Dogs being strangely aggressive over 'ther' chicks

12 years ago

I just got a batch of chicks from a hatchery. It's been awhile since I had them, so none of my dogs except my older chihuahua has seen them. They're sitting in a dog crate/brooder and the dogs sit and stare at them. A few times in the past two days, they have gotten into little scuffles like they would over a toy or food.

Has anybody experienced anything like this? It's like they think they just got 25 new squeaky toys and don't want to share!

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Comments (7)

brendasue
12 years ago
I don't know your dogs, sooooo

either they are waiting for them to come out & "play" (watch out for this!)

Or they are truly being protective and will protect them.

Brendasue
tracydr
Original Author
12 years ago
Ok, it got even stranger. I put the bigger, Easter egg pullets outside on the front porch. The Banties are on a table.
My Doberman moped around all day and I thought she was sick. Towards the end of the day, while I was doing something with the chicks, I let her out on the front porch. She sniffed, licked, kissed and counted all her babies, perked up and was all better! No more depression. From now on, she's been going outside to the front porch several times a day to check "her" babies. I swear she's having a false pregnancy!
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As an obedience instructor, I'm going to chime in very quickly...not a lot of time right now to get in-depth...and I'll try not to get hung up on semantics *s* Have you contacted the rescue/shelter etc. to alert them of this potentially very serious problem? Talked to your vet and received a recommendation? These are important first steps. Based on your post, the dog is 9 months old...which I think is incorrect?? I'm assuming that you really obtained an 11 month old dog and said dog is more likely almost 2 years old. Many breeds demonstrate a marked shift in personality from 18-24 months of age and Rhodesian Ridgebacks are quite commonly dog-aggressive, especially same-sex. I agree with Lisa's assessment. It takes some experience to deal with a serious dog aggression. 3 vet bills for other dog's injuries means that so far you've allowed the dog to be out of control. This dog MUST be on a leash when in public and you MUST maintain control of the dog. If you can't control the dog, you need to muzzle the dog until you've gained experience and instruction. Furthermore, an "electronic trainer" is NOT for a novice, especially when dealing with aggression. Harsh corrections have their place, but you must have exquisite timing so that the dog associates the correction with its own behavior and not another animal. It's hard to do. There are classes that specialize in aggressive dogs - I have 2 in my class right now - and I agree with Chelone in that training will help (and with Lisa about the quality of some classes). A GOOD trainer is well-versed in dog behavior and is worth much more than a "behaviorist". A GOOD behaviorist is well-versed in obedience training and is worth much more than an "obedience instructor." The name and certification aren't worth a hill of beans unless either can help you get the results you need to ensure everyone's safety. A few private lessons or at least an evaluation to make sure that you are able to control your dog at all times is vital. Until an instructor is positive that YOU have the skill necessary to ensure everyone else's safety, you should consider private lessons or a class where you can be segregated.....not typically an indoor class in a small area, but rather a LARGE parking lot with you at one end and everyone else at the other end.....or a corral with you outside the fence, etc. Being around other dogs is your goal, but we'd need to make sure someone or something doesn't get hurt in working toward this goal. i would further suggest you crate the dog in the moving vehicle for your safety and that of fellow motorists until you've learned to manage the dangerous behavior and train alternative safe behaviors.
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dunwaukin
12 years ago
My border collie is fascinated by baby chicks and ducks. She will sit for hours staring at them. She's never made an aggressive move towards them She's a holy terror on mice and rats, but she seems to know the difference between good little objects and bad little objects.
We got a dozen day old muscovies at the end of April. She sat and stared and stared at them. A couple of weeks ago I decided they were big enough that she could join them. So, I called her into the pen. She came running, I told her to lie down, which she did.
Didn't two of them come up and nip her on the nose. Poor thing, she did snap at them, but you could tell she wasn't aiming to actually bite them. (She doesn't miss if she's aiming) And she sat up! No way could i get her to lie down again.
So she'll still hang around them. If they're on the other side of chicken wire, she'll lie down. But if there's nothing between them and her, she keeps her nose up!
Noqw we're trying to teach her to herd them back to the barn.
tracydr
Original Author
12 years ago
As the chicks are getting bigger, both the papillon and Doberman have been doing chicken duty in the yard. They have been wonderful with them. I'm so relieved.
We've had two bad issues. One day a pit bull busted into our backyard and killed 7 of the bigger chicks. When my dogs heard it, they went after it full bore. I almost lost the papillon but thankfully, my Doberman went into full attack mode, protecting her chicks and puppy. She put the pit on the ground and chewed on her neck until my husband was able to separate them and get rid of the bad dog.
The other issue- all of the big chicks turned out to be jumbo Cornish crosse! So, I will be learning how to butcher soon. Not something I'm looking forward to but these chicks would never survive an AZ summer, they are already struggling at four weeks. At least the Banties are the correct Old English Banties.
Just got my twenty five replacement layer today- Americaunas, silver leghorns, Egyptian fayoumis and buttercups. Quite a variety!
brendasue
12 years ago
I would expect nothing less of mans best friend. If they don't what's the sense in having them? I had a doberman as a child with similar characteristics-fantastic with the animals & patrolling to make sure nothing came even remotely close to us our ours. Good dogs.

I'm glad to hear the papillion is okay and the rest of the chicks, too. I hope your husband took care of that pitt permanently, or he just may be back!
tracydr
Original Author
12 years ago
Aren't Doberman's just the greatest family dog? I will always have one, despite the health issues that go with the breed. Their intelligence and loyalty is amazing. I've haf labs, an Akita, britany, Scottie. I love my chihuahua. I will always have a papillon for a pocket dog and my Doberman, well, she's just the best!
brendasue
12 years ago
Yes, Dobermans are wonderful. We'll be getting another in a few years, but right now we have Great Pyrenees. We just needed dogs to take care of the animals & us, and they fit the bill perfectly midwifing & babysitting kid 4-legged kids, and my 2-legged grandson also. Awesome, just awesome. It's all in how you raise them.

Brendasue

Dogs being strangely aggressive over 'ther' chicks

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Dogs being strangely aggressive over 'ther' chicks

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brendasue

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dunwaukin

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