Hi

We have a three year old long legged jack russell terrier who we have had since he was a pup. He's been neutered but is quite headstrong and 95% of the time is lovely, sits well, is not snappy and comes back when called and is subservient to other dogs when we are out on walks.

We took our dog for a walk with some friends dogs and introduced ours to their new chickens and he went mad for them. They were in their chicken coop and he bothered them. I used a hose to wet him and shouted NO (he's not a fan of water!) and as long as I was there he kept his distance but was still persistent (as terriers are!). We shut him in the house but one of our boys opened the door and he shot out and ran to the coop. One of their chickens is quite the leader and was standing up to him, within 2 seconds he did two chomps and bit through the chicken wire and bit off her top beak. (After much anxt she is doing well with tlc and a refined diet).

Today he slipped out of our garden, ran next door who also have pet chickens and who were out roaming in their garden. He attacked them and one of the chickens lost a lot of feathers and has puncture wounds on her back. Their owners rushed out and grabbed him.

I'm now distraught at the pain and injury he has caused to these chickens and to their owners (luckily they have been understanding). I'm concerned that he now has a 'taste' for them and am not sure how to manage him or 'wean' him off this horrible behaviour. I know it's what his breed can do but this is a problem that we need some help and advice. Any support/ideas would be gratefully received.

In my personal opinion I don't think you'd be able to get to a point where you could trust him around chickens.

Hosing him with the water may not have helped, associating being hosed with being near the chickens (not necessarily thinking "I got hosed BECAUSE I was bothering the chickens).

I've not had any experience with this so I have nothing constructive to say so I hope someone can come along and help you.

Thanks for your response. I've never hosed him before so had hoped that it was an association. Oops, may have made the problem worse

He is a Jack Russell TERRIER - never to be trusted around chickens and small animals, or even let near them in my opinion.

Why was he even ''introduced'' to your friends chickens? They're fluffy, they run and they make noises similar to a squeaky toy - of course he was going to be interested in playing with them - and I believe playing was all he was trying to do.

I'm also a bit confused how he managed to get out of your house and into your neighbours back garden?

Sorry for pointing out the obvious, but I feel the only sensible solution here is to ensure he has no opportunity to be anywhere near any chickens - securing your back garden if that's how he got to next door or being more vigilant with open doors if that's how he got to them - and don't introduce him to anymore friends chickens! There's no need whatsover - chickens and dogs don't mix.

At the end of the day, no dog can be trusted around chickens - especially a terrier. Just keep him away.

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''Dogs are like chocolates, you can never have just one!''

i'm assuming there were quite a few chickens all moving around?
because my girl is a yorkshire terrier and one of my chickens came into the conservatory and she just stood there staring at it hahaha she didn't even attempt to chase it

I think the main thing is to make sure your dog never gets loose around the chickens again I don't think there is really a way of making it get used to them because even if your friend would allow you to have him on a lead around the chickens it wouldn't be a good idea because that would be extremely stressful for the chickens and may make him wait until he has an opportunity to get them anyway

as above I agree he was just playing with the chickens he didn't understand. . .he could play and bite another dog in the same way and not break the skin but he didn't know that chickens are more fragile. . .I don't think he will have a "taste" for them and want to eat them he will just want to play again

I know you said your neighbours were understanding but if I were you I would get them a little sorry gift or something just to make sure they're happy

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Thanks for your response.

Sorry, my turn of phrase is rather misleading having re-read the post. I will explain: His 'introduction' was being allowed into our friends garden for the first time since they had had their chickens. We socialise ourselves and our dogs with this family regularly and so this was a 'normal' visiting process with the new element that their garden now contains a chicken coop. He'd never met chickens before and going on previous behaviour was generally good (although thinking back he has killed a rat by instinct).

Doors do get opened by children without thinking and dogs do slip out into gardens occasionally (the children are quite well trained too!). We have a garden of 1.5 acres and fencing is in process but he has found 'gaps' where previously there was none!

Please be assured we are responsible owners, friends and neighbours who are taking this very seriously and hence seeking help and guidance on addressing this 'new' behaviour.

I'd (until the fence is completed and ensured no more holes) either keep him on a long lead in the garden with a ... what'cha ma call 'em. The things you use when dogs go camping?

Or not let him out there until it's completed.

It'll like trying to train a cat-aggro dog to be friends. Ain't gonna happen

Thanks, Nicola.

Yes, we've given a sorry gift to our friend; sought advice on the beak from a number of sources, arranged for a chicken breeder to inspect the hen and offered to pay for any vets bills or treatment etc.

I'll be visiting the neighbours tomorrow to check on the second chicken and won't be emply handed. Have also offered support from (now 'friendly') chicken breeder and vets bills/treatment.

We'll also only be allowing him out supervised on a lead!

I have a dog who kills sheep. He was living in a rural area with his previous owner. He came to live with me after he killed three rams and hurt two more.

I've had him nearly a year and I am certain that he would still kill sheep if he had the chance. His recall is good, now, but I am certain his prey drive is stronger than any "treat" I could offer him.

It's probably very dog specific whether or not you can train them to ignore chickens (or sheep).

I have quite a bit of success in training him to refrain from his same-gender dog aggression using "leave it" and "look" with rewards for looking at me instead of trying to out-stare the other dog. He tolerates a dog sitting, standing or lying a metre from him, both off-lead, now. He is muzzled off-lead in case of other dogs jumping on him, this he will NOT tolerate. I have hopes that he will be able to compete one day.

I honestly have NO hope that he will ever be safe with livestock.

I wish you all the luck in the world with training your dog to ignore chickens. It may be possible, I never thought Rex would drop the dog aggression.

I have a Shiba Inu, a dog bred to flush out small game (partridge i believe) in ancient japan, they have a notoriously strong prey drive. Some people have exceptions to the rule that can be let offlead etc but my wee man is a hunting machine.

In my experience you'll never be able to stop a dog made to hunt/chase from doing so, indeed why would you want to? Its part of their heritage and purpose.

Kita is 100% calmer around our pet rats though, he used go mad whenever he saw one move, then wee in frustration! And after much praise when calm and removal when excited he can be in the same room as the cage no problems, however if one was out he would definitely get a bit murdertastic, theres no removing that imo.

its doubtful this experience will affect your dog negatively, as you're doing everything you need to to stop another incident so hopefully so should the chooks!

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Sun Tzu, Kita and Eiko