Our Dogs

Koda and His Chickens

Koda is from our E Litter and his owner Cheryl is a Paramedic and has been training him in Search and Rescue. This story proves he is living up to his registered name, Lewenhart's Emergency Response

I just wanted to share this story with you because I'm very proud of my boy. He proved today that Leos really are amazing guardians.

I was working the night shift last night so I got home this morning around 7:30. As per the daily routine I took Koda out for a walk and then fed the chickens. I went back inside to make myself some breakfast, and then give Koda his breakfast. I looked out the window to watch the chickens running around....because I think they are funny to watch sometimes, then I got ready to go have a nap.
As soon as I lay down Koda kept coming into my room then leaving....over and over again. I figured he was just being a goofball and wanted to play. So I ignored it, then he started whining and running back and forth to the door. Now I'm really starting to wonder what he's up to, but I'm so tired I just lay there for a bit longer. Then Koda started barking frantically, so I get up and he's staring out the front window barking. I look outside and realize the chickens are scattered all over the place and one was even standing on the window sill. Koda stops barking and just as he does, a gigantic hawk swoops down towards the chickens. I ran to the door let Koda out, he bolts to the front yard while I got my shoes on. By the time I got outside there was no sign of the hawk. I started gathering up the chickens to put them in their house for safety. As I'm gathering them up I realize that 2 are missing. I start walking around the yard looking for them, telling Koda to "find them". He starts searching, and after about 15 minutes Koda found one chicken hiding under a bush. She looked so scared! Koda sniffs her....to make sure she's ok. I picked her up and put her the the chicken house with the others. Then we continued to look for the last one. After about 15 more minutes we found a spot on the grass covered with chicken feathers. I immediately thought that she had been picked up by the hawk and killed. I looked around for a bit longer but I gave up thinking she was already dead. Koda would not give up.....he wanted to keep looking. He looked and looked, and went into the bush about 50 metres, so I followed him and he led me to a bush where he kept circling it and circling it. So I got closer and to my surprise there was the last chicken hiding under this thick bush. She was fine....missing some feathers but she was fine. I picked her up and Koda jumps up sniffs her, and then happily trots along in front of me back to the house. We put her with the others, and I praised Koda for doing such a great job. I was so proud of him!! I know they're just chickens but I was really sad when I thought one had been killed. After putting her with the others I headed back to the house, and looked back to see Koda sitting by the chicken house. I called him...but he wouldn't come. I even tried the "want a treat!" trick but he still wouldn't come. He sat there and wouldn't move. There was no way anything was going to get his chickens because he wasn't leaving. I opened the door for him to see they were all safe inside and told him it was ok. He finally came with me but I had to take his collar and bring him in myself. He'll be getting a big yummy extra special supper today that's for sure!

Cheryl