Training Advice Needed: Dog's Intense Fixation on Chickens

[Tricia171]

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to draw on the collective wisdom of the experienced trainers here for a new challenge I'm facing. Some of you might have seen my other post about our Kelpie, Pip, where we had great success using disengagement games to create a peaceful backyard.

Well, it seems I'm getting a masterclass in how different dogs truly are! We also have a young Border Collie, Finn, and what worked for Pip is not even making a dent with him. He's a whole different ball game, and I've hit a bit of a wall.

The Problem:

Finn's interest in our chickens isn't like Pip's herding curiosity; it's a quiet, intense, and unwavering prey drive. When he sees them, his world shrinks. He drops into a low stalk, his body goes rigid, and he becomes completely deaf to commands. It's a classic, hard-wired fixation that feels much more predatory than the herding instinct I'm used to managing.

As always, the chickens' safety is my number one priority. They have a fortress of a coop and run, and Finn is never unsupervised when they're in the yard. My goal is to help him learn to relax and manage his own state of mind for his own well-being.

What I'm Trying (and Why It's Not Enough):

I've been applying the same principles that worked with Pip, but the results are vastly different.

1. Management: The physical barriers are all in place, including a visual block on the fence line. This is non-negotiable.
2. "Leave It": His "leave it" is solid with toys and food, but it's powerless against the primal pull of the chickens.
3. Rewarding Disengagement: This is the biggest difference. The "look away game" that was so effective for Pip is failing with Finn. He is physically incapable of looking away. He will strain against the leash to maintain eye contact, and there's no opportunity to reward a better choice because he simply won't make one.
4. Exercise & Enrichment: He gets a ton of both physical and mental work every day, so I'm confident this isn't a case of simple boredom.

Where I'm Stuck & My Question:

I've learned that a herding drive and a prey drive can look similar but feel worlds apart to train. I need a new strategy for breaking through this intense, instinctual focus when my usual methods can't get a foot in the door.

Does anyone have experience with training exercises specifically for a high-arousal prey drive, as opposed to a herding drive?

I'm looking for ways to help him self-regulate when his instincts are screaming at him. Are there different impulse control games or desensitization protocols that are more effective for this specific mindset?

I'm all ears and ready to put in the work. It's humbling to realize that what works for one dog can be completely ineffective for another!

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[DogsAndTheMob]

It sounds as if you’re doing all the right things.
 

With my high-drive Brittany, I’ve found that management is the best long-term option. I compete with her in multiple dog sports and the daily training undoubtedly helps shift her focus to her work, to the point where she was able to complete a 25 metre sendaway then turn and sit, despite a flock of wood-ducks flying in to land about 20 metres beyond her target point. However, when she’s in the yard and the chickens are free-ranging in the paddock, her focus on them is still intense.

 

Fenzi is running a course soon on high prey-drive dogs. In my experience, Fenzi courses are expensive but generally worth the money and I’m planning to enrol in this one at Bronze - I.e. audit it. That will allow me to read the lectures, see the videos submitted by actively participating students and read the instructor’s commentary on their videos.

https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/42730

[sandgrubber]

I just installed a livestock style electric fence around the chicken coop.  After one encounter and about 6 months I removed the fence.  My chicken killer was no longer interested in chickens, and I could allow the chooks to wander free.

[Papillon Kisses]

Look up Predation Substitute Training by Simone Mueller