My dog killed my chicken :(

[James Smith]

Today my dog snuck outside into my backyard and killed our chicken. The thing is our chicken was so sweet and innocent. I'm just feeling a lot of mixed emotions right now. I just can't stop feeling that if I just payed more attention, then I could've prevented this. I don't know if I should punish my dog or not. It just pains me that she was killed brutally when she didn't deserve it. Any advice? Should I do something to punish my dog? We just purchased the appropriate food for our chick too, it just really makes me sad.

 

[sourland]

sorry for the circumstances. Don't punish the dog. She will have no idea as to why she is being punished. Next step is training the dog to 'leave' the chickens and realize that she should never be allowed alone with the chickens.

 

[Suzi18]

If you don't catch a dog while it's actually in the act, there is no point in punishing it. It will have absolutely no idea why. It isn't the dogs fault it's in their nature. Keep the chickens or the dog locked up and you won't have the problem

 

[pennyJo1960]

hate but want to also say hey still sorry for that to happen what kind of dog but when you said you forgot yes you are the intelligent one, I would not punish the dog no it did what is natural to many my Labrador wants to bring them to me they have 1/8 an acre to roam but there is a fence between dogs and chickens

 

[rjohns39]

Unfortunately, some dogs genetically hunt and kill birds. My avatar has only bit me once and that was when I was moving a new chicken into its shelter. When it flapped its wings, she just couldn't help herself--genetics took over. That said, when my morans and my turkey hens visited her in her run, she didn't attack. When the turkey pecked at her fur and walked all over her, she just got up and moved. The morans were eating within a foot of her and she didn't move. But as soon as she sees flapping wings, she can't help herself. Let's just chalk this one up to an unfortunate incident in nature.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome, and so sorry! It's what dogs do, until they are trained to ignore the chickens, or they are kept separate AT ALL TIMES. That's my current situation, although in years gone by, my puppies learned to leave the chickens strictly alone. It's training, and separation when you aren't training, and lots of supervision. Really good fencing!!! Mary

 

[BonDEEroo]

There are some articles on getting dogs to leave chickens alone in BYC. But I just think they don't mix and dogs cannot help it and cannot be trusted.

 

[Ole rooster]

For me, anytime a persons dog kills a chicken, place to blame on the owner. Dogs can be trained. The owner is responsible for that. My wife's GS killed one of my chickens when she was a pup. Now she goes in the pens with me and just watches. They do whatever they do and she just sits and watches.

If you catch your dog in the act, yes, correction at that time works. 5 minutes later they don't have a clue.

One thing I make sure I don't do is get a bird dog. That is just plain ole not smart.

 

[jvls1942]

I have hunted all my life,
just what kind of hunting dog catches and kills birds ? None that I know of.
and the dog can be admonished after the fact. to catch them "in the act" is quite rare.
if an owner's dog kills a chicken, it is the owner's fault for not teaching the dog to leave the chickens alone.
If the owner does not take steps now to teach the dog, then they had better get used to losing more chickens in the future.
and don't give me the lame argument that once a dog kills a chicken he can never be trained..

 

[centrarchid]

I do not punish a dog that is not caught in the act. But......., at least my dog knew when they did bad. My dogs are out with birds most of the time and without me being around. When a younger dog slips up and harms chickens the same dog will more likely that not be hiding or acting differently before I find out something is amiss. Last round involved getting into feed where offending dog hid in bushes when I got home. Dog was covered in evidence. Dog knows I do not like that behavior yet dog makes independent decisions. My dogs at least are smarter than general public gives credit for.