have somehow "escaped" from their enclosure. We have two drakes that free range in the back yard with her and she mostly leaves them alone. But she sees a chicken and it's "game on" for her! She has a fantastic disposition actually. She obviously doesn't respond to corporate punishment...but we do force her on her back...and I "scold" her when she shows interest in trying to grab it. Then we ignore her. She's never with the birds directly as they're in a fenced in run...she patrols outside of their run.

She's not interested in the rabbits...just those chickens.
 

Straw Hat Kikos

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I tie the dead bird onto the dog's collar and leave it there until it starts to rot. Most dogs don't like something hanging on their neck for days on end. I also pay them no attention what so ever. When I did this to Callie she was so depressed. You could see it when you walk by. She just looks up at you and wags her tail and rolls over to submit. I do not have contact with her until I remove the bird, other than feed and water. It seemed to have worked a bit but she is never with birds anymore because she lives in the woods now. There are bird that live in the woods in her area but they know to stay away, so it hard to judge how well it worked. I do know that many people do this too and they say that it has worked for them but most of the time it takes two tries. GL on it!!
 

redtailgal

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The trick to tying the dead bird to the collar is to have the bird draped across the back.......this puts the bird in a dominant position over the dog. A young dog may become frightened and try to run from the bird..........this is good.

I tie a cord around the neck of the bird and attach that cord to the collar, so that the head is over the dogs shoulder but out of reach of the dogs mouth. I like for the head to be able to bob about when the dog moves.

I also take a cord and attach to one foot of the bird, take that same cord and go under the belly of the dog and attach it to the other foot (of the bird, that is). This puts the bird in a straddling position, almost like it is riding the dog.

I've also been known to take a dead bird and spank the offending dog with it.

And, nothing personal, but NOTHING should override your commands, under any circumstance. Her "instincts" are not a good excuse for disobedience. You are her leader...she should obey EVERYTIME and she should do so INSTANTLY. She should be able to obey in this manner while at the same time trusting you and looking to you for guidance as her leader.

If all else fails, muzzle her and walk her thru the birds several times a day, correcting her harshly when she behaves wrongly, and rewarding her lavishly when she behaves appropriately. Once she can behave well on leash, remove the leash, leave the muzzle on and walk her thru the birds several times a day, with the same reward and praise system. Then progress to leaving her unattended but still muzzled and leave to where she THINKS you cant see her.........when she goes for the birds (and she will) come out of hiding screaming NO NO NO BAD DOG like a crazy woman, continue to be harsh until she cowers. When she does behave appropriately with you out of her site for about 10 minutes, lavishly praise her.

At that point, go back to working her on the lead WITHOUT the muzzle just as before, then graduate to your being present, her loose and unmuzzled, and finally her loose, unmuzzled and you out of site.

Once she can do all that, pick your least favorite bird, turn it loose and go hide. She how she acts and respond accordingly. Be firm, be harsh, and be consistent.
 

Straw Hat Kikos

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I agree with everything you said, but as you and I know LGD's, most of the time, don't care to much when you yell at them. They understand and you should still try and train them the best you can but most LGD's will never be a very obedient animal. I have heard of your method, which sounds like it might be one of the better ways. Many people tie the chicken to the dog and it does seem to work for most of us. But of course, you have people who think it is cruel and hate you for it. uuhhh

I think the best advice here is "Be firm, be harsh, and be consistent.". That is the most important thing with LGD's. You can not let up and let them own you. You must show that you are the alpha and not them.
 

secuono

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Tying will never work, unless you are tying the dead animal to the FUR, it will always slide or be pulled around and chewed on.

We are having the same issue with our pup, fine with the ducks, but 'plays' to death with the chickens. It's so hot I rarely have her with them anymore. Lock her up and leave her be, she comes out at night when I lock the birds away from her. Have one rooster that might not make it, she ripped out a lot of feathers and traumatized him.

Dead things get eaten here, even the rotting, maggot infested stuff, she will eat/play with it.

Drives me up the wall, don't have many birds, no job to just replace them. She also doesn't tend to bother the birds when I'm out there, it's when I leave and she gets bored, that's when she goes for them. Really wish I had gotten two, then they could play with each other and then just sell one of them as a trained adult...but w/e.

I also spank any animal that does something wrong, fastest way to set them straight. Just so hot now, can't sit out there with her.
 

Grazer

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Our neighbors have a pitbull/black labrador mix and one of those "teacup" yorkshier terriers.
Both come from backyard breeders and yet neither one of the dogs chase and/or kill chicken.
My grandma who has had LGD's (mostly Sarplaninac's) all her life, but didn't want another one because she's old and thinks they're too much of a dog for her right now,
got a random mutt from a distant cousin who works at the animal shelter. Nothing is known about that dog's background.
That dog is a little over a year old now and has never killed a chicken or duck or any other small animal for that matter.

Normally these examples would be a recipe for a disaster, so why did these dogs leave chicken and other birds alone?

My point is these things take lots and lots of time, patience and consistent corrections + praise when the dog shows good behavior.
After many, many years, experienced farmers will be able to raise just about any dog to leave poultry alone and even chase off small predators. (we're talking about normal dogs here, with no neurological issues of course)

It really helps if one gets an LGD puppy from parents who are good poultry guardians themselves. These puppies will be much easier to train.
I know you feel like you're about ready to pull your hair out of your head, but it does gets better with persistence..

All dogs have prey drive, just some much lower than others (like most LGD breeds for instance).
The key for beginning LGD owners is to look for LGD breeds with low prey drive from a breeder who knows what he/she is doing, knows their dogs and chooses the right pup for your situation.
And of course constant training from day 1, with puppies being separated from poultry when it's not possible to supervise them.


I'm sorry your puppy is going through that mysterious illness :( , I hope the vet will be able to fully fix her.


P.S. I forgot to add this helpful link: http://www.anatoliandog.org/poultry.htm
 
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