How to Make Your Dogs and Chickens Get Along

Many people who want to get into raising backyard chickens often hesitate for one reason: their dogs. Dogs and chickens aren’t known to be compatible species, but if dogs and cats can live together, so too can dogs and chickens.

With a little training and some care, you can get your dogs and chickens to get along in no time. Read on to learn more:

Keep your dog’s breed and personality in mind

While we want all dogs and chickens to coexist peacefully, we also understand that some dogs will have more trouble adjusting to chickens than others. Depending on their breed and personality, some dogs have a higher prey drive than others. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible to train them, but it is something to keep in mind before bringing chickens into your household.

Make introductions

If you believe your pup can tolerate chickens, then it’s time to make the first introductions. Once your chickens have arrived, walk your dog around coop or enclosure, keeping them on a leash at all times. As you’re doing this, watch your dog to see how they react to the chickens. If they’re showing any kind of aggressive behavior, take them away and try again later. Continue doing this over the course of the next few weeks until your dog can calmly walk around the coop/enclosure.

Obedience training

If you’re having trouble teaching your dog how to behave around your chickens, then it’s time to bring in some professional help. Enroll your dog in an obedience training course to teach them basic commands that can help prevent things from getting out of hand.

To learn more about how to teach your dogs and chickens to coexist, contact Chickens for Backyards today!