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Bad behavior?

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  boomer11 
#1 ·
My girl is 1 year and 3 months old. I figured after about a year some of her habits would break, but I was wrong. She digs holes close to 1 ft deep, mostly during the summer. She kills the neighbors chickens, it's starting to get bad. How can I correct her behavior? I can't watch her exactly every minute of the day. Also how much more longer will her protective instincts start to kick in, IF she has any. Some dogs are different. She does however become alert when another dog is around our home or around me. Thanks
 
#2 ·
Why can't you watch her every second? Just out of curiosity? How is she killing Chickens without you knowing? and are you saying that she doesn't have protective instincts and you want them? What exactly are you looking for with the instincts? sorry a little confused.
 
#3 ·
It's a little hard to watch a 4 year old and the dog as well. I also was a little curious if she had protective instincts or not. If she is at the age she should have them or could she develop them, personally I should not rely upon my dog to protect my family and I. I should protect my family and my dog, just out of curiosity.
 
#4 ·
Oh I understand, I would want to know too. Right about now she should be coming around to whatever protectiveness she may show, thought I'm not an expert so don't quote me. Also solid nerved dogs don't tend to bark obsessivly at things unless there is a threat or it has been enforced as a good behavior. The fact that she is showing alertness is a great thing and is what you want.

As for watching her. I suggest crating if you can't watch her.. only because she's not just out playing and laying down somewhere.. she is killing chickens. Do you have a fenced yard? or an area you can contain her without crating if you can't watch her?
 
#5 ·
Digging is natural for dogs. Being of one family with wolves they dig for mice, because mice, rabbits and other small rodents are the main food for wolves ( not a deer as many people think). I have watched a film about wolves in Canada, they can detect a mouse under 4 metres deep snow. There must be something in the ground, if your dog digs so insistantly. But this behaviour stops itself with age and experience, though your dog may start making holes in different places before then. She is bored.
In order to teach her out of chicken hunt you have to train her that chickens are a worthless prey, and they are something to ignore by demonstrating ignorance yourself and redirecting her to a ball. You would need chickens living in your garden for that. Put up a fence, it is easier than training your dog with considerable experience of killing them.
 
#16 ·
If she's used to being outside a lot, look into a sturdy outdoor kennel that you can put a top and a nice, dig-proof base on.
That's what I'd do - when she's not in the house with you, anyway. She digs because it's fun, and she's been doing it for a long time so why would you think she'd outgrow it? She jumps the fence and chases and kills chickens for the same reason. Once she learned that she's physically capable of going over the fence and that there are tasty critters over there she's not just suddenly going to unlearn that.

I'm not saying this to bash you or make fun of you, I'm trying to get you to consider this situation from your dog's point of view. The only way you're going to stop either behavior is to remove her opportunity to practice it.
 
#15 ·
Is your dog outside unsupervised?

You should be with the dog when the dog is outside, fenced yard or not. Especially if she is escaping. She doesn't need to be taught not to kill chickens, but needs to be taught respect for the fence. She must not jump the fence that will solve both the escape problem you are having and the needless chickocide of chickens.

If the crate you have is too small, get a larger crate. Problem solved, however that is still only treating a symptom instead of curing the disease.

Dogs must be taught what you expect. They are not born knowing what humans want of them. Fortunately, GSD's are among the easiest breeds to train. It's almost like teaching a three year old child.
 
#17 ·
I always use a metal choke chain on my GSD, it's pretty hard to slip one of those. My GSD when he was young used to dig a hole in the same spot in the yard and I would fill it with dirt and he would dig it up again. Finally I filled the hole and put a small mouse trap about 2" down, SNAP never dug again.



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