I have an opportunity to pick up a 1 1/2 to 2 year old herding breed dog, caught in middle of a divorce. Wife moved away and husband travels all the time.
This dog has lived reasonably peacefully with hogs, cows, cats and 30 chickens until recently. The man recently found two of his 30 chickens (which free range) missing and the feathers in a couple of the dog's favorite places. So that's why he suspects she did it.
My needs are a general farm dog with some low-level herding, assisting this old 61-yr old woman put the free-range chickens up evenings and move 2-4 calves/steers and 2-4 pigs/hogs to new movable pens daily. That's it. I don't care about competition or moving huge herds of cattle.
The dog is well-socialized with people. He feels the dog killed the two chickens recently out of boredom.
Do you think this dog is worth the risk or not? Is it possible to rehabilitate a chicken-killer once they've started like this? Chickens will be the largest part of our farming enterprise.
Thanks.
