# Any tips for new dog



## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

I just rescued a dog from the shelter. She's a two year old Sheltie mix. She's been at the shelter for over two months and before that she was listed As a stray. So I'm sure she will need training when I start slowly introducing her to my chickens. Any tips on how to do so safely? Thanks everyone


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Her on a leash, the birds in the run. Leave slack in the leash if possible and watch her body language closely.

She probably isn't the best breed to have with chickens but my labs worked out with a ton of work on my part. 

BTW, congrats on the new family member. And good on you adopting her.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

I grew up with a sheltie. they are herders and that's all I'm going to say about that.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

Rosco is that a bad or good thing


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Bad thing for the birds. If her urge to herd isn't watered down she could run the birds ragged trying to herd them. That's why I recommended the loose leash, to see what she does when she sees the birds. She might not do much if she knows she's on the leash.


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## rosco47 (Jul 6, 2015)

our pure blood sheltie could herd water up hill...drove you crazy
since she is mixed, you will just have to see. it may work out to where she just hangs out with the flock almost as a protector and not so much as a herder


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

I hope she does well. I'm gonna take it really slow introducing them. I lost my whole flock about 5 months ago to a dog attack. Now the new girls r just getting to laying age. She seems like a very good girl so far so I'm hoping I can teach her to leave them alone. But I understand dogs will be dogs and u can never be too careful


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Give her time to understand that you or hubs is the leader of the pack and what you say goes. Once you've got that then introduce her to the birds.

My three boys are lab mixes, it took me two years and going off on the alpha puppy to get it through his thick head the birds were part of our pack. Before that he would look up at the window to see if I was watching him before he tried to sneak off to bother my Guineas. I caught him again, put a leash on him, drug his butt in to the Guinea coop and got very loud. Never touched him but kept in the corner while I yelled at him. Bet the neighbors a 1/4 mile away could hear me. 

It wasn't long after that I witnessed the three dogs working with the Guineas to run off interlopers. Cats, the neighbor's chickens, deer, fox. You name it, they worked as a team.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You know what dawned on me last night, I have an Australian Shepard mix myself.

That said, what happened with your new family member?


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

She's great with the kids and in the house. But she gets way too excited when she sees the chickens. So right now we r taking it slow and letting her see the chickens through the back door. I think she might try to attack one if we let get close to them. But other than that she's great with the kids. She has as much energy as they do


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