GSD and pet bird

[chelle]

Originally Posted by W.Oliver

...all it takes it one nip on the nose and they give him a wide birth. Plus, whenever they come near him, he yells "Go lay down !" in a very stern voice...they go lay down, and he says "good girl" in a sweet praising voice. It really is kinda bizarre.

Video, please! Hilarious!

[Lialla]

Originally Posted by W.Oliver;

Plus, whenever they come near him, he yells "Go lay down !" in a very stern voice...they go lay down, and he says "good girl" in a sweet praising voice. It really is kinda bizarre.

Oh my goodness, this is just hilarious! love it you have a very smart and beautiful bird!

Thanks for all replies, I keep them both separately and when the bird is with us downstairs puppy goes in his crate. And he is watching the bird like a hawk

[vicky2200]

I have 2 cockatiels and a parakeet and I also have 3 large dogs. Dakota has never showed any interest in the birds. Ditto (GSD) had some interest in them when she was under 6 months but after a few times of me correcting her (and 2 times of her nipping the bird, luckily not hard) she learned not to eat the birdies! Daisy is now afraid of the birds because she wants to eat them but knows I will be mad. Now if I take them out she looks away and walks away if I come near her.

I do not let my birds fly around the house. I only have them out on my shoulder or finger. Since your parakeet is so small and easily injured I would suggest NOT trying to let them be together. Instead, let the bird fly around the house and be with you while the dog is outside. Let the dog spend some time in a separate room. I am not recommending locking the dog away for long amounts of time, but you could have him in a room with someone for an hour 3-5 days a week while the bird is flying throughout the house.

[Tuckered]

Originally Posted by W.Oliver

The technical expression for having a bird and a GSD in the same house is food chain!

It isn't impossible to have a bird and GSD live together, but at least one of two things must be present...A.) A couch potato of a GSD with little to no prey drive, or B.) A bad bird that won't take any from no stinkin' puppy.

This is Louie, and he is a real SOB that has raised three GSDs so far. I raised him from an egg, and he is 18 years old. He takes no crap from anybody, and can inflict a bite that would be comparable to being grabbed by a pair of needlenose pliers. My dogs respect him a great deal...all it takes it one nip on the nose and they give him a wide birth. Plus, whenever they come near him, he yells "Go lay down !" in a very stern voice...they go lay down, and he says "good girl" in a sweet praising voice. It really is kinda bizarre.


The situation sounds like you have a nice GSD with prey drive, and a tiny Budgie that has no capacity to defend itself....keep them separate or expect the bird to be eaten....and keep in mind, if the bird gets eaten, it is not the dog's fault...it is your fault.

Best of luck.

I was laughing when I read this, I have a grey too and he doesn't put up with anything from our dogs!!!
That being said, one dog looks at him as a friend to play with, the other the GSD looks at him as a snack. We worked very hard at getting her to the point of ignoring the bird, but I would never let the grey (parrot) be out and near the GSD. Every now and then she barks at him to get attention... from us, the bird, or the other dog.

Mine tells the dogs "No, GO!" "too bad" (which we use for time outs when they are being crazy or trying to start something) and many other bossy things. I think the mix of such smart animals is quite exhausting, but fun

[katieliz]

my grey says..."STOP IT" and "BEEEQUIET" and "SLOW DOWN" and calls all the dogs (current and even previous) and alot more, all in my voice. freaks people out. got him when he was an adult, prior owner was a paraplegic who had a girlfriend named ann, and when he first came to live with us he would say over and over again 'in ann, 'in ann. he is hysterical...had him almost 30 years now.

everybody else has already given good answers to the original question.

[robk]

We have a 6 year old Amazon Parrot and a 7 month old German Shepherd. We do not allow any unsupervised interaction with them. Having said that the bird is very dog savvy being, when we brought him home we had two adult german shepherds in the house already. He learned to call them to him and then would bite them when they got close. The dogs leaned to ignore his invitations and even give him a wide birth. Now we have a 7 month old working line GSD that is not as easily intimidated. I think he would be happy to have some green chicken for lunch if we weren't looking.

I love this picture because it looks like the bird is training the dog (you see him holding his foot up and Ruger just sitting there waiting for his next command). What is actually happening is that Yoda (the parrot) is eating something and Ruger is waiting for a crumb to drop to the floor.