dogs and birds - can't we all just get along?

Because I am a card-carrying member of the "Let's Put Prey and Predators in the Same House" club, I got birds! They are terribly cute. You can see photos of them in the bird forum and I am going to slap a web page up when I get a chance.

Anyway, the dogs are going nutty. I expected this and I am still hoping they will eventually just become accustomed to the birds. I am home all week to supervise. But I am wondering how I should handle things. Ignore the dogs when they are pacing and whining by the gate separating them from the bird cage? Reward them for NOT paying attention to the birds? Actively tell them no when they approach the gate? Run them through their commands and some long down-stays when the birds are most active?

My thoughts are that I should ignore them if they are whining and pacing and staring. They will do this when I am not home and there's nothing I can do about it. I have to correct Nala if she is lunging at the gate or trying to scale furniture to get over it - I don't see any other choice with this one. I do try to reward them if they stop staring at the birds and do something else. I guess I should run them through commands, too.

Can anyone think of more things I can do, or things I should NOT do?

 

Hi Jamiya,
you really don't like a peaceful household do you? :lol:

I'd say go exactly the same way you did with the cats. Birds, being smaller and flighter than cats just mean they trigger a bigger instinct. Also, the dogs being there first means it's theirs and not the birds, so you're gonna have to be firmer with the 'no's' if you use them.

I don't envy you one bit!

If it helps at all... Floob ignores birds in the street now. He got the same 'no' when he went for the chase as I used for not chasing the cats. He knows the tone as a 'stop, mustn't bother it. damnit', I can see it in his eyes that he's annoyed, but he leaves them alone all together now. Squirrels on the other hand...

You crack me up :mrgreen:

 

Errrrr. Nala STILL chases our cats. It has been about 18 months since we got her. *sigh*

The dogs are sleeping right now while the birds sing. My husband took them to the park and ran them silly. While they still get excited about the birds, it is better than it was last night. Hopefully in the next week they will get even better.

 

I'd just let them be, i wouldn't worry about it. When I got birds (quail and bantams) Aspin went nuts, she would stalk the cage and watch them. Now when I open the door to the coop i could leave it open with her sitting right there and she wouldn't come in and chase the birds. I'd just ignore it, they'll get over the excitment soon. lol good luck!

 

i have found that the best way to keep ranger away from something is to constantly tell him "no" in a loud, firm voice when he goes near. I got a pocket possum, and it was sitting in a 3 story hamster cage on teh floor, and ranger kept wanting to check it out, but i didn't know what would happen, so i repeatedly told him no and he eventually just steered clear of teh corner. he learned teh same way about playing with the cat. he won't start any play with her, he's only allowed to play if he starts it, but he has gotten a lot better about simply responding to "no" knowing that it means if he doesn't stop, he will get in bigger trouble, so it may depend on the dog.

 

Many years ago I was trying to teach my, 'rescued-just off the streets stray dog' not to mess with my budgie, he did well eventually but the first time I let the budgie out of the cage with him in the room, I had Rambo (a big Dane mix) laying down next to me with a short leash on, I didnt take into account Peppi (the budgie) would fly directly from his cage AT the dog, he survived that, feathers intact, another time Peppi actually flew into Rambos mouth, the dog had just been standing there panting a little, he closed his mouth and all I could see was a wing and a tail, looked like something from a Tweety Bird cartoon...(it really wasnt funny at the time)....I yelled at him and he spat Peppi out onto the floor, Peppi ran behind the chair...in shock I think but he recovered and lived for another 7 years.
Like tuttifrutti says, I also used the loud, stern NO 'method'.

 

If you're up for a little training time, I'd suggest this. Put a leash on the dog. When she looks at the birds, deliver a MILD correction and a quiet no. When she turns to look at you, praise. As soon as she looks at the birds, again deliver a correction and a no. It usually doesn't take them long to figure out ignoring the birds gets you attention and praise, fussing at the birds is a no.

 

I think that the Dogs will be fine in time with the bird. I have an English Mastiff and A Chow. When I first brought home my Two birds they didnt want any part of it but they have Grown use to the birds in a short time.

 

When I first got my budgies Rocky would be all over the cage.

I used pretty much the same thing Shine is suggesting except with no leash. Now he pretty much just ignores them and couldn't care less that they're in the house. Even when I clean the cage and have to put the cage on the floor (down at his level) he'll usually do his preliminary sniff and then not even give them a second thought.

I'd suggest Shine's technique. Just be patient and stick to the routine. It's always hard in the beginning but eventually they'll pick up on it.

 

Ok, I do have to share how the Amazon parrot taught the bull terrier that leaving the bird alone would be a good idea.

Whirrly, the parrot, decided a stroll across the kitchen floor might be fun. But I don't think he realized there was a bull terrier lurking under the table, or that she might run out to investigate. I heard a terrible ruckus...bird screams, dog screams, and flapping wings. I turned and to my horror saw my bird in the jaws of my bully. Or so I thought.

I immediately told her to "Leave it", a command she knew well. Only she didn't drop him. She gave me a look, but held on. Or so I thought.

I grabbed her, told her "Leave it" again, only to realize what that look had meant. "Don't tell me to drop the bird! Tell the bird to drop ME!". Sure enough, Whirrly had Nan by the fleshy part of her nose, right where you'd ring a bull, and was beating her in the face with his wings.

I managed to detatch the parrot from the dogs nose. A quick exam revealed no injuries. But he immediately swooped back down to the floor, spread his wings, and did his best "Great Green Eagle" stalking the dog. I've never seen a dog run backward faster in my life. And I won't repeat what he said. It's unprintable.

Gee, I don't understand where he learned language like that. I should have washed his beak out with soap!

 

:lol: thats funny...well Im sure it wasnt at the time...those Amazons can be nasty, my friends Amazon used to terrorize her 15# Tomcat....it sunk its beak into me almost 30 years ago, Ive still got the scar....

 

:m39: That is the funniest story Shine!!

 

Well the dogs are getting better, but they still go nuts sometimes. And they are totally wired! They want to go outside and play almost every second.

I have never had any luck with any sort of correction with Nala and the cats. The cats are just too rewarding for her. I suspect the birds will be the same way. Hopefully the gates will be enough in our absence to protect them.

I just realized that we will be at an agility trial all weekend so I lose two days of supervision at home with Nala, but on the brighter side maybe she will still be exhausted on Monday when I go back to work. And my son will still be home on Monday so he can keep an eye on her.

At least the birds don't seem to mind predators staring at them. The cats stare at them for a good part of the morning but the birds don't notice.

 

Love the photo of Bonnie & Nala staring at the birds with their tails up ;-) I can just picture the swishing of their tails in unison and then upon the flutter of a wing or two, the fixated stares and the tails coming to a dead stop!!!

 

Then there's the vision of Nala trying to balance on her hind legs while she assesses the gate and tries to determine if she can clear it and have room to land on the other side....