Introducting Your Dog to Your Parrot

Hi all i'm new here.
My name is Jason and I have an Orange winged Amazon called Leela, a Kakariki called Deku and a Staffy called Sid

I'd like some advice on introducing Sid to our birds. Until now it hasn't been an issue, as Sid has only been with us part time, but he's with us permanently now and I'm reluctant to let them out of their cages around him. He is used to them in their cages and doesn't really pay much attention to either of them, which is reassuring, but what precautions should I take?
I'm sure others here have dogs and parrots, and I'm intrigued to know how any of you dealt with this
Any advice is greatly appreciated

Welcome to the forum, Sprockets.

How old is Sid, and how pronounced is his 'prey drive'? I have an American Bulldog and an Ambull Pit Mix, who pay absolutely no attention to my parrots, unless they are scavenging for food that they dropped.

Here is a similar thread, and you may find some answers in it : http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/42990-can-cats-dogs-coexist-parrots.html

Hi thanks for the reply!
Sid is 2 years old and doesn't seem to have much of a prey drive at all; he's more likely to want to play with her lol.

Thanks for the link, I'll get reading now

Sprockets said:

Hi thanks for the reply!
Sid is 2 years old and doesn't seem to have much of a prey drive at all; he's more likely to want to play with her lol.

Thanks for the link, I'll get reading now

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Same boat as you, regarding dog & parrot socializing. I have had the two in the same room (when feeding the bird), but the husky in my case [GF's dog] is just too unpredictable for me. He constantly tries to get near the bird, tail wagging and whining like he thinks it's something to play with. When the two are in the room, I pretty much have to beat him with a club to get him to leave us alone. It's annoying.

Problem is, he's used to playing with ME. Wrestling around like how a big hyperactive dog should be played with. I don't feel like scarring my bird for the next ~50 years, so I just won't risk more than them seeing each other in passing.

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Cats I could probably be less nervous about. Mainly because of size; the cat would likely get a very nasty injury from that beak, and learn to not mess with 'em.

Lol that sounds EXACTLY like Sid!
The trouble is we can't lock Sid away - he gets terrible separation anxiety even being in a room next to ours and will whimper and cry until he sounds like he's about to be sick; really gets himself worked up. So unfortunately keeping the pets apart isn't such a realistic option here

I've got a quick and easy solution. Leash the dog, and tie the dog to yourself, that way he's always right by your side, and you should then be able to correct any unwanted behavior on the spot.

Sprockets said:

Lol that sounds EXACTLY like Sid!
The trouble is we can't lock Sid away - he gets terrible separation anxiety even being in a room next to ours and will whimper and cry until he sounds like he's about to be sick; really gets himself worked up. So unfortunately keeping the pets apart isn't such a realistic option here

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I understand where you're coming from. I didn't shut the dog in. Sure my bird-buddy has his own room, and the dog has the entire kitchen end of the house. Some people might be okay with themselves supervising the interaction between them. I do not. I know for a fact that this pooch will either eat the bird or play too rough. I'll enclose a picture for reference. Your dog has to be twice the size of mine, but that means nothing. Ornery suckers...

JerseyWendy said:

I've got a quick and easy solution. Leash the dog, and tie the dog to yourself, that way he's always right by your side,

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Lol, this could work.

JerseyWendy said:

and you should then be able to correct any unwanted behavior on the spot.

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...but only if his name is Spot.

Elsewise, tether the bird to yourself. I plan to do that with mine, once he starts responding to any type of training...I think he's milking his youth. Should name him Peter Pan.

JerseyWendy said:

I've got a quick and easy solution. Leash the dog, and tie the dog to yourself, that way he's always right by your side, and you should then be able to correct any unwanted behavior on the spot.

Click to expand...

Haha he never leaves my side anyway! He's a proper shadow

Leashing the birds might be a very good solution! I want to harness train leela anyway so she can do some flying outside

Dogs & birds can be a scary mix. A close friend was looking after his parent's 30+ year old cockatoo. The bird had been staying with him for several months and, by all accounts, seemed to be great friends with his two Jack Russell dogs, playing together, napping together on the couch, etc. The bird was more-or-less flighted, but moderately clipped. At one point, the bird decided to fly to the edge of an open bedroom door, didn't quite stick the landing, and fluttered to the floor for a moment, beside one of the dogs. In a heartbeat, the bird was dead, killed in an instant by the dog. The dog's prey drive (which appeared to have been absent for all the 15 years of its life to that point) resurfaced in an instant, and then it was over.

Jim had a long, tough wait for his elderly parents to return so he could break the news to them.

I have two large dogs, and they show virtually no interest in any of the birds. Would I trust them with children, dogs, and people? You bet. With birds? Not in a heartbeat. Things can change in an instant, and with something as fragile as a bird, there is nothing left but heartache. Prey drive is there in ALL dogs - every single one of them - what matters is the tiny trigger that will cause it to explode. Most of us have no idea what will do that in our own dogs. How much are you willing go gamble?

Just a word to the wise...

Sorry for the slow response but thanks for the responses!
I've ordered an aviator harness for leela so i can keep her away from the dog safely, and even take her for walks around our garden

Now i just need to get her to wear it...