How to ensure your dog/puppy doesn't hurt your bird?

[coral3]

Hi there...

We have a much-loved Alexandrine parrot, Ringo. He is almost 5yo, lives in his cage most of the time but comes out for play & flying time around the house regularly.

At the moment we are on the waiting list for a dog. We've decided to get a pup rather than adopt an adult dog as I figure this will give us the best chance at being able to socialise the dog from early on to NOT try and eat our feather-baby.

Just wondering if anyone has experienced problems with dogs around their birds? Or do your birds & dogs co-exist peacefully?

How do you go about training the dog to make sure they're going to get along? Or are some dog breeds just naturally incompatible with birds?

I don't expect them to cuddle up together & be besties or anything like that, but I do want to be able to let Ringo out to fly around the house (he'd be supervised) without the dog going crazy trying to get at him, and without the fear that the dog will injure him if he happens to land within range.

TIA

 

[chris-md]

The answer is perpetual vigilance, never trust. You can train til the cows come home, but one moment of nature overcoming training and the birds a goner. It happens often.

You DONT let them out and about without you being within arms length of one of them at all times. Never leave the bird unattended in a place where A) dog can get it, or b) bird can climb down/fly around to a place where dog can get them.

Not the answer you were looking for, but it’s how it works. We are dog sitters on Rover, and whenever we have a boarder(s), Parker is kept in cage at all times. He has a couple cages so he’s with us at all times, and we only sit smaller dogs (<25lbs) which makes them Less imposing to the bird. But for his safety he has to stay in some cage or other. No matter how friendly dogs seem, you can’t trust them for one second.

 

[Tsali]

The answer is perpetual vigilance, never trust. You can train til the cows come home, but one moment of nature overcoming training and the birds a goner. It happens often.

You DONT let them out and about without you being within arms length of one of them at all times. Never leave the bird unattended in a place where A) dog can get it, or b) bird can climb down/fly around to a place where dog can get them.

Not the answer you were looking for, but it’s how it works. We are dog sitters on Rover, and whenever we have a boarder(s), Parker is kept in cage at all times. He has a couple cages so he’s with us at all times, and we only sit smaller dogs (<25lbs) which makes them Less imposing to the bird. But for his safety he has to stay in some cage or other. No matter how friendly dogs seem, you can’t trust them for one second.

Exactly - I have 2 Yorkies and an African Grey. They are never ever in the same living space unless I am within snatching distance. Inconvenient at times, but for the safety of all, we make it happen.

 

[Inger]

I only have my dogs on weekends. When they’re here, Bumble stays on her cage unless they’re in the other room with the door closed. I don’t want a tragedy.


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[Flboy]

Our beloved Tango was killed right in front of us! You can’t move fast enough!

 

[coral3]

Okay, sounds like I need to adjust my strategy! Rather than trying to train a dog to not harm Ringo, we might do some crate-training with the dog so it can be contained while flight time is happening. Or just manage things so Ringo has flight time while the dog is in the yard.

Flboy that's so sad about your Tango! How awful! I would be devastated if something like that happened to Ringo.

 

[T00tsyd]

I have had dogs all my life and all have been obedience trained. My current dog is LARGE bigger than German Shepherd. If you have a puppy it is going to be about 2 years regardless of breed, until you can even halfway trust them.

As an example I would trust my dog anywhere - but only if I am there to instruct his actions. That's the important point. He will leave cats, rabbits, birds, mice, people, other dogs - you name it - BUT I make sure that I pre-empt him at all times. He will look to me before taking any action which is how I have trained him. That takes a lot of work and patience and is daily on-going. I added Syd a few months ago.

You need a cage for the birds and another for the dog especially a puppy. Get it big enough to accommodate him at at least 2 years old. Put him in as soon as you get him and he will treat it as his safe house, his bed and you will house train him quicker. He will be more relaxed and rest easier in one. Keep it covered over the top initially and maybe 3 sides, or position it like you would a bird cage so it feels secure.

My dog is around Syd, but there are times when I see him licking, which means he is trying to calm himself and I put him out as it is causing him stress. Syd has landed on his back 3 times and I confirm that no-one would be quick enough if the dog springs.

I would suggest having the puppy on a leash in the house if there is even a remote chance of bird contact, and I cannot stress how vigilant you would need to be.

I would advise that you avoid all terrier/hunting groups.

I have just thought of something else. It is not my dog I worry so much about but Syd's growing confidence around him. It's quite obvious he is no longer scared so is getting into a position of putting himself in danger.

 

[tashawithanekkie]

If I knew how to post gifs I'd put one of Mad-Eye Moody (from Harry Potter) here. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!

You can work with your dog constantly, making sure it knows that things like sustained eye contact/attention with the bird just aren't okay. But birds will always be potential prey to a dog, that's just how they are made. So like many have said, never leave them alone together. Always stay close to one or the other.

 

[itzjbean]

I have a 95lb. Doberman Pinscher and he was about 3 when we got our two cockatiels. We have cats, too, and they are put away when we take the birds out. The dog does not have as strong a prey drive as other breeds, or the cats, so he's trusted with being in the same room as the birds, BUT the birds are never allowed on the ground and someone is always watching them. You just have to take precautions when owning prey-predator pets but it can be done.

If you're getting a puppy, it may be a little easier introducing them, I would sit on the ground and let them sniff each other, maybe wait until the puppy is getting tired so he isn't jumping and mouthing, and then take bird away until next time. Keep interactions positive and short and slowly increase time spent together. It would be great to have one person handle the puppy, one person handle the bird should anything happen and the two need separated.

 

[IndySE]

I managed to, thus far, keep a safe environment for my bird with a terrier. Terriers are known to be highly prey driven, and I was thus very nervous. Outside, the terrier will go after anything that moves. Training her to leave the bird alone took a lot of time, and patience.

In the first few weeks, Flower (the terrier) was obsessed with the bird. I had to slowly desensitize her to the bird by first keeping them 100% seperated, not even within visual sight of each other, so the dog could get used to her scent/presence. After she calmed down, I would limit their exposure to each other by either having her kenneled and the bird out, or the bird caged and the dog on a leash. As the dog become less interested, her 'leash' would get longer, or I'd allow her to be in the company of the bird for longer. Eventually the dog was 100% disinterested, and I can now take them both at the same time as long as the bird is within arm's reach. The dog is actually scared of the bird, because once or twice the bird ran down someone's arm and bit the dog on the nose D; That was on us, but I don't discourage the dog actively avoiding the bird either. Occasionally if the bird moves more like a prey animal (low, fast movements), the dog will become interested as a predator will, but not to the point that she can't be immediately snapped out of it.

The dog was also obedience trained for 'drop it' and 'leave it'. These are 100% essential commands in case you can't react fast enough. There will always be inherent risk when having both a predator and a prey animal together, though it can be a workable situation as well.

Best of luck !

 

[Inger]

Just read on Facebook today that another person who thought her dog was well trained now has a dead bird. She only turned her back for a moment. Why risk it?


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[chris-md]

IndySE, basically same here. Our yorkie is terrified of the bird and actively avoids the bird whenever possible. But you get her outside, she’ll want to chase any squirrel she sees.

This would lul anyone else into a false sense of security. But as someone who has read way too many horror stories, I still keep every precaution up.

Just one millisecond of Drive overtaking training.

Let’s be fair though, the dog and the bird are about the same size so he who is he loudest is most likely the one to be feared.

 

[Katu]

I won't trust my dogs. I hope I don't make any mistakes. I guess if I got a Macaw or U2 it would technically be bigger than my dogs, but then I'd probably end up with dead or injured dogs. I will be keeping them all completely separate for the first while.