Introduction
Having chickens and dogs coexist harmoniously on the same property can be beneficial for both species. Chickens provide fresh eggs and help manage bugs and pests, while dogs offer protection and companionship. However, it’s important to choose dog breeds that have an innate patience and gentleness with chickens. Aggressive dogs may injure or kill chickens, causing distress for the owner. Selecting the right dog breed and following proper training techniques helps ensure a safe and enriching environment where chickens and canines can thrive together.
This article provides an overview of medium-sized dog breeds that tend to have a good temperament for getting along with chickens. It explores various types of dogs and offers guidance on managing interactions and potential health considerations. By understanding compatible breeds and proper introductions, chicken owners can successfully keep dogs and birds in the same backyard.
Personality Traits for Good Chicken Dogs
When selecting a dog breed to live harmoniously with chickens, there are several key personality traits to look for. The ideal chicken dog should have a gentle, friendly nature and a low prey drive. They should not view chickens as prey to be chased. Dogs with high prey drives are likely to exhibit herding or hunting behaviors towards chickens.
Breeds that were historically used as livestock guardians tend to have calmer temperaments and lower prey drives. Their role was to protect livestock from predators, not harm the animals themselves. Pastoral breeds like Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherds often do well with chickens for this reason.
Trainability is also an important factor when introducing dogs to chickens. Breeds that are highly intelligent and eager to please will be easier to train to behave appropriately around chickens. Proper socialization from a young age is key to establish good behaviors. With time and positive reinforcement, many dogs can learn to live in harmony with chickens.
Overall, a gentle disposition, low prey drive, and trainability are the most critical personality traits to seek in chicken-friendly canine companions. With careful selection and training, certain breeds are more likely to succeed in this type of multi-species household.
Herding Dog Breeds
Herding dogs are a natural choice for living alongside chickens. Their herding instincts make them attentive guardians who can keep chickens safe. Some of the best herding breeds for chickens include:
Border Collie
The Border Collie is an energetic, intelligent breed frequently used for herding livestock. They are agile and quick, able to gently herd chickens back to their coop or enclosure. Border Collies will bond closely with their family and need ample activity to be happy. With proper socialization and training, Border Collies can be excellent protectors for chickens. According to Star Milling, their attentiveness and athleticism enable them to safely monitor free-range chickens.
Australian Shepherd
Australian Shepherds are another herding breed well-suited for life with chickens. They are smart, eager to please, and very loyal. Australian Shepherds enjoy having a job to do and will take guarding chickens seriously. Their athleticism allows them to nimbly maneuver around the flock. With training, they can herd chickens back to their coop at night or away from danger. The Australian Shepherd Club of America notes this breed has strong protective instincts when properly socialized with poultry from a young age.
Welsh Corgi
Both the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi are affectionate, family-friendly herders that can do well with chickens. These active, sturdy little dogs were originally bred to herd cattle and sheep. They are very intelligent and bond closely with their owners. With training and exposure from puppyhood, Welsh Corgis will typically be trustworthy around chickens. Their small size prevents them from being as intimidating to predators as some larger farm dog breeds. However, they are vigilant watchdogs that will boldly sound the alert if any suspicious animals are around.
Sporting Dog Breeds
Sporting dog breeds like Retrievers and Spaniels can make excellent chicken dogs with proper training and socialization. Their friendly nature allows them to get along well with people and other animals when supervised. However, their natural hunting instincts mean they may need extra training not to chase chickens.
The Labrador Retriever is an affectionate, energetic breed often chosen as a family pet. They are intelligent and aim to please their owners. With positive reinforcement training, Labs can learn to ignore their prey drive and coexist peacefully with chickens. Be sure to provide plenty of exercise and stimulation to prevent boredom and chasing behaviors.
The Golden Retriever is a friendly, lovable breed who gets along well with children and other pets. Their gentle nature makes them a good candidate for life with chickens, though their hunting background means training is essential. Goldens thrive when they have a job to do, so give yours “lookout duty” over the flock.
Spaniels like the Cocker Spaniel and English Springer Spaniel have sweet dispositions but are very active with strong prey drives. With constant supervision and training from a young age not to chase, some Spaniels can adapt to life with chickens. Proper socialization and stimulation are key to curb their energy and hunting instincts.
Guard Dog Breeds
There are some excellent large guard dog breeds that can protect flocks of chickens. Three top choices are the Giant Schnauzer, Anatolian Shepherd and Great Pyrenees.
The Giant Schnauzer is a large, muscular dog originally bred to drive cattle to market. They are alert, loyal and protective by nature. Giant Schnauzers will patrol the perimeter of your property and keep a watchful eye out for predators or intruders 1.
The Anatolian Shepherd is a breed developed over thousands of years specifically to guard livestock. These independent thinkers are devoted to guarding and require minimal direction to do their job well. Anatolian Shepherds use their imposing size and loud bark to intimidate predators and chase them away from chickens 2.
The Great Pyrenees is a giant, fluffy dog that excels at guarding property and animals. Their thick coats allow them to patrol outdoors in all types of weather. Great Pyrenees are brave, loyal and gentle – willing to put themselves in harm’s way to protect chickens from foxes, coyotes and other threats 2.
Mixed Breeds
Mixed breeds can also make good chicken dogs if they inherit the right traits from their parent breeds. Some popular mixed breeds that tend to have a gentle temperament and do well with chickens include:
- Goldendoodles – A cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle, Goldendoodles tend to be very friendly, gentle, energetic, and eager to please. Their intelligence makes them easy to train. Their soft mouth developed for retrieving makes them unlikely to harm chickens (Which Dog Breeds Are Good with Chickens?).
- Cockapoos – This Poodle and Cocker Spaniel mix combines the Cocker’s friendliness with the Poodle’s intelligence and low-shedding coat. Cockapoos are playful and gentle enough to interact safely with chickens.
- Labradoodles – Bred from Labradors and Poodles, Labradoodles are usually easygoing, energetic, and sociable. With early socialization, they can coexist amiably with chickens.
Since personality varies even within breeds, individual temperament testing is important when selecting any dog to live with chickens.
Training Tips
Proper training from an early age is crucial for teaching a dog how to behave appropriately and safely around chickens. According to How To Train Dogs Around Chickens | Tricks That Worked, socialization should begin in puppyhood by slowly introducing your dog to the chickens in a controlled, positive manner. Keep your pup on a leash and reward calm, polite behavior with treats to reinforce it. Allow your pup to become accustomed to being around the chickens without chasing or rough play.
As your dog matures, continue using positive reinforcement to maintain desirable behaviors. When your dog remains calm and nonreactive around the chickens, provide praise and a treat. If your dog begins to fixate or lunge at the chickens, interrupt the behavior and redirect their attention back to you. With time and consistency, your dog will learn to coexist peacefully with chickens through this positive, reward-based training.
Managing Interactions
When first introducing your dog to chickens, it’s important to supervise their interactions closely. Keep your dog on a leash so you can redirect any chasing or problematic behaviors. Provide a safe enclosed space for your chickens where they can retreat if feeling threatened.
If your dog does exhibit chasing behaviors, be sure to immediately correct it with a firm “no” command. You can also use positive reinforcement by rewarding calm interactions and relaxed body language around the chickens with treats and praise. With time and consistency, the dog will learn to coexist peacefully with the chickens.
It’s also a good idea to give your dog a place to relax away from the chickens, like a comfortable bed on a porch or inside the home. This gives them a break from the stimulation of the chickens. Set aside solo time for your dog as well, taking them on walks or play sessions just with you. Meeting the dog’s needs for exercise and bonding will make them less likely to fixate on chasing chickens.
With proper introductions, training and management you can absolutely keep medium sized dogs and chickens together safely and harmoniously.
Health Considerations
One important health consideration when keeping dogs and chickens together is preventing the spread of illnesses like salmonella between the two species. Salmonella is a bacteria commonly found in raw chicken and chicken feces that can make dogs sick if ingested (Joffe, 2002). Dogs can pick up salmonella just by being around infected chickens or eating their droppings.
To reduce risk, pick up chicken droppings promptly so dogs don’t eat them. Cook any chicken meat fed to dogs thoroughly to kill bacteria. Wash hands after handling chickens, and don’t allow dogs to drink from chicken waterers which can harbor illness. Keep chicken coops and dog areas clean to prevent germs from spreading through feces. Monitor dogs for symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea if they have access to chickens, and separate any birds that seem ill (Wagwalking, n.d.). With reasonable precautions, it’s possible to keep dogs and chickens together safely.
Sources:
Joffe, D. J., & Schlesinger, D. P. (2002). Preliminary assessment of the risk of Salmonella infection in dogs fed raw chicken diets. The Canadian veterinary journal, 43(6), 441–442. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC339295/
Wagwalking. (n.d.). Can Dogs Get Salmonella from Chickens? Wag!. https://wagwalking.com/wellness/can-dogs-get-salmonella-from-chickens
Conclusion
In summary, there are many benefits to dogs and chickens coexisting together. Medium-sized dogs, especially herding breeds like Collies and Shepherds, can make great chicken dogs with proper training and socialization. Sporting breeds like Spaniels and Retrievers also tend to do well, as they have less prey drive than some other dogs. Guardian breeds like Akitas and Pyrenees will help protect the flock. With time and positive conditioning, even mixed breed dogs can live harmoniously with chickens.
The keys are early and ongoing training, proper containment of the chickens, and close supervision of interactions. This allows the dog’s protective instincts to kick in, and they will come to view the chickens as part of their family to love and defend. With patience and effort, you can enjoy the perks of having both dogs and chickens, including entertainment, companionship, fresh eggs, and organic pest control.