[arwen]

Okay, so I'd like some advice as the best way in which to introduce my spaniel to some new chickens that we're getting please.

She loves to chase the rabbits in the garden and the squirrels and I'm a bit concerned her first reaction will be to do the same and I don't want her to terrify one and cause dire consequences.

Has anyone any tips as to a gentle introduction as I really would like them to free range when I'm in the garden and she is too.

[tosca100]

 Carefully!!!!! Sorry, not much help. Good luck.

[mole trapper]

I have two working lurchers who are hot on phesants, partridge, bunnies and rats etc, appart from sending the chickens flying from time to time when playing they have never once touched our birds,  presume you dont have chickens already? how old is the dog? does she work? If you have the girls in an open run where you dog can see them to start with so that it isnt a sudden new toy! this may help.  the only time our dogs got confused was when we overnighted a wet injured cockerel in a old box that we plucked pheasant feathers into!!!!  The dogs new it looked like a chicken, but it didnt smell like one in the morning!!! even He did ok though.  plenty of praise and rewards when dog is around birds, maybe only allow 1 bird out at a time initially when dog in garden? hope it helps

[mobilekat]

We also have a couple of lurchers who know to not chase the chooks at my aunts. (but love 'buzzing' pheasants!)

Do you have any friends with chooks who are used to dogs?- and thus will ignore them while your dog gets used to them? As once she knows to ignore chooks its easier for the chooks to know she is a safe 'wolf' to have around!

I would suggest to start of with the chooks in their new run and dog on lead, walk quietly past  the chooks, aiming for her to concentrate on you not them, as she gets better at ignoring them approach them quietly and let her sniff them, if she gets too excited/lunges at them, tell her off and walk away.

Keep quietly walking closer to them until she is happy to wander past and ignore them. What you want to aim for is her ignoring them! A quiet sniff is fine, but not excited lunging bouncing and barking!- if she does leap for them a quick NO, and walk away, as with any animal training its vital to stay calm yourself as wound up person=wound up pet= chaos!

Once you are happy she thinks they are boring (this may take a couple of days) gradually let her interact with them more, starting on a longer lead, but be prepared to restrain her if she gets excited!

You may need to be vigilant at first, and try to avoid situations where she accidentally chases them (eg ball thrown in wrong direction!)

Most dogs will soon work out who are members of the family, and ignore them!
And over time once you trust her, and the chooks know she is safe you can start to let them be out together.

Sadly some dogs are never safe around stock, but 99.9% can be if introduced in a quiet way!

Our old saluki was 100% with our cats and all stock ( he was 8 when we got him), unless they were about 150 yards away, at which point he would dash off towards anything that moved - if you yelled he would stop and look embarrassed (the worst day was when he hurtled off and then realised it was a 7 year old kid he had spotted- one VERY embarrassed dog!)

Good luck!- and if she is food motivated use it as a good distraction technique!

[arwen]

Thanks everyone, some really helpful stuff there.

Yes, we haven't got the chooks yet. She's just a year the dog, so is still quite excitable, she'll be nearer to  18 months when we get the chickens though.

She's not a worker, but she's a great learner and will sit and stay and I've done a lot of work on getting her to "leave" things (food is indeed both her buddy and her nemesis!)

I have got a long run for the chickens which I'll use with her to start with, and hopefully eventually, we'll be able to progress to free range when she's out in the garden too!

Thanks again!

[Wild Pony]

We have a Labby X who does nothing, a Collie X who does nothing and a pure Collie that is terrified of them but does nothing. The two girls are very helpful in herding up (when we had out old pound) if one got out, but the pure one just gets in the way and shouts alot, none were particularly "introduced", they just figured they weren't to be touched and don't.

Just be calm with your pooch, if you get anxious or excited so will he/she and the game begins! Take a "Yeah, whateva!" attitude, works everytime.

Good luck

[Maccbean]

I had a nightmare trying to keep my labs from chasing the chickens, until one day they each had a very large raw bone in the garden.  They were so preoccupied I let the chickens out to wander amongst them, and it was fine.  I did it a couple more times and they didn't bother with them again. Simples!

[joyfull]

the trouble with that is that my chickens are also partial to pecking at the dogs bones as well 

[Snoop]

Our dog is half hunting dog, half herder and small Alsation sized. She was 2 and a half years old when our two hens arrived. She knows that the word 'mine' means that whatever is being referred to doesn't belong to her. A useful word first introduced when she stole a freshly cleaned trout!

At first she was convinced they were a new toy-cum-food for her. We kept them locked up in the run while she got used to their presence. We let her approach the run when we went to feed them and gave her a right good telling off every time she charged at the run or at one of the hens. Once we got past that, she was repeatedly told 'mine' whenever she showed any interest in them. We gradually began to let them out under supervision. The hens now have the run of the place and in fact will intimidate her if she has something they like the look of. So much so, we sometimes lock the hens up if we want to give the dog a special treat.

The hens came with clipped wings but we have not clipped them since. We've had them about five months and the feathers are definitely growing back. They can be quite scary when they puff themselves up and decide to charge at something.

[joyfull]

I have 2 dogs - a 9 year old Newfoundland cross called Charlie - she knows she isn't allowed to touch so she will avoid them at all costs, and a 2 year old Neapolitan Mastiff called Ollie and even though we had the chickens before we got her she did used to chase them (my hens all free range), however when they got "caught" she didn't know what to do so she left them. Now the only time she bothers is if they are trying to eat either her bones, food or if they come into the house. She does however hate the guinea fowl and soon puts them in their place (they are rather aggressive guinea fowl - far nastier than the dogs  ). One of my previous dogs - Sam a collie cross though would have eaten them so she was never allowed anyway near them unless on a lead.