<html>
<head>
<style><!--
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
font-size: 10pt;
font-family:Tahoma
}
--></style>
</head>
<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>
<font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060">Elizabeth, What if your in-laws got a puppy and some chicks, and let them know each other as babies, and allow them to grow up together. The chicks will outgrow the puppy, and maybe the puppy will think of the chicks and their flock as siblings? I definitely think two puppies at the same time is a worse idea than one at a time. Perhaps one puppy now and a second in a year or two.</font><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060"><br></font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060">Also the Australian shepherd might not be a bad idea. Or some other flock guard type of dog. At least they are bred to be protective. I don't know what kind of dog protects birds, though. </font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060"><br></font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060">Maybe the best bet would be to get a donkey. They don't eat meat, and are very good watch-"dogs". </font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060"><br></font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060">To be basset related, we have chickens, bassets and a dachshund. The chickens have their yard, completely enclosed to keep out ground and air-borne predators, and the dogs have theirs. We do not subject the chickens to our dogs, who turn into an very highly energized pack when they have a common goal, i.e. walking in the woods where they catch the scent of deer or moose or turkeys.</font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060"> </font></div><div><font face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" style="font-size:12pt" color="#002060">Just a thought! <br id="ecxFontBreak"></font><br><br><font style="font-size:12pt" face="Comic Sans MS" size="3" color="#002060">Susan </font><br></div> </div></body>
</html>