[Kitchen Cottage]

I've had my blind rescue dog Luca since November when he was brought from Bulgaria.  He was on the streets.  He is a lovely dog but a bit stressy and also a total food machine.  Not surprising for an ex stray but if I was in a post apocolypic world, I would want Luca.  He is the one who finds the hidden eggs, the left behind biscuits, the mouse Twinkle has dropped.  He is just programmed to FIND FOOD.

If Luca is quiet, you start to think he is up to something.

Cleaning the new chicken house and hearing nothing for a while.  I went out to find he's killed one of the battery hens and is tucking into her like a good un.

Any thoughts as to what to do?  I don't have him in sight all the time, my current thoughts are to muzzle him and let him continue free roaming with a muzzle.  Also to seperate him from me more, he is much more compliant if he has been in the utility room, for no reason other than Misty hasn't stressed him out.   I left him in there last night and put him back in this morning when i went to work.

[Greenerlife]

Am I the only person who opened this thinking "a chicken ate a dog!  Really?"   


I haven't got an answer for you though.  Don't most dogs think "must have food" all the time?  My Parsons certainly does! (He's upstairs on my bed after being up past three am last night knowing a marrow bone I foolishly gave him to stop him running round like a loon after his bath!)  I would expect t hat Luca just wants to be near someone who he knows loves him.

[in the hills]

KC - Now he has done it once chances are that he will be keen to do it again. Is his general obedience good? Does he know and respect a 'leave' command? Does he usually chase the hens ..... guessing not if he free roams? Think you will have to supervise him really closely and not have him out with you if you are doing jobs where he can't be watched. Maybe more training.

Never used a muzzle. Suppose he could still chase/ scare birds when muzzled though. May not be the total answer.

Our lab pup, now 9 mnths, is a totally food orientated dog .... and with absolutely no reason! She will gobble down dead mice, steal food given half a chance and dug up and consumed our artichokes. Her breeder said they caught her mum harvesting their nan's lettuces! Luca has a reason for his food obsession but lots of dogs are the same. Kate eats like she's been starved and totally adores any food.

[Dreich Pete]

I sympathise - with you, the dog, and especially the poor hen that came to an unexpected end. We've had our hens for 20 hours and although our intelligent Spaniel has investigated and pretty much dismissed the hens in their run, our sawdust-for-brains Labrador is fixated on them and won't go outside without making a beeline for the run, although he isn't lunging at them or barking. He has previously caught one of the neighbour's hens and the pair of them regularly flush pheasant from our garden. I look forward to any advice you receive.

[in the hills]

DP - Luca is maybe a little bit different. Did you have your lab from a pup? How obedient is he in general? Our lab pup grew up with stock and ignores them. If she occasionally is in 'high' spirits' runs towards them or shows 'interest' in them, we give a sharp 'no' command. This reminds her that they are not something that she needs to bother with.

Both her and our Flat Coat are very interested in pheasants and game! They see these as different from our poultry. Again they can be given a 'no' command to leave.

Are your chickens a new addition? If so and your lab. knows the 'no' command and is generally obedient then I would only take him out on a lead initially. Every time he shows interest in the hens I would give a sharp no and pull away/ walk off. Once he has had a general look at the hens I would make it very clear to him that they are none of his business. Wouldn't let him sit watching them and would supervise him outside for a while. Heel him off lead away from the pen, round the pen etc. His eyes should be on you and your commands and not fixated on the hens.

Hope that helps .... bit difficult to say more as don't know how trained your dog is.

[Dreich Pete]

That sounds like good way forward. I've been standing with our Lab while he watches the hens and I've been keeping him calm, but I suppose getting him to be uninterested is probably a better way forward.

[Kitchen Cottage]

Luca will come when called.  He just sort of trots around.  Because he has been a street dog for a long time, his commands aren't great.... also, he will have learnt any commands in Bulgarian originally.

He is far more food obsessed than any other dog I have had.  His whole purpose of being outside is to find food and only food. 

As for catching them, he is totally blind so it is more luck than judgement, he would definitely try again I think if allowed unsupervised access. 

The muzzle is better for me because it means when I am painting or whatever I don't have to keep looking

[SallyintNorth]

KC, how would you think that blind Luca came to be able to catch and kill a chook?  Is it possible he came across a dead or ailing chook, and just did what came naturally?  In other words, it may still be safe for him to mooch about off lead. 

I think I'd be inclined to take him where there'll be chooks and watch him.  (Assuming he'd stop if you shouted, of course.)  It may be he doesn't chase them, just that if one was on the ground and not running away, then he'd take the opportunity.

My gut feeling is that Luca, who lives through his ears and nose, being blind, would be more severely constrained by a muzzle than a seeing dog.  I know you are very fond of him, so I think I'd be looking for alternatives before muzzling him.

[Kitchen Cottage]

I don't think the chook was ill.  It was drizzling and the chooks all hide in the cartlodge.  I suspect he was lucky enough to catch one as they scattered.

He chases the ducks but not usually the chooks.  Having discovered this source of food though, I don't think there is a scoobies chance he won't do it again. 

I was looking at a basket muzzle which should keep his eats and nose clear and allow him to bark... he is a great vocaliser....

[in the hills]

KC - if it works when you can't supervise then it has to be a good thing. Would he be distressed by a muzzle?
Things are a bit different with Luca because of his start in life so guessing that you have to do things very slowly and carefully to keep his trust and confidence. Training more commands will probably help in lots of ways, him and you, when you feel the time is right.

DP - My father trained gundogs and I think that once your lab has had a little look at your new hens then that is it, he should be taught that they are none of his business. Dads dogs pick up/trial etc but poultry are nothing to do with them and they have to leave. My sister has 2 cocker spaniels and used a gentle approach letting them 'look' endlessly at her pet rabbits. So that is what they did forever more! They were obsessed!

If your lab is obedient, you could sit him near the hen coop. Give stay command. Walk back, just 2 steps to start with and call to you. Then increase distance. Sit him behind the coop, just to the side, stay command, then recall. He has to come and ignore the hens that are between you and him. Ideas are just to really instil in him the message that you are in command .... hens or not. It's 'upping' his obedience so that he ignores the hens and knows that you are in charge whatever the distraction. Of course plenty of praise/reward when he does well.

If he doesn't know all his basics then it's those without the chickens as distraction to start with. 

Cross posted with SITN. Think KC could be right in that maybe the hen fluttered in his direction. We had a blind Flat Coat who could still manage to locate and pick up healthy pheasants from a hedgerow if he 'dropped' on one!  My guess is that at some point he will manage it again! Think SITN is right in that some dogs don't like things over their faces but you can try it and read from his body language whether or not it is a possibility.

[john and helen]

even if he is muzzled, won't he still hurt or possibly kill another chicken with his front paws,
not wanting to sound cruel, i think i would leave the dog either tied up, or indoors  until the hens are safe

[doganjo]

even if he is muzzled, won't he still hurt or possibly kill another chicken with his front paws,
not wanting to sound cruel, i think i would leave the dog either tied up, or indoors  until the hens are safe

I don't think that would be the case.  The hens will now scatter when they see him coming so he won't really get near enough to hammer them - I think a basket muzzle is the ideal solution to enable freedom for all concerned. 

[shygirl]

we used a plastic basket muzzle with success as my gsd used to nip the ponies. seemed comfortable though she didn't like it. keep them out of reach when not in used as we have had 2 chewed to pieces.

so is luca completely blind or partially? I was amazed he got a hen, he must have a good sense of smell.
I do chain up my terrier for about 30 mins if hes out unsupervised, they do get used to it.

I think most of us have lost hens to dogs. my lhaso apso was the worst as he never killed them, just deskinned them whilst they were alive. awful. he must have took 30 in his lifetime, including 20 young pullets in one go.

[Kitchen Cottage]

Wow! Misty never goes near the birds.... I keep forgetting how fab she is (working cocker).  He is VERY good at finding things and the chooks are very used to walking among the dogs (there are 6 here, 3 of them mine).  He is totally blind but quite capable of catching the cats (to cuddle them) and would DEFINITELY get a Hen,  He is over 10 so very set in his ways.

Basket muzzle it is, he won't like it but tough!

[Kitchen Cottage]

All the othen hens were happily sitting next to him watching him eat their foster sister....