Dalmation on a constant quest to eat nextdoor's chickens
Discussion
This is causing us some serious headaches at the moment.
We moved house earlier this year. Back garden is large and surrounded on two sides by dry stone wall and on the third side with stock fence.
About 60m of dry stone wall borders next door's fields. They keep chickens and sheep in there and our dog has managed to jump over on several occasions and has killed two chickens and scared the crap out of the sheep. We keep him on a lead out there until we think we have resolved the issue. But each time we thought we had fixed the issue, he finds a new way over.
Last week we had stock fencing put up the whole length of the boundary in front of the wall and he still managed to get in. We think by forcing his way through some shrubbery in one corner that the stock fence couldn't quite cover. Again, we're back to thinking about how to plug that gap but even after doing that, we're both still concerned that we cannot take an eye off him for a second as every time we have let our guard down, he's got over.
It's obviously causing quite a lot of upset to us and our neighbours and right now, is ruining our enjoyment of using the garden and having our dog as we're on egg shells the whole time.
I'm not expecting an instant fix on this but I would be interested to hear from others who've had a similar issues.
I'm really trying to think of physical deterrents and robust training methods but I do worry that we will never actually be able to let him off lead out there as things stand.
We moved house earlier this year. Back garden is large and surrounded on two sides by dry stone wall and on the third side with stock fence.
About 60m of dry stone wall borders next door's fields. They keep chickens and sheep in there and our dog has managed to jump over on several occasions and has killed two chickens and scared the crap out of the sheep. We keep him on a lead out there until we think we have resolved the issue. But each time we thought we had fixed the issue, he finds a new way over.
Last week we had stock fencing put up the whole length of the boundary in front of the wall and he still managed to get in. We think by forcing his way through some shrubbery in one corner that the stock fence couldn't quite cover. Again, we're back to thinking about how to plug that gap but even after doing that, we're both still concerned that we cannot take an eye off him for a second as every time we have let our guard down, he's got over.
It's obviously causing quite a lot of upset to us and our neighbours and right now, is ruining our enjoyment of using the garden and having our dog as we're on egg shells the whole time.
I'm not expecting an instant fix on this but I would be interested to hear from others who've had a similar issues.
I'm really trying to think of physical deterrents and robust training methods but I do worry that we will never actually be able to let him off lead out there as things stand.
A) I assume chickens sheep were happily living in said field unmolested prior to you moving in?
B) They haven't appeared since you arrived.
Assuming (A) then it's all down to you to control/contain the dog.
Unfortunate but you will simply have to build a sufficiently robust pen/run/enclosure/routine to keep it in.
10ft barbed wire stockade, electrocuting neck collar, ball and chain etc whatever.
Even then if it can see said animals It will presumably still be going mental barking etc trying to get at them and planning it's next great escape.
Robust training maybe and building exposure to the animals in a strictly controlled environment.
Desensitising it to the stimulus.
The other answer is of course sell the dog or keep it in all the time... Good luck..
B) They haven't appeared since you arrived.
Assuming (A) then it's all down to you to control/contain the dog.
Unfortunate but you will simply have to build a sufficiently robust pen/run/enclosure/routine to keep it in.
10ft barbed wire stockade, electrocuting neck collar, ball and chain etc whatever.
Even then if it can see said animals It will presumably still be going mental barking etc trying to get at them and planning it's next great escape.
Robust training maybe and building exposure to the animals in a strictly controlled environment.
Desensitising it to the stimulus.
The other answer is of course sell the dog or keep it in all the time... Good luck..
peterperkins said:
A) I assume chickens sheep were happily living in said field unmolested prior to you moving in?
B) They haven't appeared since you arrived.
Assuming (A) then it's all down to you to control/contain the dog.
Unfortunate but you will simply have to build a sufficiently robust pen/run/enclosure/routine to keep it in.
10ft barbed wire stockade, electrocuting neck collar, ball and chain etc whatever.
Even then if it can see said animals It will presumably still be going mental barking etc trying to get at them and planning it's next great escape.
Robust training maybe and building exposure to the animals in a strictly controlled environment.
Desensitising it to the stimulus.
The other answer is of course sell the dog or keep it in all the time... Good luck..
Cheers. All the same thoughts we're having really. And yes, definitely our problem, not the neighbours. Their chickens do occasionally enter our garden but I can't control that so other than letting them know, I'm not losing sleep over that aspect. B) They haven't appeared since you arrived.
Assuming (A) then it's all down to you to control/contain the dog.
Unfortunate but you will simply have to build a sufficiently robust pen/run/enclosure/routine to keep it in.
10ft barbed wire stockade, electrocuting neck collar, ball and chain etc whatever.
Even then if it can see said animals It will presumably still be going mental barking etc trying to get at them and planning it's next great escape.
Robust training maybe and building exposure to the animals in a strictly controlled environment.
Desensitising it to the stimulus.
The other answer is of course sell the dog or keep it in all the time... Good luck..
We may get chickens ourselves but they will be fenced off. It may help with our dog getting used to being around them a bit but the free range ones next door (and the sheep) might still appeal. I think we're going to need to throw the kitchen sink at this and deal with all possibilities before even thinking about letting him off the lead again outside.
A line of electric fence at the end of the garden is the answer. The dog will learn that the chickens are protected by a painful force field, and after a week, will not bother. Our GSD took one encounter with an electric fence to realise that sheep were protected by magic, and not worth looking at.
rxe said:
A line of electric fence at the end of the garden is the answer. The dog will learn that the chickens are protected by a painful force field, and after a week, will not bother. Our GSD took one encounter with an electric fence to realise that sheep were protected by magic, and not worth looking at.
This one had crossed my mind as either a temporary or permanent solution. I wasn't mad keen on doing it permanently as the kids play out there and gardening duties etc. Did you use a mains system or 12v battery?
rxe said:
This was a farmers fence. The dog saw the sheep, ran for them and tangled itself up in the fence. Lots of yelping, and it came running back with its tail between its legs. It’s terrified of sheep now.
I suspect you’d only need the fence live for a week for the “training” to happen.
Cheers. Electric fence set ups aren't too expensive so it might well be a decent option even if just temporary. I suspect you’d only need the fence live for a week for the “training” to happen.
Our Jack Russell was forever throwing himself at the fence trying to dominate next doors dogs so we went down the electronic fence route, using a car battery and a small energiser. It took two days for him to learn going near the fence wasn't a good idea anymore, and now I only need to hook it up once a month as a "reminder"
He now stands six inches from the fence and just barks furiously.
He now stands six inches from the fence and just barks furiously.
Amused2death said:
Our Jack Russell was forever throwing himself at the fence trying to dominate next door's dogs, so we went down the electronic fence route, using a car battery and a small energiser. It took two days for him to learn to go near the fence wasn't a good idea any more, and now I only need to hook it up once a month as a "reminder"
He now stands six inches from the fence and just barks furiously.
Amused- that's what a Jack will do. A jack/Cairn will find a solution, and this mix can be ingenious. I'm an experienced Cairn owner, but I'm gobsmacked by the mix and how they sort out problems. He now stands six inches from the fence and just barks furiously.
Backtothenorth said:
Gad-Westy did you go ahead with the electric fence option and if so has it worked ?
I am about to move to a house in Cumbria where we will have a similar issue.
We eventually managed to plug all the gaps so he can’t get over. All was fine until my pals mental spaniel stayed with us and found a weakness. I am about to move to a house in Cumbria where we will have a similar issue.
I had the opposite issue a few years ago. New neighbours with a whole ark full of animals to keep their kids entertained... dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, chickens, some ducks, a small pony and a goat.
The chickens came over the fence to visit and my 14 stone Great Dane promptly ripped them to pieces. Bit of an eye opener for me as I would have described him as the most placid big dog you could get and he'd shown no interest in them when they were on their own side of the fence. Bit of an eye opener for the kids as well I suspect.
The chickens came over the fence to visit and my 14 stone Great Dane promptly ripped them to pieces. Bit of an eye opener for me as I would have described him as the most placid big dog you could get and he'd shown no interest in them when they were on their own side of the fence. Bit of an eye opener for the kids as well I suspect.
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