# LGD puppy growls at aggressive goats...need suggestions



## babsbag (Apr 22, 2011)

I have a male pyr/maremma mix that is about 7 months old, I have had him since 8 weeks. He is pretty shy with new people and tends to bark at things that scare him or that he is uncertain of. Not a bad trait for an LGD, and he is getting better about that. 

He hangs out with the goats and is fine with them unless he feels threatened by them, then he barks or growls at them, he doesn't act really aggressive, more of a defensive. Today he had a run in with a doe (she is mean most of the time) that has new kids. Obviously she is a little nervous, but he was just sniffing the kids and she charged him. He turned around and growled at her. I quickly let him know that that is not tolerated, but what should his response be to her? The first time I saw him do this they had him cornered up against a fence and he had no out.

I don't think he would hurt them, but then again, I have never owned an LGD before. My female, about the same age, rolls over on her back and gets very submissive, but it doesn't always keep her from getting hit.

How much "telling the goats off" are they allowed?


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## rockdoveranch (Apr 26, 2011)

I was in a yahoo sheep group that talked a lot about LGDs.  Although we have had sheep since 2004 I had never seen working LGDs until we bought our 3 Dorpers last year.  These people had about 12; some Pyrs and some Pry/ASD mixes.  

From what I learned on the yahoo group and from the people we got our Dorpers from, it seems some LGDs work well and some just don't.

Were your pups born and raised with livestock?  Do you handle them?

As a dog person I would say your pup's responses are fear based for some reason, and my gut says he may not be a good guardian.

Hopefully you will get some responses from people with experience with LGDs.

Wish I could help.


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## ksj0225 (Apr 26, 2011)

Sounds similiar to my set up.  I brought home our first three goats and an 8 week old GSD on the same day.  Different farmes but the goats came from a farms with GSD's and the GSD puppy came from a farm with goats.

The goats ruled until my herd queen got put in the kidding stall.  My GSD is now bigger than the goats and wants to be queen.

We seperated her some and only let the goat queen and her out together for a couple of days when we where there to supervise.

We do let the GSD (Great pyreness by the way) be protect over her food, although most of the time we feed her seperate.

They have worked out there issues and now the GSD even babysits the herd queen's kids while the goats go out to eat.

When the GSD is tired of the kids playing and jumping on her, she herds them back to there mom.


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## rockdoveranch (Apr 26, 2011)

So glad you posted ksj.

This is a topic of interest to me.


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## carolinagirl (Apr 27, 2011)

Here is an awesome LGD resource.  I wish I could answer your questions but I am new to LDGs too.  This link should help.

http://www.lgd.org/library.htm


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## MonsterMalak (May 3, 2011)

I would guess that the pup will grow out of this as he gains confidence, and looses some of his fear.  You might try to isolate the more agressive stock from him until he gets better.  My Kangals have never showed agression to the stock, but I have a Guregh pup that thinks he needs to keep them away from me, or any pups in the pasture with him.  Never bites them, just shows them who the boss is. Will be interesting to see how he grows up.

Good luck!!!


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