How to Train Your Dog Around Chickens (and other small animals)

A video tutorial of my journey of training my Flat coated Retriever cross to be calm around my chickens. To get control, you don't need to intimidate or get physical with the dog, it's done through habituation and training. Time will depend on the intensity of the dog and previous obedience training.

[@tw2438]

After watching a TON of dog training vids, I have to say: Kristen, yours are the best, the easiest to remember, the right volume, good clear diction and AWESOME content! Thanks so much!! Sharing with all my friends/family with dog behavior issues. I'm currently working with my bc on the bang trick you featured.

[@Krissykris1468]

thank you! that's really nice to hear 😊

[@HANKBOSS]

I WANT TO HAVE 6 DOGS LEARN WITH ANIMALS GOLDEN RULL ALL DOGS MUST TO BE YOUNG 2 MOUNTHS RAISED AROUND RABBIT, CHIKENS, PIGS

[@YoshEeve]

@@HANKBOSS Your comment doesn't make sense, but its untrue if you're saying an older dog can't be trained. It's better to start training at a young age if possible, but it's never too late to form new skills

[@bigbad9583]

What we did is put the dog in the chicken pen when he was a puppy, everyday for most of his puppy-hood. They messed with each other but by the time sheba was full grown it was 2nd nature and now they play together...chickens eat out of his bowl. He even protects them.

[@Katenonie]

You are one of the only positive trainers that I can listen to! You should post more often!!

[@Statts63]

Mookey is a good boy. I don't trust that cat though.

[@Krissykris1468]

Statts63 I'm with you. 😂

[@guardemdog]

Cats are usually just fine. We have 7 feral cats and they have never touched a chicken. Our indoor cats will get in the cage with chicks and just hang out. Not something I would do with all cats, ours are used to chicks.

[@peaceandlove5214]

@@guardemdog cats are usually good with adult chicken but not the same with chicks

[@guardemdog]

@@peaceandlove5214 our indoor cats are fine with chicks. The ferals I do not trust. I think I was just remarking on the cats expression. I have one in my lap glaring at a hen we are keeping inside for a bit. The cat is wonderful with birds but she is annoyed by the hen.

[@tortron]

Cats sketchy as frig

[@Sarah33Kaufman]

I don’t have chickens or dogs but I really enjoyed this video. This lady knows what she’s doing and she’s very kind. Thomas up.

[@MysteryViv]

I love your calm approach. Works on chicks, dogs and viewers too.

[@marianapiva7776]

I had an elderly dog, she pasted away in May. I got some chickens and am getting a puppy soon. This was helpful. Have a good day everyone

[@beeee4249]

Best video about the topic so far. Thank you for posting!

[@VentureOfAnOutcast]

getting my border collie puppy on tuesday and I'm so excited! love the videos Kristen!

[@liliaaaaaaaa]

Bless, you can see he's a good boy doing his best to be one with the chickens and be gentle and caring towards them, then at week 9, oops, predatory dog instinct kicks in for a second, but you manage to bring him back and restrain him with your voice calmly but firmly. You obviously have a good connection with him and your time and effort to achieve harmony between all the animals shows. Good job all round. 🙏😊👍

[@bloomingcactusmusic6116]

Great video! Our dog is much too high strung to ever be trusted alone but your video gave us great ideas on how to train her to stay relaxed when she is around their run.

[@Fiona2254]

I'm glad I watched your video. I have been doing this with our two dogs now that we moved to our homestead and gave gotten ducks and chicks. It's good to know I had the right idea what to do and will progress, slower as our dogs are older, through these steps to get the dogs used to the birds.

[@canterlilyfarm]

Thank you for video! I have a dog and four day old chicks and ducklings. Immediately I am introducing them. I wasn't sure if I was doing it correctly, this video shows I'm doing it right!

[@Yegtard]

Seeing that border collie up close with those chickens gives me some hope!! 🥰

[@EmilyMartin-CEODundies]

This is great! We are getting chickens and I was looking at how we would introduce them to our dogs

[@birdgirl9603]

This is amazing!! Thank you!

[@robinhardie8054]

Omg, my dog, Mooky, looks a lot like your dog. I'm a dog trainer as well and very much agree with your approach. My Mooky is a great chicken dweller and, now protector. Thank you for this vid!

[@peaceandlove5214]

I really needed this video,thanks.

[@MrsCynfuller]

Thank you for all this great info

[@kathrynward216]

This is a helpful video. Thanks!

[@catsamazing338]

Very well done 👍

[@justlookin2]

Great job!

[@Focuseddog]

Spot on yet again

[@evewilson7909]

LOVE THIS VIDEO

[@cg_creative454]

Great video ⭐

[@rosalinplaat380]

Wow super helpful video!! Thanks a lot

[@aniyamaor6924]

Great video thank you so much!

[@peaceandlove5214]

Very informative.

[@svprior]

Hi Kristin, I'm dreaming about having some chickens in my garden, but always ruled it out because we have a cockapoo (small size). Although she is very gentle with our pet bird, we don't leave them unsupervised. You have given me hope. My Belle is pretty obedient and she understands the word gentle. Starting to dream of having chickens again... Thank you.

[@chipcarty1225]

Wow, you are good. Long time though, serious attention. I doubt my Irish setter and I both don't have such calm patience. Thanks though - I know now I'll have to pass on the birds. Thanks for a very good video.

[@lilsavdood2001]

Thank you for this!! I’m getting chicks 🐣 soon!!!!!

[@myriannel3109]

Nice video! Thanks for sharing this. :) Btw I also have a Border Collie (still not trained in herding) and it made me laugh when I saw Luna moving slowly around the chickens. ;) I love herding dogs! ❤️

[@mythrilage5053]

CHICKENS they're so CUTE! I have a GIANT Lab/Great Pyrenees mix and I'm planning to get chickens later. This is going to help me introduce my chickens to my dog. This video was really helpful. Thumbs up!

[@sapphireotaku3399]

Lol. The Border Collie "eyeing" them.

[@o.rgarage9660]

He’s so cuteee 🥰🥰

[@bengraham8605]

Nice work 👍 I have a flock of about 50 ducks/chickens and looking to add a new dog for protection since our previous dog of 10 years passed away in January. Been trying to talk myself into a Labrador Retriever...

[@Jamie_Case]

Great video. There are so many points where |I was just thinking, Oh my god! This is gonna be a bloodbath!. Well done.

[@stefaniecolapinto]

Good stuff 👌

[@smilingdog54]

Love the chicken pen

[@marydevonshire4655]

It breaks me heart that, in our little rural neighborhood, some otherwise very good dogs have been shot for getting into neighbor's chicken coops because their owners did not take the time to train them, but instead let them run around. I'm lucky that my dog is not interested in chickens, or cats, and she is a blue tick hound that is hunted routinely. But even some sweet family house dogs have the habit of chasing chickens, and cats, and pay the price for it. Dogs are smart--they just need to be shown what to do. People should not get dogs if they don't have the intention to teach them.

[@curly.e]

Wow! Great job! Now I just need to wait until I actually get a dog 😂

[@elizabethfindlay8118]

Thank you so much I am getting sillkies in July- August time and I'm kinda getting worried about my dog near them (the names I picked for my hens are lily, lavender and primrose) Mookie(idk how you spell it soz) looks how my old dog looked also how much of a good boy he is really reminded me of her

[@lizbethdiehl318]

Excellent video!! How old were your dogs when you started training them?

[@desireec9222]

A good video. I should have waited to get the dog during the warmer months because I know it will take time and a lot of different times interacting with the chickens.

[@citytrees1752]

Cat: while she is busy with the dog, now is my chance.

[@warrenmoon7709]

Thank you

[@lilatantary4952]

When you picked up the chicken and she cheeped I had ptsd 😂

[@excelsiorprops6057]

Great vid I have a slightly differnt issue tho my dog is scared to death of my 8 week old chicks lol stay well back and just barks none stop if I try take her closer she panics n bolts Any suggestions

[@brilee4772]

your dog looks just like my border collie x retriever cross!

[@Patryc]

This is so adorable hahaha

[@mrafayshams3089]

Hello, Great video! I just wanted to ask that once you train your dog to be friendly around chickens; will the dog also protect the chickens from any prey such as an eagle, cat, raccoon, etc? Or does that require other training? Please help.

[@tiffanyherrman3534]

Really great video. My dog does fine unless she knows we aren’t home. I am at the point I’m going to have to put her on a tie out or a Hotwire around the coop while we are out because she will kill them if we aren’t home.

[@Silkencira1710]

You can basically use this with all animals and children as well? I have a sighthound mix and I trained him with all farm animals as a pup. Only running hare are still a problem. Any tips?

[@takenhydra5460]

is it still safe to feed the dogs chicken? and also will this work with a puppy and older hens, Thank you

[@call_me_mrhate165]

I just got chicks and was wondering if my Australian Shepherd could learn to herd them for us

[@Frappelychee]

8:46 omg chickens are sooo cute 🤗🤗🤗 Thank you so much for this video! Hopefully this can be applied somehow to training a dog not to kill neighborhood squirrels and other random small animals :'o

[@bigal7713]

would he still go after anything that is not chicken and does not belong there after such training (i.e. protective part of lgd role)?

[@bibliotek6450]

Would it not be better to use a Livestock Guardian dog for this?

[@analarson2920]

Because you are doing such a great job I need to ask if you have any tip on teaching an aussie shephard this because they are nothing like a retriever and mine is only 6 months and she is easily excited not like my retriever was. Our old cairn terrier has to keep her stand consistently day in and day out and after 2 months the pup finally gets that the old lady does not want to play with her. So how to get the pup to leave other small animals alone and kids and adults that go chasing her because she is so cute and she just wants to return the favor? Thanks any help at all is greatly appreciated.

[@Krissykris1468]

Exact same training. I have a border collie and this is the same method I used over 8 yrs ago. The only difference you may get is a more intense excitement that is more instinct driven. But in my experience herding breeds are one of the easiest to train to be around small animals - yes they have the chase behaviour but they don't have the bite, clamp, shake, kill pattern like other dogs.

[@analarson2920]

Thank you, but they are very pokey, so we poke back to get her attention and then divert, it has gotten better but sometimes I think they love to taunt each other.

[@niakoch9390]

Is Mookey a Hovawart breed dog?

[@nathanhale7444]

My previous dog (a pit bull) learned really quick that my chickens were part of the pack. I just sat her down with a chicken on my lap like you did and she got the idea really quick. Sadly she was hit by a car. The puppy I have now is proving to be more of a challenge. He's a pit bull mastiff and while he hasn't attacked any of them he tries to when they freak out around him since it triggers his instincts. I'm already doing much the same thing as you are but I don't have time to sit with him 3 times a day and watch over him so much since I have to work and don't have anyone else to watch them. I've just been having to keep him tied up while I'm at work. For the chickens but mainly so he doesn't get out and come looking for me and get hit by a car.

[@keithcallen2844]

Thanks for posting. How do you train your dog to patrol against predators?

[@Yakarash]

You don't have to with most guard dog breeds. If you patrol with them, they will keep up the behaviour on their own. With other breeds it's a different story.

[@Seliyukina101]

OMG THXXXX

[@trevenflynn4780]

from the experience of training my dog to be around cats, honestly this seems pretty spot on. let the chicken/cat run around the dog a few times a day once ur comfortable and if either gets too riled up split them and try again later

[@cc05jc]

My landlord is going to raise ducks and I have a German shorthair who hunts birds, do you think this could still work?

[@ashleypeterson7477]

My dog is a shepkita akita and german shepherd mix the dog is 100 pounds and 2 years old the chickens are older we have 16 of them and 1 adult rooster my dpg use to ate chicken and he ate their feathers he stands up near them I don't know what to do also my dog is only potty trained PLEASE HELP

[@madianantar7842]

Can this work if my dog is used to eating raw chickens!? And I noticed that she drools when near chicks

[@jackbrunato8960]

What if the dog has already eaten one

[@TheMercenary-zj5vo]

In my opinion I would try Step one for two weeks and see how it goes and emphasize too your dog that the chickens are not for eating. I'm no dog trainer or anything that (besides my own lol) but that I might try that if I had that problem. If Your dog does wind up eating one though there is no way it is ever going to work since the dog is used to eating raw chicken.

[@shantyburton6854]

Everything loves chicken.

[@agawdsparadise3782]

@@shantyburton6854 shit even chickens love chicken and their own eggs lmao

[@BL-li7gg]

This is a fantastic video. I saw another really terrible training video where someone rubbed the chicken on the dog as their primary method and it was so unbelievably stupid I couldn't believe it. Thank you so much for taking the time to post something that's actually intelligent and educational and WORKS.

[@NickyCleo]

Uhh what if your dog isn't trained in any way or form and is a pup with some good aggression when playing around. I also have goats and pigs would it be a similar process

[@oneyetiger]

No mention of a rooster. Thoughts pro or con with a dog. Our rooster grew up with our dog. They did fine until one time the dog barked. Then afterward the rooster considered the dog as an intruder and several times attacked then feathers flew, but fortunately both survived intact.

[@ggbb7063]

Thank you soooo much 💗 my dogs small but he has gotten into the chicken coop twice somehow and barks at them. I’m about to go on study leave and then after that it’s the holidays so I will have heeps of time to try this. Throughout the days if week one u can every so often let my dog look at them and so on. Again thank you so much I really believe in this video and that it will work.

[@aureeel]

What breed is him? He's gorgeous

[@ambrepomykala5081]

Would this work for my Shiba Inu mix? He is normally good boy but I got chicks 6 weeks ago and he has "accidentally" killed 2 since I got them, I think both just trying to play. I am worried and sad!

[@chancelynn3639]

yes

[@etan7240]

after your retriever had gone through the 10 week course, would you trust mooky to be around your chickens while unsupervised? I have a border collie and 3 chicks (about 7 weeks old give or take), and I've had them for about 2 weeks now. My goal is to be able to leave my collie around my chickens unsupervised and not have to worry about it. So I was wondering if it is possible to do that or not? Right now when I'm around the chickens supervising, I know my collie wont try anything but I still don't trust her to be around them when I'm not watching them.

[@allalexis6372]

Boarder collies heard chickens not hurt them so i think if you went into the house and watched him or her through the window boarder collies heard chickens

[@annamoi2334]

Border collies absolutely do hurt chickens, Alexis!!! Once they're done herding/cornering they WILL go one step further. And if they're hungry - they WILL kill.

[@moxiemood]

I know this is an old thread but my border collie killed a chicken. I was shocked, I never would have expected it since she is a shepherd dog. I'm sure with training we could have taught her better but we weren't around chickens very often.

[@JH-gg8je]

I have chickens and they are like 9 months old and i am going to buy a puppy how can i train the puppy and the chikens to dont attack the puppy

[@michaelauknz]

Arlow is on your Program ...Brilliant

[@ashlynngonzalez1064]

Could this work with a ton of chickens like 20? Also could this still work with adult chickens? My dog is a bird hunting dog but she has never been hunting and doesn't like to bite them just chase them. She's a Brittany Spaniel

[@Krissykris1468]

Yes, the amount doesn't matter. The key is to get the chickens calm around her and vise versa. This is slow habituation. Because you have a bird dog I would bring a stuffed bird and allow her to "find" that toy while being around the chickens (fenced in at first). This will help with her instincts to do something ELSE (work). Go slow, don't rush, follow each step precisely.

[@gamerweasel7000]

Animalsforever31 I have a bird retrieving dog (lab). And he is an amazing chicken dog. So I prepared my dog prior. I first changed him to a no chicken food. He doesn't eat chicken at all. All beef. Second, I made sure that he no longer played with toys that resembled live birds. Bright colored toys with no artificial feathers are perfect.

[@searose6192]

Gamer Weasel Can I ask, did you get your dog first or the chickens? We have adult chickens and ducks and we are getting a lab puppy. My thought was to start the puppy out around them immediately while he is still smaller than them. Is this what you did? Thanks!

[@MotherCityGirl]

would it be possible to start the second step with the dog in a crate?

[@Krissykris1468]

MotherCityGirl do not put the dog in a crate. You will create a tremendous amount of frustration as the dog can't move freely. Enclose the other animal, let the dog move freely.

[@gwc3721]

What breed dog?

[@doriennaraine3004]

What if my dog barks at the chickens

[@rachpreach]

How the heck do you do this when you have 4 dogs? We will be getting chickens at some point and none of our dogs have ever seen chickens before.

[@sylviamedlock9742]

That's the thing I had 54 and my dog had never seen them now I have 13

[@tunescaryn]

One dog at a time. It takes lots of time and patience, but it's worth it!

[@mak8422]

Through a fence starting. When you see them getting excited train them to look at you for a cue.

[@ingridawesome1055]

I have adult chickens. Will that still work?

[@Krissykris1468]

Yes but you'll have to go a bit slower depending on how flighty your chickens already are.

[@mayleeava7751]

Is it weird that my dog was accidentally left outside with my chickens my dog didn’t eat any of my chickens and liked my chickens but he try’s to eat rabbits, other birds,and squirrels

[@kiwiabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw]

I have a three year old cross of a rottweiler and a German shepherd and he doesn't eat chickens. Although we have a German shepherd puppy that eat them. When the three year old dog sees him chase any chickens, he chases him and stops him from eating

[@mikedemoros671]

But good video. Good job if you got the time. Keep the good work

[@laurenceranking810]

Any tips for doing this with adult chooks?

[@laurenceranking810]

I should add, adult chooks that are skittish of me

[@blossombuddies2875]

Wish there was a shorter way to do this but I'm going to end up going the safer route for this, my bunny needs to stay at my friends house next week and she has a dog, now the bunny has a pen made for dogs bigger than hers but she will just not allow her dog in her room instead.

[@noahampe5899]

Can you do this with adult chickens?

[@Krissykris1468]

Caroline Ampe Yes, but you have to be aware of how the adult chicken will act and take that into consideration. Adults will be more fearful and flighty which can trigger more prey instinct rather then babies.

[@evangelinasmusic]

Omg mookey looks exactly like my lab/Bernese mix. I’m trying to introduce him to our rats.

[@kusayilohe354]

Please help. Both my cat and dog have been killing our chickens. We tried locking our pets inside the house for about a month or more but still my cats sneaks out and kills the newborn chicks. Now they have started attacking the neighbours chickens as well. My cat is about 9 months and my dog is 6 years old. I'm really desperate. I will do this with my dog but please help me stop my cat from killing our chickens.

[@anangratan8409]

if my dog barks?

[@harounben342]

What do you feed your dogs?

[@Krissykris1468]

They're both wholefood fed. Raw and cooked, vitamin supplements from dr Peter dobias too.

[@gamerweasel7000]

My friend muzzled her chicken killer and locked him in a coop with their most aggressive rooster for 10 minutes. The dog never killed or even went near the chickens ever again.

[@solfeinberg437]

That's hilarious.

[@manuelsantana8835]

Ya know i thought about doing this i think Ill try it i have a mean rooster

[@TheMichellepr]

I think I may have to do that because my dog is relentless and salivating all over the place wanting to get to them 😔

[@patricktaylor7809]

The Amish around me said to take some of the chickens that was killed and put them in a barrel. Put the murderus dog in with the dead chickens. Put lid on and roll barrel down over a small hill. The dog believes the dead chickens are beating the hell out of it. Afterwards at the sight of a chicken the dog will run away, but I think in the long run it will ruin the dog. I use mine to guard. I've had pitbulls do great. They do not chase the predator off. They crush it and has no chance of returning for another try

[@KittyChanU2]

Those are kind of aggressive, the dog was there before the chickens. Actually the Amish if they do that should be fined

[@kaddeninzunza3980]

Well this work for turkeys?

[@Krissykris1468]

100% any smaller prey animal

[@saltie6044]

That cat do be lookin sketch doe

[@johnwesleyhuss2327]

My dog chases my rooster around our huge yard. My neighbors yell at me because my dog barks at them and whenever he's drinking out of our fountain he watches the chicken so he doesn't escape 🤣🤣🤣

[@bvnnypiszz5694]

what if ur dog has already killed 2 chickens?

[@lilolmecj]

Skye Isaacs I think this is a good question. When I have had dogs and chickens most of the dogs just seemed to realize the chickens are part of the family, to be protected. But, when I got my latest chickens my Chow was just in love with the chicks, checking on them several times a day, while they were in their chick enclosure. But when they graduated to the yard she seemed more interested in attacking them. It took about six months of through the fence interactions until she started to basically ignore them. Fast forward about 18 months, we adopt a one year old Husky, back to the beginning. Sigh. I would really like to have a dog who would hang out with the chickens and guard them, but all my dogs want to be with the people. The key is to get your dog less excited by the chickens, which will require a lot of supervised time, probably with the dog on leash.

[@felixleroux2754]

And if your dog already killed 3 chickens? (this is a rhetorical question)

[@mak8422]

You need to train them to not have a prey drive when they flap around and give them something else to be occupied with

[@carlosgonzalez-kh8gm]

You are the only person who really make videos for a real life, you should try to make some for getting along with sheeps, pigs,cows and other farm animals and also crooss the street alone and not getting hit by a car..

[@liv160]

And now all I need is a puppy 🐶🐶

[@melvela8350]

My dog already new not to attack my ducks and chicken idk how but he loves them even tho the ducks bite him in the nose while drinking there pool water