I live in the country and most houses that are close by have chickens. My dog Sammy has always been allowed to wander around loose all day and has been no trouble at all but recently he has started to attack and kill chickens making me not very popular with the neighbours! He is now 10 months old. Can anyone tell me if this is normal behaviour for a yorkshire terrier and how can i deter him from doing it. I now have to keep him in or on a chain when outside which he is finding distressing. Help!

Hi Mazza,
While this isn't commonly "known" Yorkie behavior, the majority of the breed these days just don't have access to farm animals. Yorkies are terriers and Terriers were bred to hunt -- usually rats, mice, and on up in size.

I hate to say that because he has learned the chickens are prey (especially at a young age) and has killed them, you will never be able to trust him around ground animals again (not talking about other dogs and adult cats-- they can pretty much take care of themselves). But anything smaller than him will be looked at as fair game.

I did manage to teach my terrier mix that killing birds is a no-no, but she was much older than yours (3 years old.) For some reason, the lesson 'took' and she's never killed or hunted any more large birds again (grackles, crows, & Magpies) ... I don't know why, but it seemed a 'phase.' But she'll still gleefully kill mice and other rodents if given a chance. :rolleyes:
My Yorkie (when she was alive) hated ducks, geese, and swans...but she didn't have any access to them off-leash or nearby. I'd hate to have had to deal a situation like you are in :( :(

Even tying him out might not help because there's still the possibility of slipping loose. Yorkies are small and squirmy, even with a body harness on. You could fence an area in your yard or have a kennel run type for him to be able to be free. But if you allow him to manage to get loose again and someone kills him for attacking their animals, they will be in the right and he'll be dead. :(

If you cannot ensure his ability to remain in your yard, you could consider rehoming him with someone who lives in the 'burbs' or city where he would never have access to anything other than roaming pidgeons. Heartbreaking, I understand, but at least he would be alive.
Sorry I couldn't give you any hope or other suggestions that could guarantee no more chicken killing.
regards,
Sara

allowing your dog to wander off your property at large, is a very irresponsible thing to do, regardless of the chicken problem. If you do a search you will find this topic has been discussed before & some of my methods for stock proofing with poultry are on the threads.

Hi Mazza, well all my dogs would chase & kill our chickens if they could get to them!! My BIL`S dogs have done the same as well & also my friends dogs too. We have had to make the chicken run dog proof, only got to teach hubby & gardener to close the damn gate now!!!!!!! :) :)
Christine, Spain.

<<<My dog Sammy has always been allowed to wander around loose all day>>>

<Shaking head in disbelief and imagining the uproar if this was a large breed allowed to 'wander around loose all day, killing chickens'!!> :rolleyes:

Sorry, but you have a responsibility as a dog owner (large or small) to make sure said dog is kept under control at all times....for his safety and the safety of others!

wow talk about censorship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
huff!!!!!!!

Not censorship Emily, sound advice. Mazza - The problem is that your dog is attacking and killing chickens on other peoples property, you are actually lucky that no one has taken this further with you, the sensible thing to do to would be to stop letting your dog wander. You never know, a chicken owner might one day retaliate and your Yorkie may not come home:( - not everyone is dog loving! Under the circumstances your dog should not be out unsupervised. Julie:)

No i was talking about the 'cats' discussion that ensued.... its all been deleted

I agree with keeping animals contained in 'your' area or on a leash - including cats -

Sorry Emily - wasn't clear:) - missed the cat discussion, but sounds like its just as well:D Julie:)

Something interesting to note, that when topics are edited and branched off, it's much more likely to cause disscussion than if it was left in place to die a short natural death. It's happened several times now. Very odd

I've just read an article in today's Mail about 3 dogs, a Yorkie ShihTzu X, a Saluki and a Lurcher who were shot by a mans' neighbour for just being in the same garden as his chickens. Very sad story of 2 stupid neighbours who were unable to solve their differences and the dogs suffered; seemsthey were shot out of spite as much as anything as they had not been seen taking birds and this was a garden, not a farmyard or field.

But yes, we all have a big responsibility as owners to keep our dogs under control. My dog is only in the garden if I am with her or I know exactly what she is doing.

Lindsay

Not agreeing or disagreeing with any of this...but it doesn't matter if its a garden or a farmyard Lindsay.....they are still livestock & if they are being worried by dogs.....well you know the rest.

This happened in the BBC East Anglia area, and the teletext report I read indicated that the dogs were actually responsible for the death of some birds :-(

Oh dear - that's even worse then. I know there was problems over one person's son gettng stung by the other's bees....or just one bee....

The dog owners should have really sorted out the fence at the bottom of their garden - uhless of course it was owned by the other neighbours. It's just a mess :(

Lindsay