The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: ellied on July 08, 2013, 06:54:26 pm
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Sorry for anyone that has read the whole story on the poultry section but just a cross post to ask if anyone is familiar with Bouviers and knows of any that live happily with ducks?
Or is it breedwise a disaster waiting to happen?
The owner wouldn't mind if they retrieved them alive and they're not aggressive with people or other dogs at all, but she has seen them kill a partridge they'd cornered and is now worrying about taking forward her new duckpond with duck island plan to the logical conclusion of purchasing ducks.. It's at least 4 weeks from being ready for habitation so I offered to check duckowners and dogowners on here meantime..
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I'll look up the other thread but I wouldn't trust any breed completely with ducks or chickens, unless they'd come in as a baby pup (8weeks) with the poultry already there, so that training could be done from the outset
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:wave:
I have managed (slowly) to train both a Lab X and a Greyhound not to take any notice of the chickens or ducks. Both were adult dogs (Lab X was 10 when first introduced to poultry and the Greyhound was 3). Lots of watching, rewarding good behaviour and ensuring you have preventative measures in place is the best way to go. We also made sure that all the poultry have electric fencing they can get behind if they feel threatened.
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It is all a case of training. I have working sheepdogs and German shepherds and they have all been taught to ignore hens. With some it just takes a wee bit longer than others ;D
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As they are a flock guardian breed (correct me if I'm wrong!), with training they may be fine with them, but anything else may be fair game.