A question from one of my clients regarding their 7 month old French bulldog puppy “forgetting” their training and chasing chickens.

Client’s question:

“Hi Charlotte

I am needing help with Stanley our 7mth old Frenchie.

He has become very sneaky and naughty to the point, he dug into my chook pen and killed one of my chickens. I have attached a photo of our pen set up. We have pegs along the bottom and reinforced the gate area. He is digging under the wire to get in. I have gifted my last 2 chickens to a friend for now for their safety. It’s a game for him to chase them. Usually when I’m not home I keep him locked inside large house. He had full access but sits and wees on beds I am shutting as many doors as possible. He still has large area.

He also continually sneaks into the children’s rooms and will steal toys. It’s almost as though he has forgotten all his training, I ask him to “here”- our strict call back. He will just run off round the yard like a game. When we go out, he is fine on the lead doesn’t pull and is super friendly. when we meet other dogs. Although jumping at people for attention. He is with me most the day and left for 3 to 4 hr periods but not every day.

Very unusual as he is so quiet and gentle 80% of the time just sleeps or
chills in the same space as us but not needing to be touching us. We will be getting him desexed shortly. Hoping for advice and maybe a plan for what type of training would be best for him to reign him back in a bit. He also has been spraying wee on the children’s beds when I’m not home he is fully toilet trained and can get outside through a doggy door whenever he needs.

Thank you.”

My answer:

“Hi Kylie,

Thank you for providing additional details and photos of your setup. Based on what you’ve described, you’re right, Stanley’s behaviour around the chickens seems to be driven by excitement and a desire to play, rather than any predatory instincts.

To address this, I’d recommend implementing a combination of behaviour modification techniques, starting with a focus on decreasing the value of the chickens to Stanley. This involves gradually exposing him to the chickens in a calm and controlled manner, so that he learns to see them as just another part of his environment, rather than something novel and exciting to chase.

One way to do this is to practice having Stanley sit and focus on you while the chickens are present, and rewarding him for maintaining calm behaviour. This can help reinforce the desired behaviour and provide him with an alternative to chasing the chickens. I would be giving Stanley plenty of “outside time” on a long tether with something to occupy him like a bone or chew or scatter his dog biscuits in the grass so that he can have a lot of visibility of the chickens, but no access to them. This can help him become accustomed to their presence while also keeping him safe and controlled.

It’s important to remember that this process may take some time, so it’s crucial to be patient and consistent in your training efforts. You may not see immediate results, but with patience and persistence, you should start to see progress over time.

In addition I’d also suggest implementing some proactive training to help Stanley develop better impulse control around the chickens. This can include revising some obedience commands like “leave it” and “come,” which can be useful in a variety of situations. These are covered in our obedience classes or we can do private lessons.

It’s also important to ensure that Stanley is getting enough physical and mental stimulation in general, as a bored or under-stimulated dog is more likely to engage in unwanted behaviours like chasing chickens. Providing him with plenty of exercise, interactive toys, and mental stimulation through training can help keep him happy and well-behaved.

Another strategy that can be helpful in providing Stanley with more structure and boundaries is to practice having him on leash in the house, particularly in areas where he tends to get into trouble like the children’s bedrooms, and doing some “place training” with him. This can help prevent him from engaging in unwanted behaviours like stealing toys or getting on the furniture, while also teaching him to pay attention to you and follow your cues.

Remember as well, at 7 months it is typical for puppies to be “forgetful”, destroy things and be a little more independent – I had a quick look and found this for you to have a read of (so you know it’s not just me saying it): https://www.pupbox.com/training/7month-old/

I’m happy to continue discussing this issue with you and provide further guidance as needed. If you’d like, we can schedule an in-home consultation to get a better understanding of Stanley’s individual needs and create a customised training plan.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. I’m here to help!

Please let me know how Stanley goes. Thanks Kylie!

Kind regards

Charlotte”