Can You Rehabilitate a Chicken-Killer?

[Connie L]

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.

[RMSBORDERCOLLIES]

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.

 

This is a very good question and deals with actual work that a dog needs to do during the day and it also requires that the dog be very diversified in what she does. I think the dog will work fine for you, however some basic rules need to be applied. First of all, the dog must not be allowed to free roam as this is what gets all farm dogs into trouble. They are very compulsive and obsessive beings and their minds are very busy and if you leave them to do as they will, they will, more often than not, do something you don't want them to do. Also, for the safety of the dog , she should be confined, preferable in a kennel run when not needed to work. She can also be with you when you are outside and able to cotnrol her movements. If you allow her in the house, that's ok too. She should never be outside in an uncontrolled environment when you are not around. I wouldn't say that she is a chicken killer just because whe killed two chickens when no one was around so there really isn't a problem here other than the fact she was alowed to be loose and uncontrolled. I take it she has already been trained to work the cows and chickens on the old owners place so if that is right she should work for you once she is bonded to you. If she has not been trained then you have some work to do and you can get back with specific questions on that at any time. So let me know how you made out and if you need more help with the dog and we'll carry on from there. Sorry about the delay on answering but I am getting ready to go in for knee replacement surgery on Friday and have been very busy lately.........Bob