What can I do with Alfie?

[Trooperman]

Alfie is a bodegero - a small dog used for ratting in bodegas - and was dumped outside my finca gates about 4 weeks ago. He is, so the vet says, now about 20 weeks old. My 12 cats and I held a meeting and decided we'd take him in as the alternatives were not looking good for Alfie.
The cats soon let him know they were in charge, although his presence has changed their behaviour a trifle. He is quite delightful, loves walks and gives his owner (me!) much needed exercise.

But he chases chickens. He chases my neighbour's chickens if they stray into our finca and this morning, he caught one and would have killed it had I not intervened. My neighbour later told me that 2 of his chickens had been killed, including a giant cockerel he had, and that he thought my dog was responsible as he'd been seen in their finca and was chasing his hens. It would be impossible to dog-proof an entire finca and whilst it is reasonably secure, he may well have got into next door and had his "fun" with some hens.

How do I stop him chasing chickens, please?

A "doggy" person/friend has suggested electric shock therapy and give him a "belt" if he so much as looks at a hen. Is this a useful or reasonable course of action?

With foster homes full and willing new owners in very short supply and with (so I'm told) about 60 bodegeros awaiting re-homing at ADANA in Estepona, the future's looking a bit uncertain for Alfie.

Any ideas would be gratefully received.

[gerryh]

A "doggy" person/friend has suggested electric shock therapy and give him a "belt" if he so much as looks at a hen. Is this a useful or reasonable course of action?

You can get a system where you bury a wire around the perimeter you want to contain the dog in. The dog wears a collar which gives warning when they approach the wire.
They soon learn where the boundaries are.
Have a look at http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40
Cheers
Gerry

[Enrique]

Hi Trooperman,
I'd say there is not much you can do if the dog has a high prey drive............just keep him in a secure yard and when out for walks well away from any temptations.........I have three hunters in my yard and have to keep them secure and walk well away from the local "farms".

That breed make for good loyal pets so enjoy............

[Marina]

Gerry's solution is good and not as barbaric as it sounds. I had to resort to one of these to keep a couple of Houdini's from escaping and controlling the local cat population. It only tales a couple of shocks for the dog to learn what's what and if you try it out on yourself you'll see that it is really more of a startle than a shock.

Good luck and well done you for taking the dog in and working with the problem!

[gerryh]

... It only tales a couple of shocks for the dog to learn what's what and if you try it out on yourself you'll see that it is really more of a startle than a shock.

I believe they give a high pitched warning first, then as the dog gets nearer it gives an electric shock.
The dog soon learns that when it hears the audible warning it will get a shock if it goes any further.
Cheers
Gerry

[Trooperman]

Thanks for the information received so far.

I'm not sure I could lay a wire around my house/land easily but I'll think on.

I've looked at what's available on Amazon in the way of electronically operated trainers. Once I excluded anything with less than an 8* rating I was left with very little apart from this one which looked interesting if only because it doesn't deliver an electric shock - something that disturbs me a little. Has anyone any thoughts on it? http://tinyurl.com/opnahk9 ...or is it just another version of a "clicker" or other distraction device which, so far have failed to distract sufficiently!

[Marina]

Yes, just a distraction device. That looks like something that you have to operate yourself, so it would only be useful when you are with the dog. It would possibly be ok for out walking.

The thing is that if the chickens are straying onto your land, there isn't going to be a great deal you can do. I should be the neighbour's responsibility to keep his chickens secure, but then I know what neighbours can be like.

[Trooperman]

Thanks, Marina. You're quite correct, my neighbour didn't make a fuss about the wounded chicken on my land, accepting that it's up to him not to allow his chickens to come across.....but he was less than happy that (supposedly) my dog went next door and despatched two of his. With a dog that's like a Jack Russel with longer legs, it's a bit difficult to stop him burrowing under fences even if I've made them superficially dog-proof to protect my cats from intruders!

At the moment he's tied to a very long rope and asleep in the warm(ish) sun with access to his bed, water and toys. A picture of innocence! We'll see how things develop especially when the goats come past the gates on their evening stroll/nibble down towards the river.

[kexon]

Have you thought of trying a running line for him?I have a bordergero who is also an insatiable digger,she absolutely loves her runs in the campo chasing rabbits(which she hardly ever catches,as she has short legs!)but there are some days when i just cannot take her out,so she has a running line in the garden,took her a while to get used to it,but now she whizzes up and down and is perfectly happy and uses it mostly when i cannot supervise her all the time,its cheap to buy and you can have the running line as long as you like.Bordergeros are super dogs, loyal and lots of fun,but they also have a completely mad side which they cant help its in the breed,having said that i wouldnt swap mine for anything!

[Trooperman]

Yes! A running line might be the answer because a long rope (as I've now got) tends to tangle around obstacles as Alfie ferrets around amongst trees, furniture, hedge etc.

I've thought of another remedy and I'd be grateful if the doggy people on this forum could advise and that's to fit him with a muzzle and then allow him unimpeded access to my finca and wherever else he decides to go.

Personally, as you may have gathered, I find any restraint disturbing to some extent, but would a muzzle be any more or less acceptable to him?

[kexon]

I really dont know about a muzzle,from what i have heard some dogs get used to it and others dont.Our bordergero can still dig if she wants too along any of the length of the running line,okay it makes the orchard look like its been attacked by large moles,but as she loves to dig it seems to satisfy her.I think the only way to know about the muzzle, is to try it and see,though if he still digs out there are other dangers in running about in the campo as i am sure you are aware,poisons etc .Sometimes there are no easy answers you just do your best for them,which you are.

[Trooperman]

It's some time since I uploaded any pictures but if this link (with photobucket) works, this is what all the fuss's about:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/q8yb3xf

or

http://tinyurl.com/q8yb3xf

[rafiki]

Lovely chap!

As far as muzzles go do get the 'Miki' type that is a nylon, flexible thing not the cage type. If he were to get lost for a long time with a cage type on he would be unable to drink or eat. The nylon one allows a dog to lap water at least. Now that temperatures are rising watch that he doesn't get overheated if the muzzle restricts him and he can't pant enough with it on.