Gember the FoxRed Lab

Hi guys,

so we got our pup a couple months back. She is generally good, and has most basic commands sorted. She is locked up in the enclosed area with a kennel and the older Border Collie whenever we are not home, but they generally free range on the block when we are around.

She follows me everywhere, checking the sheep, feeding the chooks and turkeys etc. Tried to chase the sheep once, but I stopped that firmly and hasn't done it since. Never goes into the paddocks or orchard where the chooks and turkeys are without us... only she has found a way to get in.

Yesterday afternoon, I had taken her for a 20 minute walk around the sheep and feeding the chooks then went inside. Came out 10 minutes later to find this. She had found a way back into the chooks, caught and killed one, dragged it across to the front lawn and was eating it.

I took the photo from inside before alerting her, then went outside, growled harshly, finger through collar and marched her directly to the old dog kennel/run and put her away. She knew she had displeased me.

My wife just text to say she has done it again this morning and killed another chook.

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She is on twice a day feeding now, and rarely completely finishes her meal so it can't be from hunger.

Any idea on training against this behaviour?

John

Cool looking pup! Shame about the chooks. What are you feeding her?

chooks

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Originally Posted by berg243

I have been told by someone who had that same problem he tied the last chook it killed to its collar in a fashion so the pup couldn't get it but had to carry it around with it he reckoned it worked but it might make it not want to touch any birds after that.maybe borrow an electric collar and try that if you have time to watch the pup.

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When I was a kid on the farm, the old man did that to any working dog that killed a chook. Tied it to the collar for days and it fixed the issue. But as mentioned, if you intend to use as a retriever, then it could have a negative effect.

I'd rather not do anything that might compromise future use.

She never even looks at the chooks when she comes with me to feed them. Mix of raw and biscuits at different meals - so one or the other.

Would suspect she is attacking them for fun and a play mate rather than food. Know a malamute that used to try play with then.... One swat with a paw and it's game over and roast chook for tea

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Originally Posted by Gapped axe

chooks

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I burst out laughing at that!

My dad did the tie the chook to the dogs collar and leave it there until it rots off trick, dunno if it worked though.
The shepherd on the family farm did a similar thing when his dogs caught goats while pighunting - tie the dog to the goat and give it a hiding, one goat got untied and ran off with my belt around it's horns.

A shock collar might work, if you can watch while hidden and make the dog think it's the chook that give the shock.

If she’s not under your immediate supervision, then lock her up. And dog-proof your chook / turkey enclosure properly.

As a kid I had a jack russel that started doing this. Tied a dead chook to the dog's collar for a day, never touched a chook again. Still caught and killed cats and the odd blackbird. Go easy with the shock collar, it can be a pretty quick way to create and anxious puppy. Good luck

I live on a small farm, so hte breeder has suggested I set up a low electric fence around the orchard so that any time she goes there, she gets a shock. A couple should quickly deter her from going there.

In the meantime, she is kennelled all the time and let out for controlled runs multiple times a day.

Problem is, I leave tomorrow for China for a week for work and that increases workload on my wife and family.

John

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Originally Posted by gqhoon

If she’s not under your immediate supervision, then lock her up. And dog-proof your chook / turkey enclosure properly.

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This. Sorry to say, but tie her up when you guys aren't around.

We only had her free when we were home, and always with the older dog. So not totally unsupervised.

John

An e collar is only going to work if you catch her in the act... and it will work when done right.
it will not affect her as a gundog in the future, and at this stage before you run out of chickens I would be setting her up and dealing with the problem.
she has taught herself to catch and eat her prize, little miss innocent will need to be contained and the chooks need to be dog proofed.

There is an old piece of advice that got a NZ politician in trouble, that may be applicable here. It goes, "A Woman, a Dog and a Walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be."

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Originally Posted by JWB

There is an old piece of advice that got a NZ politician in trouble, that may be applicable here. It goes, "A Woman, a Dog and a Walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they be."

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tongue in cheek i hope
mm once is bad enough but twice is a pattern the tieing dead shit to them is a wives tale.
the only time i saw it practised the dog ate what it was tied to chewed threw the strap rope whatever and f ed off to do the same again.
nip in bud quickly set her up whateva but do it quick.
she,l probably get e fence shy soon enough i wouldnt go that route.

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Update on Gember. I left for 12 Days in China as this was all going down so my wife handled it in my absence. Didn’t end up doing an electric fence. But she spent more time in the run, and more controlled time out.

Since being back she has come with me for good walks around the Farm and doesn’t show an interest in the chooks at all. My wife found another spot where she was squeezing through and covered that as well. But any time she showed interest, she was told off and placed immediately in the run.

Quick learner.

John

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Out on the farm with the dogs burning off our burn pile.

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Spent a couple of hours with Paul Hutton. Training coming along ok. Be better if I could spend more time with her but family pulling together on consistent approach.

Paul would set you on right path...Ive had dogs do it in past and solved it via what now seems draconian methods..... great to hear you seem to have it sorted.I personally HATE Ecollars but for issues like this with right timing they can be pure magic.

Hi guys, Gember is in her first heat, spotting started Thursday 12th... the last few days she is off her food and doesn't seem to be drinking as much. Is this normal?

Cheers, John

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Originally Posted by Sako 243

Hi guys, Gember is in her first heat, spotting started Thursday 12th... the last few days she is off her food and doesn't seem to be drinking as much. Is this normal?

Cheers, John

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She's probably fine. Her hormones will be fair buzzing and her brain isn't interested in anything except mating. Appetite loss is not unusual.

They can get infections but so long as the discharge is not mucussy or smelly she will be right.

I would give her a few more days before worrying.

Im not a vet though, but I've owned hundreds of dogs during my hunting and farming lifetime.