Dog Wants to Attack my Bird?

Question

Today, I got a new dog from a shelter. He's jack russel terrier. Tough, strong guy at age 6. I have a green-cheek-conure at home... and he's the WORLD to me. I swore if that guy hurts my bird, he's going back to the pound. I know it sounds cruel... and I hate MYSELF for thinking that way - but it's just how much I love my conure. Believe me, he's practically my son.
I'm quite aware of the breed's history - how they were "created" to hunt alongside horses for fox, rabbits, etc. The trait has carried on through the generations, and the terrier group is still interested in small animals - such as birds.
Are there shock collars that will deliver a small jolt to him {nothing harming} just to let him know that if he goes near Boona {my conure} it's bad? Are there shockers that can go off once he's crossed a specific point?
How can I train Kona - my dog - to stay away from my bird? I have mice, too, but I'm not too concerned because they're always in their cage.

Thanks. :)

Thanks for the tips, guys, keep 'em coming! And I'd rather not get rid of this dog... i mean... my PARENTS like him! He's the perfect dog for our lifestyle... this is the only problem.

Answer 1

I dont think you sound cruel about how you feel if the dog hurt your bird, I have cats and a Jack russell mix also, and recently got a border collie/lab mix who is much larger and I feel the same way if he ever hurt one of my "babies" i would be so angry at myself for allowing that to happen, and want to bring him back to the rescue.

But i do think there are alternatives to the shock collar you should try first, that is pretty severe without trying any other techniques first, but if you dont have the time or worry too much, a different breed of dog might be better suited to live with your bird.

My JRT I got as a 2 month old puppy so she learned the cats are here and part of the home and since she grew up with them she never harmed them, just will chase sometimes.

I think you should introduce the two a little at a time, and keep the bird safe in a room the JRT cant get into until they learn to respect each other. It's not like they'll sleep side by side or anything but he can definitely learn to respect all animals in the home.(without shock collar, just by desensitizing and postitive reinforcement)

My 6 yr old schnauzer mix never got along with any other dogs and chased everything. We got our first cats and we just introduced the cats a little at a time, and they did end up sleeping side by side.

hmm more tips..always distract the jrt when he seems to get fixated on the bird. When he ignores the bird, always reward him with praise and treats, Put the bird in the cage in the same room as the dog, when the dog does something else besides look at the bird, give a treat. jack russells are pretty smart, even with his instinct to hunt small animals, he can understand this bird is a member of the pack not to be touched. Also you can make a loud noise if he does go too near the cage, or spray with water (although my JRT does not care about either a loud noise or water spray).

I got idea when my jack russell found a feather on the ground. She was going wild barking at the feather and in playbow body language and stuff. maybe you could bring some feathers from the bird's cage and let the dog get used to the smell

Answer 2

Hi. I recently got a dog and a hamster from the shelter(yes hamsters need homes too, this person had 2 hamsters that quickly multiplied into over 20-30 hamster babies, and they were going to toss them in the garbage, literally), and have trained my dog to 'ignore' the hamster. My dog does have some JRT in him too, and absolutely LOVES to chase lizards/birds/rabbits.

First off, for the protection of the bird, keep the bird INSIDE the cage at all times unless you can keep the dog in a separate room. Also, the dog should not be left inside the room with the birdcage even if the bird is inside the cage.

For awhile, let your dog enter the room where the birdcage is. If he smells it, it's okay. If he barks, scratches, or jumps, this is unacceptable so give him a firm "no" or "off". If he is persistent, keep a long lead on him, tell him "off", and if he continues, pull the lead. Knowing the "come" command is also useful. It is also useful to teach your dog a "look at me" command where the dog will look at you in the eyes; This helped me tremendously when I wanted to get 100% attention of my dog. Slowly, your dog will hopefully become acclimated with having the bird in the same room as himself...but, in some cases, training a specific type of hunting breed to 'resist' their temptations of hunting is impossible, and quite frankly, not fair for the dog.

If this be the case, for your dog and bird's sake, I would recommend getting another breed of dog. Depending on how severe your dog's temptations are though, it is very duable. You can also always keep the bird confined in one room. When you want to take the bird out, keep the door closed.

But, just remember to transition VERY VERY slowly when going from keeping the bird IN the cage to OUT of the cage. The bird is very vulnerable and the dog's temptations may be high!

Answer 3

Dogs can be trained to do just about anything, but for now you are going to need to keep a very close eye on your dog and your beloved bird. Kennel the dog when you cannot keep an eye on him. Go to the pet store and get yourself a couple of books on clicker training and clicker and I would recommend these videos the how of bow wow and the how of bow wow 2. Work daily with your dog you can work with your bird too! Don't give up. I used to have a pit bull named Kona.
Good luck. Love that dog please and keep an eye on him

Answer 4

YES! Shock collars are fantastic IF they are used properly! You need a trainer to help you with this. A good, recommended trainer will actually help you on the scene for training.