Herding Dog People -

[noisymina]

When a "herding" dog kills a chook and the owner doesn't see it as greatly significant because "it was just the herding instinct kicking in", what would be your thoughts on the subject?

Just to claify, I believe the chook was free range on the property at the time and the dog did not have to get into any enclosure etc to get to the chook.

Oh - and to clarify further - it's a mixed breed dog too.

Edited November 8, 2010 by noisymina

[Staranais]

I don't know much about herding, but it sounds like simple prey drive to me. My girl would definitely kill a chook if it got into our yard.

[JulesP]

I wouldn't think it was significant if any dog killed a chicken. Mine tend to round them up and haven't killed chickens when they have been around them but I wouldn't be horrified if they did kill one. Dogs kill things.

[wuffles]

Depends on owner perception of what's right and what's not

My girl killed a chook at her breeder's house when she was about 6 weeks old. Yet at her first herding clinic she was only mildly interested in the sheepies, and she was very, very gentle with them.

Edited November 8, 2010 by wuffles

[Vickie]

Tell your friend herding instinct is a truncated prey drive. The bit that's truncated is the kill!

JRT next door killed a chook last week, not an ounce of herding breed in him

Edited November 8, 2010 by Vickie

[jesomil]

Any dog can kill a chook, herding or not. It doesnt take much to kill a chook.

[noisymina]

Thanks for all the replies.

So it doesn't follow that one should be concerned for any small children this dog might also be associating with?

Since, I assume, the kids are part of the pack and not prey?

[wuffles]

So it doesn't follow that one should be concerned for any small children this dog might also be associating with?

Since, I assume, the kids are part of the pack and not prey?

:D Sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but there is a slight difference between chickens and human children.

My girl who has killed a chicken is brilliant with kids and small fluffy dogs.

[Staranais]

I'm no behaviourist, but I personally wouldn't worry if there are no other danger signs. Many dogs would kill chickens just like they would "kill" a tug toy, neither means they would hurt a child.

If the dogs are acting in a predatory way towards the child, that's another matter entirely.

[persephone]

I don't think there is a worry for any kids ..

Ermmm earlier this year we had adolescents( pups) .... and we lost about 12 guinea fowl . Dogs are now happily chasing sheep instead( and not killing them :D )

They don't pay much attention to the remaining guineas now ....altho are never left alone with them!

Most of our dogs have killed at least one chook.... even my Kieran,(Dane X) who was the only dog I have ever completely trusted with babies/kids killed one .. mainly from pouncing on it with his then 36 or so puppy kilos :D

One dog we have killed an old chook ..and there was no biting involved. She just 'set' it and 'set' it , stalking... until it died of stress.

One of our dogs used to regularly catch an old chook.. then put it in a hole, upside down.....chook survived this several times .

(Oh- and I am talking a period of over 20 years here... there certainly is not a free for all poultry carnage ! ,except the pups for that month or two ..but we didn't realise for ages ) )

[noisymina]

Thank you all for the replies.

And yes Wuffles

I would have thought so, but I'm a human and not a dog!

I'm glad to hear that they DO differentiate too.

As you can tell, I grew up city style. I'm only a "pretend" country person in many ways. Still learning. :rolleyes:

[wuffles]

Sorry, didn't mean to make it look like I was laughing at you, just the thought of comparing the two was kind of funny :rolleyes:

[noisymina]

Sorry, didn't mean to make it look like I was laughing at you, just the thought of comparing the two was kind of funny :D

That's OK. I'd rather the good news than the bad. I'm all for a bit of levity. :rolleyes:

After all, I DID kind of ask for it in the way I posed the question, hey?

[W Sibs]

Emmy has learned how to herd things by spending too much time with Kelpies... :rolleyes: Kelpie will to herd her, so she will try to herd them... she thinks it's a game though and not instinct.

Her instinct it to chase and kill.

Emmy (and Charlie) will have no problem killing a chicken if one comes into our yard. Both have high prey drive though, so it's to be expected.

Edited November 8, 2010 by CW EW