# LGD being dominant over goats?



## AmberRaif (Feb 5, 2019)

I have a 16 month old Great Pyrenees/Komondor mix.  She has been great with our goats. Almost like magic taking to her job. She was raised with goats from birth until 6 months old, then removed from working and joined the household when we decided to stop farming. But she always seemed "lost" as a house dog. We returned her to working as a field guardian and about a month ago bought a new herd of Nigerian Dwarfs. She seems to have really taken back to working them as her "herd" and even our moody matriarch goat has accepted her as one of the crew, leaves her babies in her care etc. But...occasionally the Pyr "asserts" herself over the goats, and until she did the herd matriarch was constantly butting at her. When she barked in the goat Matriarchs face they seemed to come to an understanding. But there will be still food guarding growls from the pyr if the goats get to close during feeding time or if I'm feeding the goats and she wants what I have for them (that only happened once and after a good scruff shake and roll given from me to her she hasn't done it again). 

It seems like they have an understanding. The Pyr has never nipped one or attacked one etc and they seem very comfortable in general, they take naps together. But, a little over a week ago we introduced a new LGD pup, an Anatolian Shepherd (we have bad coyote problems here and need a team of dogs to combat it fairly) male, 10 weeks old. The Pyrenees (LuBear) is very dominant over him (Caspian) but loves him to death. She is constantly hugging him and wrestling gently, grabbing him by the neck...acting a lot like a "mother". She does resource and food guard from him, is very vocal doing so but hasn't bitten. But the adult female goats we have don't like him a bit. They are slowly getting better, but they will butt him and send him rolling if he gets very close, or is in the barn at the same time, or approaches the babies. We have him sleeping right next to the goats pen in the barn at night with him in a crate to protect him, and they will even bed down right next to him with the bars/fence in between. So they aren't frightened of him, but when loose they do bully him occasionally. Just this morning one went after him when he was trying to walk away from it next to a fence and made him yip and loose his footing, and LuBear (the Pyr) exploded at the goat. Spun around from her food bowl where she had been peacefully eating and bark/snarled and "lunged" (but no teeth involved).  It was very obviously in protection of "her" puppy, and meant as a warning and assertiveness...not attack/chase aggression.

So, the questions: Is that behavior acceptable in an LGD and is it acceptable for an LGD to be obviously dominant in the herd?  Up to this point I have firmly (even harshly) corrected any food guarding, resource guarding, goat correcting etc when in reference to the goats. But should I? Or will she be a better protector if left to "boss" the herd? She isn't being kill aggressive or chase aggressive, but she seems to be treating them almost like her "pack", complete with dog pack language.

And, Caspian is getting butted a few times a day right now. Will that in the long run be helpful as it makes him respect the goats and keep his distance? Or will it upset hi sability to bond with the herd? And as he gets bigger and quickly overlooks them and outweighs them is there a likelihood he will turn on them to assert himself? Much like LuBear did recently?  I don't know how much "protecting him" I should do right now with the mama goat being so bossy. And LuBear obviously thinks their bossiness is uncalled for seeing as how she went to bat for him this morning. I'm so confused. 

Thanks for any counsel! And sorry this was so long, but wanted to explain our situation.


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## Baymule (Feb 5, 2019)

I have not introduced a puppy to a flock. I did it backwards and introduced a flock to my dogs.....  My female lunged and snapped at a ewe that butted her. I fussed and scolded, but a member here pointed out that she had a right to defend herself. So the next time she was butted and whirled around snapping, I kept quiet. The sheep and she have an understanding now. LOL

From what I read here, it might be wise to protect the puppy from bully goats. Limit his time while he is small to when you can be with him. Getting beat up by a bully isn't any fun for anyone.


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## Mike CHS (Feb 6, 2019)

I'm a novice when it comes to these dogs so I won't offer any advice other than to say that I didn't let our youngest dog be with our sheep unsupervised while he was a pup until they got used to him.  I'm always with the dogs when they are being fed and make sure the sheep don't approach them while they are eating.


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