Dog, meet your new sibling.

[Luckykelleyk]

I am getting a new lovie in the next few weeks and I have a few questions. I currently have a 2 year old miniature pinscher. He is an only child, and VERY spoiled. He has NEVER been aggressive towards any person, or other dog. He even tries to be friends with cats, even though they don't usually like him much. However, he is very fascinated by birds. I think its just because they are usually flying, or running away very fast (in the bushes). I want billy and my new lovie to be friends. Has anyone had experience with introducing new birds to their dogs? Any advice? Thank you!

[beckyg]

You will find that most people on here will say don't do it. It really is dangerous because you just never know what will happen. I have two small dogs and Luna my lovie. Since I work during the day, when I come home I let Luna out to sit on my shoulder (which is where she pretty much stays). Milo and Tigger (my dogs) are interested in Luna, but know (for the most part) that she is off limits. I know I am taking her life in my hands, but this is how I feel that it works out best for everyone involved. I would never leave them all alone in the same room without supervision. This would probably be impossible if Luna's wings weren't clipped or if she was very curious and always wanted to explore. There have been times that she has gotten startled and fluttered to the floor, those times are few and far between, but I immediately grab the dogs. I would feel horrid if something happened, because it would just take one bite, or even just a lick could kill her.

As for them being friends, hmm... I personally don't think it would be possible, but it really is up to the dog, the bird, and you. I don't think I would chance it. Milo and Tigger can look, but no touching is allowed.

[Luckykelleyk]

I guess I will just bring the bird home and see how billy reacts. I would NEVER leave them alone together, so any interaction would be supervised. I guess I will just have to wait and see how it goes.... thanks for sharing your experience! (Also, I wonder if I should move the birds cage into my bedroom and close the door when I am not home? )

[Janie]

Hey Kelley and welcome! :)

My dog, Chelsea, was an only pet and 9 when I adopted my first lovie, Oliver, four years ago. Chelsea, a small Sheltie, had been my constant back yard bird watching companion since we got her and maybe because she was so used to seeing birds on a daily basis, she wasn't fascinated by them. She went after squirrels and chipmunks like crazy but never, ever a bird and with 8 or 9 feeders, I have a whole lot of birds in my yard.

Anyway, I did not ever expect that Chelsea would be so totally indifferent to Oliver and because he is such a shoulder bird and she's a ground dog, there were no problems with them coming in to contact. He was always on my shoulder when he was out of his cage and she was almost always right at my feet. Six months after I adopted Oliver I heard him whistling and those chirps were closer than they should have been if he'd been in his kitchen cage. I ran downstairs to find Oliver and Chelsea sitting side by side on the living room couch. :omg: Almost had a heart attack but calmly walked over, praising her the whole time and getting him to step up on to my finger.

That was four years ago and I still would not trust what she might do in certain circumstances even though she has never once shown aggression or interest in my birds. I have three lovies now and they have their own bird room. Her dog doors go from the kitchen, through their room and out to the back deck. My birds don't spend time on the floor but needless to say there have been times they did explore on the floor.

I think every situation is different and there will be some cases where a dog will never show interest, good or bad, around a bird and that has been my personal experience but if something does happen, it will be my fault, 100%. I would never blame my dog or my birds. The two are not meant to be friends in reality. I would not say mine are friends at all, they just don't seem to at all interested in each other.

Maybe Chelsea figures that as long as she is the only pet sleeping in her momma's bed, she can deal with the rest. :) I do not want to suggest to you in any way that your dog and bird might be OK together and even if you are standing right there, an accident with a dog grabbing a bird can happen before you can react fast enough to save the bird. Just be very, very careful. Even if your dog should show a positive reaction, like wanting to sniff the bird or be friendly, that's not a good thing. Absolutely no reaction is the only one I'd be comfortable with.

[Tango's_Mom]

I have a simple rule. That is that dogs and birds don't mix. PERIOD. Dogs pose a huge threat to the safety of your bird and even if the dog were not trying to hurt the bird, accidents are way to easy when you leave those kinds opportunities open, so I don't allow opportunities for that kind of accident to exist. The dog does not get to be in the room when the birds out of the cage. Even when the bird is in the cage, the dog is only allowed in the same room as the cage if I'm there and the dog is showing NO interest in the cage. Dogs get one chance to be in the room with the caged bird, if they show any inclination to go after the cage/bird, then they are no longer allowed in the room, and that's that. My roommate has a wonderful friendly sweet rottie that doesn't have a mean bone in his body, he's wonderful with their 5 month-old and other animals, but I invited him into my room one day and he made a move for the cage, he was promptly removed from the room and has never been allowed back in.

No one should ever consider trying to have their dogs and their birds be friends. Dogs are predators, birds are prey, and even a drop of your dogs saliva could be deadly, why even consider risking it?

[michael]

I have a simple rule. That is that dogs and birds don't mix. PERIOD. Dogs pose a huge threat to the safety of your bird and even if the dog were not trying to hurt the bird, accidents are way too easy when you leave those kinds opportunities open, so I don't allow opportunities for that kind of accident to exist.

Sounds like a good rule to me! The only time I've ever heard of a bird losing its life by coming into contact with dogs, cats, snakes, etc, was by the unexpected "accident". I'm sure there are some members here who lost a bird that would love to share their experience with you......Then again, maybe they wouldn't :(.

[Luckykelleyk]

Yeah, you all are right. I guess I may have been a little too optimistic about this. I don't really think of my dog as a predator, because he really is my baby. I would NEVER risk putting any animal in danger, because if something happened it would be my fault, and I don't think I would be able to live with myself!

[dani]

I agree. Dogs and birds absolutely do not mix. and it works the other way around too!!! I have a little dog named Bitsy, a mixed breed wee one who has more energy and spunk than my other 4 dogs combined. Ammy could eat this dog alive. As a matter of fact, I think he would like to. I keep them apart more for her safety than for his, because he takes delight in intimidating her and screaming at her, lifting his wings and looking like a huge, bright blue and gold dragon. That weird reversal aside though, i don't trust dogs predatory instinct, which is in no way their fault. i wouldnt want my birds to get hurt by my dogs, and i wouldnt want to have to feel angry or bitter or hateful toward my dogs for something that it was in their instinct to do. this is just my opinion, i hope it contributes even just a teeny bit:)