Birds and Dogs??

[3CrazyDanesMom]

Hey everybody, I am new to the group but excited to learn from you guys! We are going to be getting our new baby at the end of October so we're trying to learn as much as possible because we are fairly new to birds. We're a family of 4, kids are 9 and 12. We homeschool so we're home most of the time. We also have 3 Great Danes, 2 that were born deaf. I'm not getting a lot of positive info on having dogs and birds together. Our dogs are a huge (not just cause they're danes!) part of our family and our bird will be too. We plan on bringing a stuffed animal that the baby has been around to help familiarize the dogs to the birds scent and offering all kinds of awesome treats so they will see the scent as a positive thing. Any other advice, experience, or info anybody can offer??

[SRSeedBurners]

Just don't mix them and they'll be fine. Birds are very fragile and it doesn't take much to hurt them, even from a dog that means no real harm. You even have to watch the bird because they may see the dogs as a threat and go after them, not realizing how badly the dog can hurt them.

 

You'll have to train them kids too - bird safety at all times. Open doors, burning stuff on the stove, etc....

[3CrazyDanesMom]

The doors being opened was a big worry for us but we've decided to screen in our porches and put latches on inside and outside of porch doors so they can't just be left open. I'm glad we have a few months to get everything ready!

[Greytness]

We have 4 German Shepherds. When my fids are out, the dogs aren't allowed in the same room as they're in. I have a dog gate across the entry way, and we've hung curtains that we draw above the gate. Works great for us!

[Giannine]

Welcome:-) We have a Shih Tzu and a Boxer and while they are allowed in the same space as our Quaker and soon-to-be Grey (the living room), we are always in the same room and never leave them unattended. If I have to go to the bathroom, someone is watching Olive, our Quaker, in case she decides to fly off her cage (she can't really fly). I have the bird cages and tree stand in the living room where we spend all of our time. When I leave the house, Olive goes into her cage until I come home. I will never leave the birds under the supervision of my kids (even though the oldest at home is 20) for more than a few minutes.

As long as you are watchful and keep them separate, as far as being in very close proximity of each other, your bird should be fine.

[3CrazyDanesMom]

Thank you for the advice and encouragment! I'm feeling more at ease about having a bird and dogs in the same house. There was a guy on one of the deaf Danes facebook groups that runs a bird rescue and he had a lot of positive things to say about the Danes and birds being around one another. I really think everything is gonna be fine and we're going to be implementing some new training ideas with our Danes between now and the time our new baby comes home so I'm feeling pretty good about things. I've been glued to this forum most all day, learning from you guys!!

[neoow]

Alfie grew up with our family dog, a German Shepherd called Ben. Whilst I never let them out in the same room together, they got on just fine. In fact, Ben would happily stick his nose right up to the bars and Alfie would climb down and stick his beak in Ben's nostril. Pretty gross, as he'd get covered in snot... but never never once tried to bite Ben.

Alfie got out in the house once when nobody was home (I hadn't latched the food bowl door properly). My sister came home and found that Ben was very excitable. When she realised Alfie was out she had to call me at work to come home and put him away. I was amazed that neither Ben nor Alfie had managed to hurt each other. Ben was a little worried about the whole thing (hadn't seen Alfie fly before I guess) but Alfie was just enjoying his freedom for the day!

 

It very much depends on the temperament of the animals involved. Alfie now lives with two cats- Widget and Pixel. They are both Bengals and are crazy. They'll chase anything that moves. I would NEVER trust them out in the same room with Alfie- I'm not sure who would come off worse. But one of them can pluck a fly out of the air so I dread to think what would happen if Alfie was flying around them.

[Giannine]

You'll have to train them kids too - bird safety at all times. Open doors, burning stuff on the stove, etc....

 

+1 on training kids! I am getting my kids in the habit of going in and out of the garage door instead of the front door when they are playing outside. I've had to get on them about spraying certain things in the house, as well as the hours they keep in the living room where the bird cages are. One was up until 1 am watching TV last night and I had to make him turn it off and go downstairs. New TV and living room curfew hours going into effect today.

[Dave007]

Parrots and dogs can get along. Chip is a bird hunting dog and my grey is Smokey. Chip used to watch me hand feeding Smokey uintil he fell asleep with his head on the table. Fast forward --Smokey is 9 and Chip is 10. Chip was very protective of Smokey. No people could come near Smokey unless he was allowed to.

Chip has since passed away at 13 yrs old. Look at my wife and Chip and his tail.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/CopyofCopyofseamusmakesagoodperch---22.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/Copy2oftellingasecret-2.jpg

[birdhouse]

I had an inbred Shephard who was a little nuts. Neither the fids or I trusted her. But they'd still interact w/her when they were safely on or inside their cages. We currently have the only small dog they've ever seen. She's an 9 lb Papillon that all the fids basically ignore. Which I find interesting. Those are the only exceptions to what has been a very long & happy relationship between the dogs & the fids.

 

Our dogs are just as big a part of our household as our birds. This is no less their home. Everyone has to learn to play nice so no one gets excluded. I'd like to say I'm just a wiz at training. But I honestly have to admit that the fids really do their bit because they genuinely enjoy the dogs. If nothing else, it's very evident how much they enjoy ordering them around. lol

 

Our 90 lb Shephard/Lab mix helped raise all our baby cockatiels. He would stick his face in the nest box every morning & nose count the eggs, then the chicks once they hatched. When they fledged, he followed around after them like a nervous grandmother. The parents adored him & were perfectly happy to let him help raise their unruly broods.

 

That said, everyone is supervised. Crap happens. 135 lb dog can very easily clobber any fid in the house by accidentally stepping on them. But then, any of us can as well.

 

The one thing that I'd advise though, is watch out for flapping wings! That instinct to snatch a bird "in flight" runs deep & it's always been the biggest hurdle to peaceful co-existence around here. Everyone's learned to squelch it eventually. But some of them took (much) longer than others.

[Timbersmom]

Loved the pics Dave!

[3CrazyDanesMom]

It is so good to read the positive feedback, because I was really concerned after reading a lot of negative stuff on a facebook group. Our girls are pretty laid back for the most part, but I know they'll be super curious to begin with which is one reason for us introducing the scent on the stuffed animal as I mentioned above. We're thinking we're gonna put the cage in our den, right beside the breakfast room. I have a baby gate that I can put between the 2 rooms and the dogs will still be able to see what's going on in the cage and the bird see what's going on with them as well. They will never be totally around each other without supervision. It was suggested that we take introductions at everybodys own pace so that's the plan.

 

A few months ago our hearing dane discovered 2 (2 wk old) baby kittens under our house. I know there is a difference between birds and kittens but they were super gentle with the kittens, which made us feel pretty good knowing they were around something so small and fragile with no problems. We also have a ton of cardinals and hummingbirds that hang out by both porches and the dogs have never bothered them. Just a few reasons why we think things are gonna be ok. The only thing these crazies have issues with are squirrels, but they deserve it cause I think they purposely antagonize one of my deafies lol

 

Thanks again for the positive stuff, I can't wait to post pics for you guys!

[3CrazyDanesMom]

lol Love the pics!!

[Timbersmom]

Most of us on the forum of other animals that coexist with our birds. As has already been said, eternal vigilance is the key. Birds are extremely fragile, and it only takes one error to be fatal. I have four cats, and we haven't had any problems. Even after 4 years, I would never leave them together unattended (out together). The only thing that ever scared me was one time when one of the cats decided to jump into Timber's cage (the front door was open) to explore. Fortunately, I was in the room and Timber was out on his boing. I was able to grab Wilson and remove him before Timber got there, but he was moving at top speed to fight the intruder in his private space.