Sydney's 'seagull patrol': Dogs deployed to protect diners from dive-bombing birds

Diners at Sydney's popular harborside restaurants, particularly Opera Bar, now have an unusual ally in their fight against pesky seagulls: a dedicated team of trained farm dogs. These canines are part of an innovative initiative designed to protect patrons from the persistent swooping birds that often disrupt pleasant meals by snatching food.

“

Because we were the first people to do this, it was really a lot of trial and error.

James Webb, owner of a dog-walking business, developed the unique training program over several years, describing the process as one of "trial and error." Initially approached by the Sydney Opera House in 2018 after they had tried less successful methods like drones and wire covers, Webb was tasked with training dogs to scare away seagulls. He explained that the training has become a "science," focusing on specific skills. The dogs can target individual birds, growl or bark on command, and even approach them stealthily between tables.

“

It's really become like a science, how we do it.

Breed and personality are key to selecting the right dogs for this specialized job. Webb primarily uses herding dogs, leveraging their natural instinct to chase without causing harm. The dogs are motivated by the reward of chasing seagulls, making the job enjoyable for them. Webb has also learned that seagulls quickly adapt, so the dogs are trained to approach unpredictably, sometimes hiding behind tables to get closer. This 'seagull patrol' has garnered a significant following, with over 15,000 social media fans, and has expanded its services to other high-traffic areas like the new Sydney Fish Market and Melbourne's Federation Square.

“

The reward is getting to chase the seagulls, so we get dogs that just love doing it and then we work backwards with training from there.