Dog Kennel next to chicken coop?

[mattyc]

Without too much forethought, we recently set up a chicken coop 10 feet away from our new pup's kennel (12wk old golden retriever). I boarded off the side of the chicken coop that faces the kennel, so poor Sparky doesn't have to sit there watching birds he can't have all day long, but he can smell 'em and hear 'em.

When we get him out of the kennel, he has one mission - chickens. He wants to run over there and just stare at them, run around the coop and find any way in that he can. I'm glad he's this fired up about birds. But I'm wondering if we might be desensitizing him? Or, is he just going to be that much more fired up about birds?

I'm planning on getting some pigeons soon. I'm suspecting that if he can "get" one every now and then -- not from the coop, but in training -- he won't lose interest.

Thoughts???

[GrayDawg]

What you described is not the ideal set up for your dog imho.
If you can move either the dog kennel or chicken coop- I would.

Rob

[Munster]

I will tell ya a little story.

My Abby had NEVR taken out a duck in her life. One day I had to bring 2 ducks home so that I would have some to train with. I had no where to put these ducks, so I set them up in my yard..her yard. She couldnt get to them but she could see them, smell etc. It wasnt a week later that she started to take ducks out when we would train. So, I had to dispatch the ducks. I didnt have anymore trouble with her taking them out.
I cut the story way short. But basically, it wasnt fair to her to have to stare at the ducks all day. She couldnt handle the temtation and decided that she would exact her own revenge when she had a chance. And she did.
I would never keep the birds that close to my dogs again. I think it is to difficult for them and it could set you back big time!

Just my opinion.

[windswept]

I'll take the opposing position. I've had my pigeon coop very close to my dogs for years and it's never caused a problem. I did finally move it just because I had one dog that was eating the discarded seed and it was making for quite a mess in the kennel. Actually it's still only about 5 feet from the dog yard but they can no longer get at it.

[wems2371]

Mine aren't kenneled next to my coops. But I am home and outdoors a lot, and the dogs are lose with me at those times, and can get to the coops. I have a pigeon loft, hutch style coop, 16 x 8 flight type pen, and a ground cage--containing quail, chukar, pigeons, pheasant, 2 chickens, and a duck. The dogs do laps around all of the cages, burning a grass path...bounce off the wire...and try to sneak in the door when I do the chores. I don't know how it would be if they were kenneled next to the birds 24/7, but they seem to do fine having fairly regular daily access to the pens. Anymore, the dogs take a couple minutes to go up and check on the coops and their birds and then they come back to find me. And No, they haven't lost any ambition in the field either. I don't think your dog is going to get desensitized by a few chickens.

Here's a chicken thread from a while back. I remember some other posts too, but can't remember what they were under, but quite a few folks have no choice but to have their coop in the same yard.
http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... ns#p204086

[postoakshorthairs]

My pigeon coop has been within spitting distance of my dog kennels for years and I've never had a problem related to the location. If anything the pigeons flying in and out of the coop fires them up. Maybe i'm just lucky but i know several others that have similar set ups.

[Greg Jennings]

If you have other options, why take a risk.