Chook Me!

How do u train a dog not to kill poultry?

My mini Dachshund keeps killing our goselings & we don't know how to train her to stop. Our baset is the same way. If we can't train them not 2 we'll have to use a shock collar. So does anyone know how to train them?

Public Comments

1. I would find some one who trains hunting dogs. They would know how to stop this best. I would think so anyhow. You could also call a dog behavioral specialist. Look in your phone book. If you cant find some one who trains hunting dogs then try buying a hunting magazine that has to do with hunting ducks and things that you would use dogs for. Then just look in the back. I'm sure there will be a add for a trainer. Some one had said something about people who train dogs to hunt couldn't help. Well first off what do you think they do? The dogs want to Chase the duck or rabbit etc... but the trainer teaches the dog to stop until told to go. So by doing this she could teach her dog to stop and then get a hold of her dog and give it a reward for not chasing it. This way the dog learns that if it stops and doesn't kill it gets a reward.
2. ok this is how. get 1 goseling and your mini d. use a collar and lise your mini d. and put a goseling close to it. not to close to bite it. just to look and get use to. do that for a couple of weeks. each time you do that get mini d. closer and closer until mini d. can touch but not bite.
3. Check out this guy's website. He's had to train his dogs to guard livestock and not kill them. I think you might find some useful information there.
4. Ok, first of all, hunting dog trainers can't help you. The bird dogs, pointers, etc., instinctively freeze (point) and don't try to kill the bird. Waterfowl dogs (retrievers) are kept still and quiet until the bird is shot, then they bring back the carcass, even if it's still alive. They're in it for the retrieve, not the kill. Killing of the birds is generally not a problem hunting dog trainers have to deal with. Secondly, if you use a shock collar, you are still training them, don't think that's something different, and you had BETTER learn how to use a shock collar correctly, because it is REALLY easy to screw up a dog using one wrong. Thirdly, why do your dogs have access to the goslings in the first place?! Once a dog has killed, it is much harder to teach them not to than it would have been to keep them from killing in the first place. So you are going to have to work REALLY hard at this. It might actually be a good idea to use the shock collar, if you do your research and make sure you use it right. The proper use of shock collars in a life-or-death situation cannot be considered cruel if that's what you're thinking. What's more cruel, giving your dog a harmless shock, or allowing the chick to be ripped apart or eaten alive? But if you want to stop them without the shock collar, you first need to make sure that they NEVER, absolutely NEVER have access to the goslings, period. They must be kept separated, not allowed in the yard/pen, wherever, and any time they do go near them, they must be on a leash. There are many methods you can follow from this point. The one I recommend would be to associate being calm near the goslings with something good. For this I would put your dog on a down-stay in the house or in a closed-off part of the yard where you can bring just one gosling inside and hold it in your hand so it is protected. It might help to use two people if your dog really goes nuts, but basically, if he breaks the down-stay or makes a move to snap at the chick, you whisk the chick away, correct the dog however you usually use corrections in training, and return him to his down stay. If he stays, he gets treats. If he turns away from the gosling he gets treats. Be patient and consistent, and soon he will learn that ignoring the gosling is a good thing. Once he's there, let the chick loose, stay with the dog and do the same thing. Once he can handle one loose chick, you can add more, until finally he'll be fine around all of them. Then, and ONLY then, start walking him around them on a leash. Same thing with corrections for any bad behavior, treats for good. Once he's able to walk among all the chicks on a leash and not molest them, then and ONLY then do you allow him to be off leash near them. It will take quite a bit of time to accomplish this, so work at it every day, give your dog the chance, and as long as you are seeing improvement, keep at it. Good luck!