It’s gotten to the point that you can’t take your dog anywhere near certain areas on your land because your dog barks at chickens like crazy anytime they see them! Why do they do this? Why do dogs bark at chickens? How careful do you need to be? Are chickens safe around dogs? Can dogs get sick from backyard chickens?

Today, we’re going to answer all of the questions you have about this obnoxious issue. And we’ll cover what you really came here for: how to stop your dog barking at the chickens! Soon, you’ll be able to let your dog be around the chickens without worrying about what will happen. Keep reading below for our article “Dog Barking at Chickens? Here’s How to Stop It!”

How to Stop Dog Barking at Your Chickens

To stop dog barking at your chickens, you should teach them the “quiet” command. Take your dog to your chicken coop with plenty of small treats in your pocket. When your dog barks at the chickens, say the “quiet” command right away. If they stop, then you should give them praise and a treat immediately.

But if they ignore you, or quickly start barking at your chickens again, then you should place a treat in your fist. Next, hold it close to your dog’s nose. They will be able to smell it even inside of your fist and should stop barking to investigate the scent.

Now that they’re not barking and are giving you their complete attention, quickly give the “quiet” command again and then reward them right away with praise and a treat.

Keep placing treats in your fist and repeating this process along with the command if they bark at the chickens, which is probable since they’re still learning. Make sure, though, that you don’t give your dog any treats or praise until they’ve quit their barking and are giving you all of their attention.

With patience, time, and consistency, your dog should learn to stop barking at your chickens and other animals just by you using the “quiet” command and there won’t be any need for you to place your fist near their mouth. Once they’ve reached the point that they’re responding well to the verbal command alone, start slowly increasing the time before you reward them with praise and a treat.

Start by waiting a couple of seconds, then 5 seconds, and so on. Your dog will quickly get to the point that praise and treats aren’t going to be needed for you to get them to “quiet” on command. But you’ll still need to do something about their underlying issue of dominance which led to all of this misbehavior and disrespect to begin with.

And for us to properly cover that, we need to first talk about what makes dogs function. I’m sure you’ve heard before that dogs are pack animals and that in every pack there is a pack leader. But when your dog barks at your chickens and then ignores your commands to stop, they are clearly showing that they don’t respect you in this role.

If they did, they wouldn’t bark at your chickens or any of your other animals. They wouldn’t engage in other types of disrespectful dominant behavior. And they would happily obey your commands at all times, and they would do so immediately.

Obviously, you and your chickens will be better off, but so will your dog. That’s because you’ll have lifted all of the stress and confusion that they’re currently burdened with 24/7 due to pack leader issues right off of their little shoulders.

Sounds great, right?

“Yeah, of course, but how am I supposed to do any of this?”

You should watch an excellent free video series by a renowned trainer named Dan which is on this exact subject: how to be your dog’s pack leader. In his series, Dan explains everything you’ll need to know in ways that are very simple to understand and to teach to your own dog, and he gets right to the point so that you can start seeing these important changes in your dog in no time.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t worry, because no, you’re not going to have to be mean or yell at your dog. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving methods at all times. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

Why Do Dogs Bark at Chickens?

Dogs bark at chickens because they’re predators and it’s in the natural instincts to see your chickens as prey. Chickens naturally perceive a dog the same as they would a wolf or coyote, and will run from your dog and their barking. This, however, just makes them resemble prey even more to your dog and makes their urge to bark and chase your chickens even stronger.

If your dog has a very friendly temperament, then it’s possible that they’re interested in nothing more than playing chase with your chickens. But this is all very stressful to the chickens, so you can’t allow that to continue. And even if your dog only wants to play, it’s very possible that they could get too rough and unintentionally injure or maim a chicken.

Some clear signs that your dog is just looking to play would be doing play bows in the chickens’ direction, or wagging their tail.

But if your dog is barking at chickens and not listening to your commands to stop, then they are clearly displaying their feelings of dominance over you. This type of disrespect must be handled immediately or their problems and misbehavior will only grow and escalate. You may even find your dog attacking chickens before long.

And if your dog is behaving like this around your chickens, they’re probably doing it towards other animals on your farm or property. You’ll find your dog is barking at your pigs, barking at your horses, barking at your goats, and barking at your sheep. If you go to the park, they’ll be barking at the geese and barking at the ducks. All while refusing your commands to quit.

To stop your dog from barking at chickens once and for all, go back to the first section now where we’ll give you the exact steps to follow.

Are Chickens Safe Around Dogs?

Chickens are not safe around dogs. Until you’re extremely confident that your dog can be trusted around chickens, you should never leave them alone. Dogs naturally view animals like chickens as prey, and your chickens will also be very stressed being around an animal like a dog.

It’s very possible that dogs could attack your chickens, even if they’re normally well-behaved. And even if your dog is more playful in nature, they may attempt to play in ways that are much too rough and could injure or maim your chickens. It’s best to always supervise your dog around your chickens and to keep them separated or on a tight leash.

Can Dogs Get Sick from Backyard Chickens?

Dogs can get sick from backyard chickens. Dogs can get Salmonella infection from chickens by being around their contaminated excretions (like their poop). Dogs that are ill from Salmonella infection generally will have diarrhea that contains blood or mucus. They’ll also seem more tired than usual, and could vomit or run a fever.

If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, take them to the vet for a check-up right away.

I’m sure you’re ready to not have to worry about your dog barking at your chickens like crazy anymore, so I’ll let you get started on things now. Best of luck with everything, and thank you for reading our article “Dog Barking at Chickens? Here’s How to Stop It!”