How to Stop dogs from killing Chickens and running away

[Dusty and Angel]

How do I stop two dogs that are lab Mix. from killing my neighbors Chickens They killed one before how to stop them other than re homing the dos?

 

[0wen]

If they're your dogs - don't let them run free. Build a fence.

If they're random dogs - I'd dispatch them or find them a new home if they're livestock killers.

 

[DutchBunny03]

If they are your dogs, be careful. The chicken owner may have the legal right to shoot your dog if he goes in his property again. Invest in a shock color, a trainer, or a good ground tie.

 

[junebuggena]

Fence them in or keep them leashed and supervised when outside. It's your responsibility to keep your dogs under control at all times. This means making sure that you have good fencing or you use a leash.

 

[Phoenixxx]

An invisible fence works wonders and is far more economical than a physical fence. I would start there since chicken training dogs can be a long process, taking anywhere from several days to several months, during which there will be casualties.

There is another thread about training dogs not to kill chickens. One fellow that commented cured his dog of killing chickens by sitting on his porch with his dog, a chicken in his lap and a rolled-up newspaper in his free hand. Anytime his dog looked at the chicken, he struck it firmly on the snout with the paper and said, "MY chicken!" After a while, the dog learned to ignore the chicken and he hasn't had an issue since. This method is certainly a bit unorthodox and I didn't use it on my dogs, but if you think it might work with your dogs (please don't try it if they're the sensitive sort, though!), perhaps your neighbour will let you borrow a chicken for an afternoon?

 

[dainerra]

An invisible fence works wonders and is far more economical than a physical fence. I would start there since chicken training dogs can be a long process, taking anywhere from several days to several months, during which there will be casualties.

There is another thread about training dogs not to kill chickens. One fellow that commented cured his dog of killing chickens by sitting on his porch with his dog, a chicken in his lap and a rolled-up newspaper in his free hand. Anytime his dog looked at the chicken, he struck it firmly on the snout with the paper and said, "MY chicken!" After a while, the dog learned to ignore the chicken and he hasn't had an issue since. This method is certainly a bit unorthodox and I didn't use it on my dogs, but if you think it might work with your dogs (please don't try it if they're the sensitive sort, though!), perhaps your neighbour will let you borrow a chicken for an afternoon?

Just be aware that they don't work for all dogs. My lab could not have cared less about the correction, even on it's highest setting. He would SCREAM as he ran through, stop on the other side to shake it off, and continue on his merry way.

The second method that you describe isn't going to teach anything except that the dog knows that he can't trust his owner. You aren't actually telling him anything so he has no idea why he is suddenly being smacked with a newspaper.

A more productive method is to work on the "leave it" command. Of course, for some dogs that only works when they are supervised. But if your dogs routinely leave the yard, you have more serious problems than the killing the neighbors chickens. That doesn't mean that if you sucessfully stop them from killing chickens that the problem is over. They are most likely simply going to find another fun game.
You need to either boundary train them or, most effectively, put up a fence. If you aren't out there with them, the dogs don't need acres to run around. Put up a kennel - you can get them cheaply - or build a dog run.

 

[Phoenixxx]

Just be aware that they don't work for all dogs.    My lab could not have cared less about the correction, even on it's highest setting.   He would SCREAM as he ran through, stop on the other side to shake it off, and continue on his merry way.   

The second method that you describe isn't going to teach anything except that the dog knows that he can't trust his owner.   You aren't actually telling him anything so he has no idea why he is suddenly being smacked with a newspaper.

A more productive method is to work on the "leave it" command.   Of course, for some dogs that only works when they are supervised.  But if your dogs routinely leave the yard, you have more serious problems than the killing the neighbors chickens.    That doesn't mean that if you sucessfully stop them from killing chickens that the problem is over.   They are most likely simply going to find another fun game.  

You need to either boundary train them or, most effectively, put up a fence.   If you aren't out there with them, the dogs don't need acres to run around.   Put up a kennel - you can get them cheaply - or build a dog run.

The trick with the invisible fence is knowing your dog, I guess you could say... the breed I have has one of the highest pain tolerances of all dogs so she would just go right through when there was something TERRIBLY important on the other side (another dog, me walking down to check mail). I had to get the "stubborn dog" collar. I didn't mess with going through the stages, I set it right at the highest level. It worked better, but still not 100% so I widened the correction zone to 20'. She was still crossing the odd time, like she wasn't getting the full correction. I hired a trainer to come over and turns out I didn't have the collar properly located and adjusted so the contacts were only touching occasionally. Well, wouldn't you know it - she tried one more time, and never ever ever went through again. Now I don't even have to use it because the boundary is so ingrained in them,but i still pUT them on when there's a possibility of "temptations" walking by. The little one (my second puppy, 9 months younger) was going through with the regular collar as well. Since she was much younger when she did her training, I only had to put the "stubborn dog" collar on her once - she did NOT like the result and now heeds the warning tones from the regular collar, thinking she has the powerful one on.

Yes, "leave it"/"drop it" is the ideal way to go and the route I've taken with mine. The problem is when they decide that it's a game... they "drop it" only to wait for you to come near, snatch it up and take off again! It's a frustrating process but the "babies" always got through relatively unscathed (except if I wasn't home to catch them). I always tried to stop them giving chase as soon as I noticed them thinking about it. "Stay" helps, if they decide to hear you. There is a training tool I found recently (we now have excessive/unnecessary barking issues) that will also work very well for stopping a chase in action: it's called the "pet corrector", but I call it "the hissy can". I wish I had found it during the early days of chicken-training! Basically it makes a loud "hiss" that causes the pet to immediately redirect focus. I'm still on my first can and barely have to use it anymore - my puppies now respond to "enough"! without it and my neighbours are much happier

 

[dainerra]

Yes, "leave it"/"drop it" is the ideal way to go and the route I've taken with mine. The problem is when they decide that it's a game... they "drop it" only to wait for you to come near, snatch it up and take off again! It's a frustrating process but the "babies" always got through relatively unscathed (except if I wasn't home to catch them). I always tried to stop them giving chase as soon as I noticed them thinking about it. "Stay" helps, if they decide to hear you. There is a training tool I found recently (we now have excessive/unnecessary barking issues) that will also work very well for stopping a chase in action: it's called the "pet corrector", but I call it "the hissy can". I wish I had found it during the early days of chicken-training! Basically it makes a loud "hiss" that causes the pet to immediately redirect focus. I'm still on my first can and barely have to use it anymore - my puppies now respond to "enough"! without it and my neighbours are much happier

the "trade up" game is a great way to teach "drop it"
all things work best if you start the training BEFORE there is a problem, of course. When it comes to redirecting a dog's attention, that is one thing that your friend's method had right - you give the "leave it" command when the dog looks at the object. Once their attention is focused on it, you've lost the battle. Distance training is the best way to start - you work far enough away that the dog knows the distraction is there but can keep their attention on you.Over time you decrease the distance.

For Cypher, we had a stubborn dog collar, set at maximum strength with the max boundary and duration of correction. And it wasn't to cross the boundary to get to something interesting on the other side but to simply go roam the neighborhood.
Another down side is, if your dog does blast the fence, they will not come back into the yard. Unless you turn off the fence, the dog will get a correction for wanting to come home. And some dogs will wander elsewhere. We were lucky that Cypher would simply walk to the boundary, bark and then sit waiting for someone to come take off the collar and bring him in.

 

[FarmerTony]

If they are your dogs, stop letting them run free. If they are your chickens you have a selection of possible solutions in various calibres. 5.56 and 7.62 are best.

After the fact, grab some jute and a knitting needle, push it through the dead chickens ribs and then tie it around the dogs neck and let it rot. A neighbor did this and ever since that dog wont go near chickens.

 

[FarmerTony]

If they are your dogs, be careful. The chicken owner may have the legal right to shoot your dog if he goes in his property again. Invest in a shock color, a trainer, or a good ground tie.

I'm not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice.

In my experience at least in Oklahoma, the chicken owner has the legal right to shoot your dog on his property and demand financial compensation for any damage it did. If the chickens were laying hens, this includes the value of the bird plus 180 eggs. So you could be looking at $30 a chicken unless they are show chickens that have been appraised. Roosters can end up costing you more if they are actively breeding chickens and it causes them to suspend hatchery operation. In certain circumstances the owner also has the right to pursue the dog onto your property and kill it, e.g. if its dragging an injured animal or other property.

The landowner does not need a reason to shoot your dog on his property. The threat to his livestock is legally presumed. Only if the predator in question is otherwise protected by law (threatened or endangered species e.g. black bear) must actual damage predicate the killing.