Dogs and Beekeeping

[BeeHopper]

In the last 4-5 weeks, I have taken my new pup down to the beeyard to run loose & explore.( he's 12 weeks now) We are there mainly before sunset or cooler days so that he does not bother the bees. I did take him one morning and he was instantly attracted to the bees coming and going, sat right in front of the hives, started to catch them, lucky for him no stings. I was wondering if any of you have a dog around your hives and what experiences have you encountered. Can I train my pup to leave them alone or will the stings teach him ? He loves to roam around on the farm where the beeyard is located. Thanks in advance.  :-D

BTW, that's him on the left. His Mom is a Blue Tick Heeler, his Dad is unknown. He goes by the name Bruno, BooBoo is his nickname. Looks nothing like his Mom.

[Understudy]

I have a black lab. He runs around the yard with the bees. He has been stung on the nose a few times by them. He was sniffing the entrance of the hive. He hasn't had any major issues with them.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Mklangelo]

My friend has a black lab.  She eats em'.  I haven't had her to the outyard yet but the dog will eat bees. 

[Jerrymac]

I got two chihuahuas. They don't really go to the hives but one of them snapped at a bee and got stung. He will duck back into the house if there is a bee flying around the door when he goes out. The other one just ignores them.

[DayValleyDahlias]

We have 2 pomeranians who think they are big snow dogs and protect the perimeter of our fenced land...Since they are small, we put the hive up on a stand of cinder block ( skunk country here ), If you keep a spray bottle of plain water with you, and if Booboo gets too near the box or does someting you dislike, give her a spritz with the water and make a lous ssshhh sound.  Booboo will be startled and distracted...then give her praise...It has been working for me...

The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior (Hardcover)
by Tamar Geller (Author), Andrea Cagan (Author)

[amymcg]

I have two goldens.  It only took once for one of them to learn not to fool around with them.  The other one tries to eat them every chance she gets. It just depends on your dog. Granted if you establish yourself properly as the pack leader, then you can train them to do anything.

[Cindi]

We have 6 dogs on our property.
Two Weimeramers
Two pit bulls
One dalmation X rottwhieller (spelling)?
One black lab X rottwhieller

The Weimeramers pay no mind.  Haven't been stung that I am aware of.  One has touched the electric fence two times, go figure.  What a huge noise when he got it!!!!  LOL
One pitt bull eats them anytime she can get a chance, even around the house
One pitt bull always sniffs the entrance to the hive, he is only two and I am just waiting for his nose to get it
The dalmation X rottwhieller has been stung a few times on the rump, he doesn't go anywhere near the apiary
The black lab X rottwhieller pays no mind whatsover, has been stung quite a few times, but doesn't bother her any way.

So, what I would say is:  let nature takes its course, gotta laugh over that.  The dog and you will figure it all out.  Have a wonderful day, beautiful day, great life and good health wishes for all.  Cindi

[Robo]

I've had many dogs thru the years with no major problems.  Had a beagle pup that got a few stings the first time out and had the scars (hairless spots) on her ears until she died at the ripe old age of 17.   I also had a black lab that had an allergic reaction once and her face swelled up so much she looked like a shar pei,  but a quick call to the vet and some Benadryl cleared it right up and she never had a reaction again.

The most common thing I run into is them stepping on a bee in the grass and getting stung on the bottom of the paw.   Just keep an eye out for it and remove the stinger for them.

[kgbenson]

One dalmation X rottweiler

Got pics?  That is one cross I have never seen before.

Keith

[Dane Bramage]

"BooBoo"  heh - cute pup!  You *should* be able to train him to respect the bees.  They'll do their part too if necessary (sting).

Here's mine.  Egyptian Pharaoh Hound ~>
(also pic'd as a puppy in my avatar)

He's with me every time I'm at the hives w/o incident.  Playful, will start snapping at the guards ~ but, mindful, listens to commands (I give him the "EASY" command to cut the play when it becomes too much of an instigation).

[BeeHopper]

WOW ! Great replies everyone  :-D The Egyptian Hound looks like he could hear the Queens piping a mile away. Cool  :)

[KONASDAD]

Kona has been stung once and got hi lip infected as a result. He now runs behind a bush while inspect hives and covers his face w/ his paws. If he sees me run from hive, he runs to house w/o waiting for me!!!!

[thomashton]

Never had a problem with my rat terrier (Wagner, Wags, Wagon, Waggie, or whatever we are calling him that day). However, the bee yard is fenced off at about 80x35 feet with the chicken coop in it too.

The only issues I have had were with a big dumb rooster that went after the bees. He got stung and flapped and ran around like crazy. Never saw him do that again. On another note, the chickens don't generally eat the bees lying in the grass in front of the hives, at least not while I am out there. However, there doesn't seem to  be a lot of dead bees lying around, so maybe they do while I am away.

[ZuniBee]

I have to chihuahua's and they run around the bee yard without problems. They sit with me and watch the bees as well. So far, the bees are not bothered or interested in the dogs. The cat likes to lay under the hives. The bees don't bother her either.

[bluegrass]

I have three, they all get stung from time to time.

[wrk4beer]

My rottie sniffed the front of a hive once got stung and now keps a wide berth.
The only time he goes near the bees is when the raspberries near the hive are ripe.
He just loves them picks them off the vine gets stung and just doesnt seem to mind.
:)

[tillie]

I have two black pomeranians.  They get bees in their fur when they go onto the deck where the hives are - guess the bees think they are bears - and get bees on their fur when they come in and out of the dog door at night (thus I often have bees in the house).  Each has been stung - once when one of them sniffed a hive entrance (she's never done it again) and another time when the male had one on his paw that came in through the dog door with him.

Mostly they don't have any more eagerness to go out where the hives are - once burned, twice shy, I guess.

Linda T with Henry and Haley - two black pomeranians - in Atlanta

[carol ann]

I have 2 dogs. The red heeler X is the mama protector. The great dane catahoula watches the other one and learns. Both dogs were present when I moved my swarm hive the other day. Heller X Thor was going save me and snapped up a couple bees. he was swelled up for a day on the back of this lip by the jaw but did fine, no benadryl needed. Good boy. Smart girl,Wibbie, (daneX) stayed out of the action and just watched. needless to say when I open the hive I will at least think about putting the Thor dog in the pen while I work.
Carol Ann

[mick]

My muts have been stung a couple of times, but nothing dramatic, usually due to me dripping a bit of honey close to the back door and foragers stinging them.

They go inside when I get out the bee suit on now.

They also do their business a foot fron the hive when they want to, so I guess they have figured out when its safe to go near the hive.

[Cindi]

What a bunch of awesome little stories, and the pictures tell a thousand words.  Dane, I have never seen your breed of dog, very majestic and I love the ears.

Last night my daughter's little blonde pittie was up with me looking at the bees.  I was checking for queen release in one of the packages and he kept sniffing the front door of the package bees.  Lucky he didn't get it, but I thought he is young, he must learn sooner or later that putting his snout there is not the best idea in the world. Wonder why they did not bother with him?  Weird, oh well. 

The queen is another story that I am going to make a post on, don't want to stray too off topic (LOL).  Have a wonderful, beautiful day, good health to all.  Cindi