Ready To Kill The Dog (am joking I think)

[VirginVegGrower]

Anyone else had a hyperventilating dog over the fact that we now have hens in his garden? Any sage words of wisdom as so far he has managed to trample all over my sweet pea and lettuce seedlings in his efforts to get on the window sill. He then proceeded to jump on my Duresta sofa with soiled up paws
He is well and truly in the doghouse and he just keeps charging from one end of the living room to the other. He is driving me potty. He keeps whining and panting and shaking. We have had him on the lead walking past them and he engaged four paw wheel drive which took some pulling back. He has also forgotten what "no" means.
The other dog is intrigued but quite content. Not agitated.
I will be hairless by the end of the day at this rate. OH has also informed me that he is out tomorrow in a meeting so I am on my own - cheers sweetie - love you too (NOT!)

[PAULW]

Try a muzzle, I have a terrier dog that has a youngster would do the wall of death around the car when left he would also "bait" his mother who would sit in the drivers side footwell to get out of the way, the muzzle went on and a new quite calm dog appeared, wish I had thought of this years ago with other dogs I have had.

[VirginVegGrower]

Try a muzzle, I have a terrier dog that has a youngster would do the wall of death around the car when left he would also "bait" his mother who would sit in the drivers side footwell to get out of the way, the muzzle went on and a new quite calm dog appeared, wish I had thought of this years ago with other dogs I have had.

He's fine in every other way and was the perfect dog until the hens came. It has taken me until now, stroking his ears, saying no until my throat hurt, cajoling him, finally he is laid out on the sofa having exhausted himself. And if he isn't, I AM!

[OverWyreGrower]

Our dogs (Boxers) can't be anywhere near our birds. There is a 2m high fence wire between them....

The dogs will do a 'sit and wait' at the fence (rather than headbutting it, in an attempt to get to the birds) but spend the entire time shivering with anticipation in case the fence magically disappears and they can eat all the birds

They were a lot more frantic when we first got the hens (and the fence wasn't there). However they would spend all their time right up again the hen's run....

You can try and do some desensitisation work....

Your dog needs to be on a lead, and you need some REALLY tasty treats (cheese, hot dog sausage, cooked liver, chicken etc)

You need to encourage the dog to be calm around the hens, so get him to sit/down near them and treat him. Whenever he is calm, give him a treat, and find a command to use ("calm", "steady", "quiet" etc)

Of course, dependent on the type of dog he is and his personality, being 'calm' around the hens will be different to what my version of calm is!!

At this stage, don't try and get him to be among the birds etc, all you want at this point is that he isn't charging around/whining/pacing etc.

If he associates seeing the hens (and not trying to eat them!) with yummy treats, you've achieved!

[Munch]

My dog (a Staffie) was really excited to see the hens for the first time and would pace up and down their run.

I am 'lucky' in the fact that our dog we ill treated before we had him as we only have to raise our voices and he does as he is told. When we let them free range things were slightly different until one of the hens grabbed his tail, chased up the garden and when he submitted on his back she jumped on his belly for good measure.

Now our big burley, manly staffie just puts his head down and slyly walks past them hoping they dont notice! (3 years on and 6 more hens!)

But on the advice note im with OWG! good luck, im sure your dog will get used to them soon.

[VirginVegGrower]

Our dogs (Boxers) can't be anywhere near our birds. There is a 2m high fence wire between them....

The dogs will do a 'sit and wait' at the fence (rather than headbutting it, in an attempt to get to the birds) but spend the entire time shivering with anticipation in case the fence magically disappears and they can eat all the birds

They were a lot more frantic when we first got the hens (and the fence wasn't there). However they would spend all their time right up again the hen's run....

You can try and do some desensitisation work....

Your dog needs to be on a lead, and you need some REALLY tasty treats (cheese, hot dog sausage, cooked liver, chicken etc)

You need to encourage the dog to be calm around the hens, so get him to sit/down near them and treat him. Whenever he is calm, give him a treat, and find a command to use ("calm", "steady", "quiet" etc)

Of course, dependent on the type of dog he is and his personality, being 'calm' around the hens will be different to what my version of calm is!!

At this stage, don't try and get him to be among the birds etc, all you want at this point is that he isn't charging around/whining/pacing etc.

If he associates seeing the hens (and not trying to eat them!) with yummy treats, you've achieved!

My dog (a Staffie) was really excited to see the hens for the first time and would pace up and down their run.

I am 'lucky' in the fact that our dog we ill treated before we had him as we only have to raise our voices and he does as he is told. When we let them free range things were slightly different until one of the hens grabbed his tail, chased up the garden and when he submitted on his back she jumped on his belly for good measure.

Now our big burley, manly staffie just puts his head down and slyly walks past them hoping they dont notice! (3 years on and 6 more hens!)

But on the advice note im with OWG! good luck, im sure your dog will get used to them soon.

We have been praising him lots but I have taken your advice on board and cooked some hot dog sausages, chopped them up and he is currently sitting for them on the lead with his dad (pack leader as far as Rupert is concerned ). He is shaking so much though and I am not sure whether it is anticipation at sausages or the hens. The latter seem not too bothered, but we the adults are terrified, which isn't helping.

[OverWyreGrower]

He is shaking so much though and I am not sure whether it is anticipation at sausages or the hens.

Both, probably!!

The idea is that it becomes so routine, eventually he isn't bothered by the hens, or, at least, isn't AS bothered by the hens!

My hens don't care that the dogs headbutt the fence... in fact, they completely ignore them!

[Hilary B]

2 details, reward him for taking less notice of the hens, and make sure you don't accidentally reward him for being over-excited. It can be very easy to get the reward associated with the exact opposite of what you intended!

[kentish girl]

My hens rule the roost over the 2 dogs both terrier crosses, the ex batts will not tolerate the dogs too close & see then off by charging at them its amazing to watch

[Two_Sheds]

I'd definitely put a soft nylon muzzle (eBay) on when he's being 'naughty'. We use one on Star because she goes loopy around certain animals. The muzzle immediately calms her down - when she behaves again it comes off

[VirginVegGrower]

We've had another egg in 24 hours. I am so eggcited. Rupert is lying down now and isn't the slightest bit interested at the moment - we gave him a sausage for coming back to us on the lead. Every time he went to look he was called for another sausage. He has eaten his way through two tins today and will soon look like a sausage.
Thanks for all the advice. I may resort to a muzzle but want to see if I can cure him with kindness first.
He was a quiet dog until they arrived - honest!

[Glutton4...]

LOL @ Munch - I would have loved to have seen that Chook dominating our Staffie - Hilarious! We have rellies with a Cocker Spaniel, she went mental when she saw our Chooks, so I let her run up to the leccy fence, and get her nose zapped. Lesson learned!

Just waiting for Oscar to do the same, so far he has been placid around them, but that may be because the Geese are there, and they're bigger than him at the moment.

[PAULW]

We've had another egg in 24 hours. I am so eggcited. Rupert is lying down now and isn't the slightest bit interested at the moment - we gave him a sausage for coming back to us on the lead. Every time he went to look he was called for another sausage. He has eaten his way through two tins today and will soon look like a sausage.
Thanks for all the advice. I may resort to a muzzle but want to see if I can cure him with kindness first.
He was a quiet dog until they arrived - honest!

VVG
The muzzle isn't a punishment it is a tool to help calm the dog, my dog will quite willingly wear the muzzle when I deem it necessary

[VirginVegGrower]

VVG
The muzzle isn't a punishment it is a tool to help calm the dog, my dog will quite willingly wear the muzzle when I deem it necessary

I will consider it as a last resort, but just don't want to go down that route unless I have to.
I do appreciate the advice and have already ran this past OH.

[its hilly]

My german shepherd chases owt that moves, which includes the chooks. Fortunately it's the chase which interests her, not the taste, she never bites. However now that girls are getting used to her they tend not to run the same, allowing us to call her back.