Introducing Beaux

[Collector]

Congrats on the new dog bay, it won’t take him long to weave his way into your hearts.

 

[baymule]

Beaux is fitting in just fine. Him and Trip have become good friends. When he bounds up to the fence to say HI to Paris, she growls at him. So far, they haven't crossed trails. I caught him barking at the sheep and scolded him, that worked for awhile. he did it again and I dragged him by the collar up to the fence and read him the riot act. He hasn't barked at them again. I need to put him in the lot with the sheep and lower the boom on him if he chases them, but haven't done that yet. He is so tender, I just say No in a calm voice and he is crushed. He chewed up a plastic bucket, so I dragged him to it, scolded calmly, then started picking up the pieces, asking with each piece, "Did you do that?" He was frozen in place. I picked up all the mess, put it on the porch, still a frozen dog was looking stricken, so I sat on the porch step and called him to me. I let him know I wasn't disappointed in him any more and he went off to play.

Today we got 6 guinea chicks. They are in a tub on the porch. Seeing visions of chicks getting played with, I caught him by the collar and dragged him to the tub. I told him No. He peed on my shoe. I caught a chick, put it under his nose and said no, it's mine. he peed on the floor. I let him go and he peed a trail all the way off the porch. He had been on and off the porch all afternoon and tonight, has shown NO interest in what ever is in that tub.

He is happy, running all over the place and hanging out with his buddy Trip. He ran down the sheep lot fence one day and Trip took him down, gnawed on his head, then let him up. Beaux ran into the corner, up against the sheep lot. Trip bulldozed him again, gnawed on his head and growled at him. Trip let him up again and Beaux took off running, AWAY from the sheep. Good boy Trip!

 

[Nyboy]

If you can stand the noise guinea fowl will solve your snake problem. When i read about how they are great snake killers I wanted a flock. Then i heard recording of them on youtube wow

 

[AMKuska]

That's a great breed to own. I groom a few, and they are fun little dogs when they have an outlet for their energy.

 

[thistlebloom]

Sounds like Beaux will be getting a good education between you and Trip. Before long he'll be a great farm dog.

 

[baymule]

This morning I looked outside and saw Beaux happily chewing on a plastic water bottle. Good Beaux, he can chew up all the water bottles he wants. He likes to chew plastic. We have had several talks about chewing up the grandkids plastic outside toys. One, by one, then a new one gets left outside and since Momma hasn't said NO to that one, he chews on it. LOL

I was folding clothes and looked outside again. Beaux had a brown lump. Not good. I quickly put on my shoes, grabbed a rolled up newspaper, and went outside. It was Chic-Chic, a sweet little hen that I favored. Of course it wasn't the crippled rooster or the 3 hens that have quit laying and are yard ornaments.

I caught Beaux by the collar and dragged him to Chic-Chic. I was furious. I yelled, scolded, yelled some more. I beat him with the newspaper from head to tail. I was so mad, I picked up Chic-Chic and lambasted him with her, screaming at him the whole time. I busted her open, beating him with her (and had to give him a bath). My husband said I yelled, scolded and whipped Beaux with the newspaper for about 30 minutes. I sat down between Chic-Chic and Beaux and talked to him quietly. I told him how much I liked my chicken, how disappointed I was in him, what a bad thing he had done. Then I walked to the end of the leash, called him to me, told him to sit and petted him. I did this over and over. He was by now a VERY contrite pup who wanted me to not be mad any more. I gave him a bath and got him clean. I walked him back to Chic-Chic and talked to him some more. I finally walked him to the house and put him in the kennel he sleeps in.

He has been in the kennel all day. I have taken him out to potty on the leash several times. He is a very subdued dog. Even with the door open, he chooses to stay in the kennel. In a Good Cop/Bad Cop scenario, my husband has lavished attention on Beaux which he gladly received, but went back to his kennel.

I took Chic-Chic's body to the back of our place and tossed her over the fence. I hate waste and figure dead chickens should be a meal for wildlife around here. Other animals have to eat too, so be it a buzzard, fox, possum or whatever, I would rather feed them a meal than dig a hole and dump a dead chicken in it. Walking back to the house, I was going over things, trying to figure out where I went wrong.

I scolded when Beaux pounced on Roo-Roo, the crippled yard rooster. I let him know in no uncertain terms, the he was not to play With Roo-Roo. He got the message. Same thing with Dottie and her two sidekicks. I dragged him to them and fussed after he ran through them several times, making them run and flutter. he got that message too. BUT I never told him that Chic-Chic was off limits. Thinking on his terms, Momma said I can't play with those other chickens, but she said NOTHING about THIS one! And so he had a fun time with her, only to play with her to death. So am I going to have to introduce him to every single chicken on this place, one by one and explain to him that he cannot play with them? Sigh.....

I am not surprised by Beaux killing a chicken. He is a hunting dog. His breed runs down cattle and brings them in to be worked. His breed runs feral hogs for hunters. His breed is fierce, strong willed, independent and everything you want in a farm/ranch dog. He already is a fantastic farm dog. He is brilliant smart, he learns. I made this an event he will NEVER forget-ever.

As I write this, he is still in his kennel. It may take a few days for him to bounce back, he has a lot to think about. I left the newspaper right where Chic-Chic died, with a brick to weight it down. I will return Beaux to the scene of the crime over the next few days. I will not use the newspaper on him again, but will calmly explain to him why he cannot play with the chickens. I kept a few of her feathers to remind him. Every day is a training day, I hope we don't have any more like this. I am pretty sure he got the message. I need to go pet him again and reinforce that he is loved and that I am not mad at him anymore.

A funny-Trip went under the porch. He wanted no part of what Beaux was getting. But he cautiously approached, easing closer and closer to Chic-Chic. When he stretched out to sniff her, I whacked her with the paper and Trip took off like he'd been shot. Later, we were working on the Pig Palace, getting it ready for a new pig, Trip came to see what we were doing. He clearly wanted to come see me, but was afraid that he was in trouble too. I called him to me and loved him. We put tools up in the Mule and Trip put his front paws on the Mule, wanting in it with me. Our neighbor called Trip, slapped the passenger seat and Trip jumped up. He squeezed his big 'ol self up on the seat, drooling on my face, happy, and rode with me to the shed to put away the tools. Reassured, he went on his way.

 

[Nyboy]

Bay sorry about your hen. Be very careful with him chewing water bottles. Plastic can cause big problems with digestive track. I know dogs that needed emergency surgery from swallowing plastic

 

[baymule]

Ok, I'll take the water bottles away from him. Beaux has been very subdued and quiet all day. I hope me lowering the boom on him makes the impression that he never wants to play with a chicken again.

 

[Carol Dee]

Ok, I'll take the water bottles away from him. Beaux has been very subdued and quiet all day. I hope me lowering the boom on him makes the impression that he never wants to play with a chicken again.

He is a smart dog. He will leave them alone. Between you and Paris and Trip. I am certian he got the message!

 

[ninnymary]

Wow Bay, sorry for the loss of Chic Chic. I most defintely will leave your chickens alone!

Mary