# 16 week pup saves the sheep!



## Southern by choice (Jul 3, 2014)

As some of you may know we added another LGD. A beautiful (oops, I should say handsome) Anatolian male. “Tiggs” is 16 weeks tomorrow. Because I do more with training and behavior I thought I would share about our new boy. Hopefully breeders and new LGD owners will glean something from this. Knowing your pups individual personality, strengths, weaknesses, and ways allows you to work with how they are bent and not against it. I know everyone hates long posts LOL but hopefully it's worth the read...

He is doing great, and he has decided the 3 new doelings are “his”. He wasn't too sure when we first brought them into the field, out of quarantine... after a few corrections Tiggs and the does belong together.

Tiggs is in with Badger, Amy, and 3 Pyr pups. The pyr pups are 12 weeks. All are doing well, Tiggs has been with us since June 12th- so roughly 3 weeks. We have noticed some very interesting observations. Tiggs is in the small field up front... with the dairy girls, and poultry/waterfowl.

Tiggs is particular about where everything belongs. He is very observant and boy does he have a bark.

Tiggs and our male pup “Chunk” are good buds. They love each other. Chunk is a highly confident dominant male. Independent and a very smart pup. Tiggs is passive (I chose him for many reasons- one, of which I did NOT need another dominant male!). Passive in nature and eager to please yet strong in his guarding instincts. Extremely sensitive to praise/shame.

Recently we moved our Male pyr “D” out of a small lot that we have kiko kids and one doe in, “D” went back with the bucks and Callie (anatolian). The small group really don't need a LGD with them and they are in a small corner lot, with 2 sides covered by 2 LGD teams... 3 rd side a building and 4th side are covered by our property dogs. So no real need as it is also close to the house. Puppy “Chunk” would often visit his “Uncle D” and really likes the Kikos, after D left, Chunk decided the Kiko's _needed _a dog with them. So under the fence he goes and stays with the kiko's at night, visits in the day but at night he goes through cuddles up with the kids and stays there til morning.

Needless to say I am very impressed with this pup! What I found very interesting is Tiggs would stand there and bark like crazy. Tiggs thinks Chunk should be in the “chicken” field. It upsets him greatly when Chunk goes over. After heading out with a flashlight several times to see what the heck is that pup barking about, it became quite clear. Finally I locked him up. Next night same thing... this time I called to Tiggs and said. No- it's ok. Chunk needs to stay here. Oddly enough and to my surprise he seemed to have gotten it. I am sure it will take a few more days til he _really_ gets it but he seems to be better about it.

Today Tiggs saved the day ... yep , our 16 week old pup was going nuts, barking as loud and as “ferocious” LOL as he could. No other dogs were barking...

Apparently our sheep, that are through the woods down a trail and several acres away on nice open field with plenty to eat decided to break through the hot-wire. They decided to come home! None of our LGD's are bonded to the sheep as the sheep never adapted to the dogs and HATE them, try to ram them and they ram the goats so they are alone. The dogs also know the sheep and know they are no threat, that is why no barking... the sheep don't belong so to speak. If there was a goat out the dogs would be going nuts because the goats are “theirs”. Well Tiggs doesn't know the sheep, had never seen them before. He was going crazy. Good thing! We had no idea they were loose!

Good dog! Stupid sheep!


This evening the family went across the way (through the woods, down the trails over to the neighbors) for a late night swim. I needed to head back, with flashlight in hand I headed home. Because the one team can see me and I walk a trail adjacent to their field they knew it was me. Tiggs however could only see “something” way deep in the woods. He barked and barked and it was clear he was already on alert! By the time I got all the up to where he was and about 50 yards away, I hollered and told him his was a good boy! He wagged his tail and stopped barking.


Of course at 16 weeks he is not capable of doing anything to a real predator but he sure is showing his natural ability and great guarding skills.


Just love watching these pups develop. Over the next few weeks he will be moved throughout the different fields as he shows a true territory attachment. I would like him to become accustom to all the different livestock and fields. I'll update with new observations.


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## kinder (Jul 3, 2014)

So glad things are going well, he sure is a keeper.


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## kdogg331 (Jul 3, 2014)

That's awesome!! What a good puppy!

My dog stays up at night barking. -.- I think he would run away from a real predator as he's a coward even though he bosses us around lol

Hes half Black Lab, half Great Pyrenees and 2.


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## HoneyDreameMomma (Jul 3, 2014)

What a great pup!  I laughed when you said he's particular about where everything goes.  Clyde, our 9-month old Anatolian mix is also very particular about where things go and when.  Whether it's the goats, the chickens, the cats or just about anything, he has idea about how it should be.  We call him our OCD dog.  

I think it's great that his guardian instinct is already so strong!  I know some people say that doesn't really show in LGDs until they are 6-18 months, but I'm convinced it shows earlier in some dogs.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jul 3, 2014)

Good boy Tiggs!


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## Mike CHS (Jul 3, 2014)

Tiggs makes it sound almost too easy (but we all know better) LOL


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## Baymule (Jul 3, 2014)

Good dogs come from good trainers! Tiggs is an awesome dog, I know you are proud of him.


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## LoneOakGoats (Jul 8, 2014)

Love this!  Please feel free to add "long" post anytime!


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## bonbean01 (Jul 8, 2014)

YES!!!  Long posts on this subject are super great!!!  Learn so much, plus just love LGDs and how they work!!!  Good boy Tiggs


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## Pearce Pastures (Jul 11, 2014)

What a good boy!  He sure has that instinct.


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