4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Space Chick]

Ok, I know I've only had my girls since Tuesday, but my 14 year old terrier cross will not stop barking at them. I don't just mean the odd bark, I mean CONSTANT barking.

 

The chooks don't seem overly bothered (Sarah-Jane runs away, Donna goes closer to the bars by him and watches with great interest!)

 

I'm hoping to free-range them tomorrow, as they would have been here for 5 days. I have bought a muzzle for Henry, as I suspect he will go for them. (we've been making the muzzle a fun thing to have in the house, giving treats etc). I wasn't planning on a full introduction whilst the girls are out, maybe 2-3 minutes with Henry on the lead.

 

I digress, his barking, whilst me and OH hope he'll get it out of his system, we have some evil neighbours 2 doors down that have had the RSPCA out to our next door neighbours dogs for barking, and sent them a solicitors letter, so I'm worried they may want to pick on my previous quiet Henry.

 

So far we have tried:

1. Having him on the lead, and bringing him in as soon as he barks, waiting until he's quiet then bringing him back out. Doesn't work!

2. Treating him (and next doors dogs) with chocolate drops for being quiet. Doesn't work

3. Squirting him with water (plant sprayer). Doesn't work

4. As above but with a hose pipe! Limited success but seems extreme!

 

We've read about citronella collars, but he's 14, he's an old boy (but still very fit and active, still plays like a pup).

 

Any help gratefully received, Before the neighbours come after us

 

Debs

[tara]

Im so sorry to read about your dog barking.I had a scotty dog for a while and she done the same.One thing that did work for me was putting her on a peice of rope just long enough to stay on our decking as my girls were out in the garden when l did this.It did work it really calmed her down.We dont have her now she lives with my aunt who was looking for a pup and there scotty dog had died a year before so they knew what they were taking on. Could you put up a wire fence and make it so he cant see through it to give you all a breck from the barking.We have an 11 year old lab that is so soft they steel food of him but with lucy the scotty we was not so lucky.She even chased one of my ducks away and ive never seen it again Good luck hope you get it sorted soon

[hilda-and-evadne]

Ok, I know I've only had my girls since Tuesday, but my 14 year old terrier cross will not stop barking at them. I don't just mean the odd bark, I mean CONSTANT barking.... Any help gratefully received, Before the neighbours come after us

 

My terrier finds chickens very exciting and would bark at them all day, if he could. Just persevere, I would say - some breeds of dog are very obedient and compliant but others are not: I am guessing that it will take a lot longer than five days to train your dog on how to behave around chickens. It is over a year since I first started keeping hens, and my dog will still occasionally throw himself at the WIR because (I think) he loves to see them jump in the air and squawk and fly up.

 

In my (limited) experience, dog-training starts to "kick in" at around the time one thinks it never will.

 

Oh, and I would never leave my terrier and hens both on the loose together in the garden. I doubt that he would deliberately hurt them but they could easily get squashed in a chase or break something when trying to scramble up into a bush out of the way.

 

Hope this helps.

[Helen&Lee]

I have two Springer Spaniels who were most excited when we first got chooks.

 

They would go racing over to the run barking - when inside Dylan sat on the conservatory window ledge drooling and barking at them

 

A week in, we invested in a supersoaker water gun - having given up on the 'take them out into the garden on a lead thing' - we let the dogs out, blasted them with the supersoaker and it stopped them in their tracks.

 

We did it for a week, left the water gun by the door for a few months, but today the chooks are free-ranging, the conservatory door wide open and the dogs are wandering in and out without us keeping a constant eye on them.

[Egluntyne]

What about one of those gas cannister type collars which blast them with air every time they bark?

[Margalot]

We have a terrier and have sucessfully used pet corrector gas cannister on her. Water guns were never an option as the children had already developed that into a game for her last summer and she loves nothing more than to eat the water form the gun!

 

This can cost around £10.00 and issues a loud hiss which our dog hates. We thought we would never cure her of her interest of the hens, but now she can go and see them, eat the poop if she so wishes but gives them a wide berth since using the can with a LEAVE IT! command!

 

Good luck

 

I also looked into the citronealla spray collar, but the lady in the pet shop suggested we try this first and it saved us around £90.00!

 

She now thinks the chooks are evil

[Space Chick]

Thanks all, although I am glad to say we are making progress.

 

Soaking seems to be doing the trick!! He'll now go out there and not bark at them. However, if me or OH go out and pay attention to them, he is barking, but a good soaking stops him.

 

Fingers crossed he's getting the idea! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks