how do you stop a border collie chasing chickens, she is otherwise quite well behaved?

Answer 1

Border collies natural instinct is to herd. Maybe consider finding a trainer that does herding training and work on training your dog so that you will have control over it. An untrained BC will "herd" but it's usually a game of chase when not properly channeled with training.

Another option is to create a penned area for the chickens where your BC can't reach them.

Answer 2

I'm sure your border collie is well behaved, most of them are. The problem you have is you have not taught her who the TOP DOG is. The TOP DOG of the family & property and that my friend is YOU. She must learn to listen to YOU. What you must do & do it quickly, as the longer you let her do it the more confused she will be when your trying to correct this situation. What you need to do is correct her when she begins to chase them get her attention in what ever way you have to. Make her come to you immediately, get her to look at you & listen to you, get her focused on only you (not the chickens or anyone else) Tell her (after you've made her come to you make her sit down by you) kneal down, make eye contact with her & tell her that she is a bad dog for chasing them chickens. Keep her attention and tell her that is a bad thing & she can not do that. Explain to her that this is a no no & she is a bad dog for chasing them. She is doing only what comes naturally to her and you are responsible for teaching her right from wrong. This may take you & her a while but if you stop her each & every time she begins to chase them she will get the idea. You should take her inside the house (so she can't see them anymore) when she does this & the whole time tell her if she wouldn't have chased them chickens she would be outside & you both could be playing but she was a bad dog today and now she can't go out & play with you. And remember a dog usually don't remember what they did wrong after 10 mintues go by. So if you keep a constant virgil on her for about a week or so and you just might have a pleasant outdoor playtime with her in the near future. But remember to correct her immediately and scold her the whole time she's in the time out. And please remember to praise, praise & praise her over & over again each time she don't chase them & tell her how good she is. And before you let her go outside again get her attention & tell her your going to take her out side but she can not chase the chickens or she will have to come back in the house. If you talk to her normally she will pick up pretty quickly that chasing them is wrong and you don;t like it. And take the time to play ball with her while your outside with her she definately needs the workout and this too will help deter some of the built up energy she has. You need to be firm but loving too as she only is doing what she thinks is her job as TOP DOG. Good Luck, An Aussie's Parent

Answer 3

border collies are almost as smart as cattle dogs and kelpies,they'll herd them while your watching.different story when your not.the biggest problem though is because there so smart they wont touch your chickens,they'll go to the neighbours and kill
thiers.and because of thier original primary breed they'll most likely kill all of them,and just leave them.and they do it that quick you wont even know there gone.the object is to come back later to eat thier kill.the problem with these smart breeds is you have to keep on top of them,if you let them chase a chicken once it's hard to stop.once they kill one you'll never stop them killing again.
a remote control collar is the best way,either citronella or a small electrical charge(i personally dont like the elec.no matter how small the charge is).they are expensive though.cattle dogs,kelpies and border collies are smarter than most people i know and extremely loyal to thier family.you gotta love 'em?lol.
PS>getting rid of the chickens wont solve the problem for the reasons i just said(what a stupid thing to say)it'll only stop them chasing your chickens.oh yeah a leash will work,(duh)do you want it tied up 24/7?i'm an expert on these 3 breeds i'm not talking through my posterior.
pps.depends where you are you may be able to hire a collar from a vet or the local council?

Answer 4

It is part of the character of Border Collies to chase small animals, usually until they have been caught!!! Build a large run for the chickens that the dog can't get into?! : )

Answer 5

It depends, there are two behaviours involved in chasing livestock. The first is the chase, and the second is when they progress to catching and killing.
If your dog hasn't yet killed one, then its a bit easier to deal with. A dog won't chase stock that it sees as belonging to its pack leader. I used to have a collie x that was a brilliant hunter, but he wouldn't touch my poultry.
So your first job is to re-enforce your status as pack leader. Then you make it clear that the chickens are yours and you disapprove of the chasing.
Put him on the lead and walk him around near the chickens, and correct him when he shows any interest in them.
Teach him to drop into the down on command and be ready to use that when you see him about to start chasing.
You could really do with taking him to a dog training club to get help with this; its a common problem. Collies are bred to round up sheep, and that behaviour is based ion the instinct to chase.
So he has a high drive to chase stock, but you haven't trained him to work. The impulse is there, the chickens are there and he's just doing what comes naturally.
But he can learn to control it.

Answer 6

Er, she's a Collie--- Y'know, SHEEPDOG. Doesn't that tell you something? It's what Collies do, chase. It's what they're bred for. One day she might catch one for you, then you can make some nice chicken soup.

Answer 7

A border collie will always have some irritating behavioural traits such as this. It is to do with their intelligence. However you may wish to take her to obedience classes. They are not as strict as they sound, it is more about teaching you the workings of a dog's mind. You may be able to teach her just to lay watching the chickens.

hope this helps

Answer 8

You could try teaching her to herd properly, then you will be able to 'switch her off' as it were - if she is allowed to herd on command then you will be able to stop her, and down her instantly. Otherwise it ain't gonna happen, fenceing between your chucks and the collie (very tall and strong as they are persistant little dogs) is your other option.

Answer 9

To understand your dog’s behavior, you must first understand that a dog is a pack animal.

In your dog’s world, this is the natural order of things – each dog has his place in the pack. The hierarchy in a wild dog pack consists of various ranks, beginning with the lead dog, of alpha male. The alpha male is seconded by a beta. Beneath these ranks, each dog has a place in they pyramid of things, and this structure is very important to survival and harmony within the pack.



A puppy enters a pack at the lowest ranking, and establishes his place through a process called subordination. Puppies usually start this process at 3 weeks of age, and continue through young adulthood. During this development phase, the puppy will be pushy in an attempt to advance as far as possible in the social order of the pack. The key, therefore, is to establish your rank as the pack leader and maintain it.



The adult dogs, who are higher in the hierarchy, teach the pups the rules. Grabbing the puppies gently, but firmly by the neck, they pin the puppies down. They establish their dominance, and teach the puppies to react submissively. The submissive reaction - ears back, head lowered and tail down wagging gently – is a sign of respect and submission to the dominant dogs in the pack.



When arriving at a new home, a dog immediately tries to establish his place in the pack. Some dogs assume an automatic submissive role – reacting automatically like a subordinate. Others will be more aggressive, and exhibit pushy behavior, attempting to climb the social ladder as high as you will allow them to.



At this point it is important to remember that you must become the alpha, and establish a dominant role in your household. This does not mean you need to treat the dog aggressively. This means you simply need to establish, and maintain authority.



Through understanding the dog’s nature as a pack animal, we can then understand the importance of maintaining a social structure within the household.



Authority is established through being firm, but fair. A dog who growls, shows his teeth, or nips at lower pack members looses respect from the other pack members. Alpha dogs who display aggression are often challenged, as they are considered a threat to other pack members. Being aggressive does not earn respect.



Confidence is important. Observing body language is pertinent to surviving in a pack. A dominant dog is confident, stands tall, ears forward, and he maintains eye contact. Dogs are known for their intuition, and this is derived from a pack instinct. Your dog will watch you for eye contact and confidence, and this is important in maintaining an alpha position in your household.



An alpha male will not accept commands from lower ranking dogs. Thus, training and obedience go a long way in earning respect and establishing a higher rank in the pack.



A lower ranked dog will not challenge a higher rank for food, or act aggressively towards a dog who is higher in the social structure of the pack. If a dog growls when you go near his food dish, or when you attempt to take away a toy, he is exhibiting a sign he does not feel you have a higher ranking in the pack. If the dog growls at certain family members, he probably feels he is above them in the social order of things. Aggression problems can occur if your dog feels he is dominant to other members of the household.



The simplest and easiest way to enforce a dog’s rank is through obedience training. This enforces both respect and authority, and it is a positive and healthy way to maintain the social order of things in your household.
You are the ALPHA dog so start correct training as soon as possible it is chickens now but what next ?

Good luck.
www.eurobichons.com

Training advice free to join.

Answer 10

you get rid of the chickens.... she is doing what she was bred for.... herding!!!!! try enrolling in obedience class or agility or better yet...... take your dog to the border collie club near you and enter her in herding trials..... you will probably do quite welll lshe sounds great....