How Did You Get Your Dogs Used To Piggies?

[Todite88]

Hello again folks sorry about all the questions, like to feel knowledgeable before I get any animals lol. So we have a dog and the plan is to re ho me a pair of piggies.. The piggies will be outdoor piggies.. Initially when the dog is in the garden at the same time as the pigs (unavoidable really) she will be chained obviously with good length but unable to reach the pigs run/hutch. I would eventually like to have it so the dog doesn't need to be chained at all times when in the garden. I was hoping for some tips on teaching her they're not for catching. Had an awful accident with a budgie once wont go too into that but it wasn't great. TIA

 

[DM030819]

What type of dog is she? Dogs are predators so sometimes you just can't break their instinct to attack small animals. Dog's like terriers are more inclined to want to catch little animals.

When I lived with my parents we had different dogs over the years. I could judge by their first meeting as to whether it worked. My first two dogs were fine, but the last dog I wouldn't trust at all.

It sounds like it might be best to always keep them separate, but hopefully someone with more experience of dogs might have some tips.

 

[Todite88]

She's a staffy and keeping them seperate won't be an issue especially once I've purchased the shed in a few months obviously if that's what it takes that is what will happen. Just was hoping maybe dreaming the dog would be calm and accepting at some stage haha x

 

[DM030819]

You never know. We had two dogs that were the same breed. One was great with the pigs, the other not at all.

You obviously know this, but it's best to never leave them alone so she doesn't have the chance to get them. I had a mesh door attached to the shed so I could have the door open, but it still kept out the dog and other animals.

Hopefully someone has some good advice. I just let the dog have a sniff when the pigs first arrived, and if they seemed overly interested at all, I always made sure they would never meet. There must be better advice than that out there, haha! x

 

[Todite88]

Yeah I never leave my dog alone with my child (well the youngest) so wouldn't with piggies. Showed the dog a video of a piggy squeaking she hid behind the sofa lol. The reality though with shuffling noises and smells will no doubt be a very different story hah x

 

[maisie-piglet-mocha pigs]

I have two terriers. One ignores the pigs completely, even if I'm holding them. He has come across mice and rabbits on walks before and is scared of them! Not much of a terrier. My other one is completely different, very interested! He has mauled a bird to death before (horrible incident on a walk where I couldn't get to him or bird.) so I'm pretty sure pigs wouldn't do well if he got in with them.
When I first got them I made sure their enclosure was solid and secure. When outside in their hutch and run I found it helped to block off all but one side of the run (used wood boards and wall of house) as otherwise he would race round and round the run which obviously wasn't good and got him more excited. After a few weeks he got bored! Had them 4 years now and he loves to 'nose' them through the bars but then ignores. The Guineas actually wheek and run towards him if he barks, they seem to like him!
I would never leave him with access to them but can trust him if they are I their secure hutch and run.
In winter they'll move to the indoor c&c cage, this is in the spare room so unfortunately the door gets shut when I'm not upstairs just to be safe!

 

[ally_mav]

Hey, I have a jack Russell, My piggies live indoors in a cot, When I first brought them home I was terrified, I kept removing Bella (dog) from the living room if I wasn't sat in there with her, She showed them a lot of attention when they first arrived. The cage isn't very far of the ground so I really did panic.
Persistence is the key though, After a couple of weeks of Bella only being allowed near the cage when I was there, I started getting the pigs out, wrapping them in a fleece towel and then letting Bella sniff to her hearts content at the towel afterwards, This seemed to make her loose a bit of interest in the cage. Then I would let her sit next to me on the couch whist the pigs were running around (making sure I was calm but had hold of her the whole time), Now 6 months on, Bella sits on the floor with the pigs whilst there out, never unsupervised though, the pigs don't seem as jumpy around her, they popcorn over to her and steal veggies off her. I don't make her leave the room now if I go out of it. Its all about taking time with it, not rushing and expecting them to rather instantly get on or not, If you have a high energy dog (like me) I think its all about waiting it out, Once the dog gets used to the smells and the new noises they do loose interest. The pigs have to get used to the dogs smell as well, I used to put Bella's toys in the cage with them so they could get used to her smell too.
I'm not saying this will work for every dog, I do have a high energy dog who chases anything that moves when were out, But she has never chased something down and hurt it.
I really hope this helps, you know your dog better than anyone, read there body language.
Bella once seemed like she was completely fixed on the pigs when they were having floor time, I instantly removed her from the room, there will be plenty of times like this in the beginning. It will over time become easier as the smells and noises of the pigs wont be out of the normal and new.
Good luck.
A.x

 

[The3LittlePigs]

I have a little terrier who has known piggies all her life, it seems if you have the piggies first and then the dog they tend to get on just fine, but as always it depends on the dog and the piggies. Mine love her, they're always chasing her by the bars and squeaking at her but she's not overly interested, thankfully. I don't think letting a dog disturb the pigs would be a good idea, particularly if it never let them rest, as it could really scare them since they're prey animals.

 

[Kerrie74]

I've got a collie, he's 14, he doesn't mind the guinea's really, when the girls do their normal arguing he just leaves the room lol as they get a bit loud, we have 9 guinea's in total. The guinea's are even used to him and his barking as well, doesn't seem to phase them. In fact, Sheamus who we lost last year seemed quite attached to Calam (Calamity) he would go and see him when he was on the floor and Calam would just give him a lick He also used to hide under Calam's food/water bowl and have a clean