# guardian dog controlling goat behavior?



## treeclimber233 (Jan 27, 2015)

I posted a while back about my Pyr attacking my buck.  I have been really watching to see what triggers his behavior.  He has food aggression so he gets after the goats when they get too close to his food which I understand. I have one doe in the pen now that will not leave his food alone. If he did not guard his bowl she would push him out of it. Well the other night he went way overboard chasing her away from his bowl and chased her almost all the way back to the barn. I intervened and chased him into the stall screaming at him.  He lay down and tried to hide under the hay.  He did not bother any goat for a while after that.  Since then it has rained and rained so around my barn is a muddy mess.  When I tried to get into the feed room my buck was in the way standing on the board in front of the door and I could not get the door open.  It took a bit of shoving and smacking him to get him out of the way. My dog was standing back watching. When I got the buck moved enough to get in the door the buck immediately jumped onto the board and I had problems getting back out.  My dog ran over and chased him away and then ran off and sat down.  Last night my buck was standing on the gate (which opens into the pen) and I could not get in the gate. I would kick the gate and he would get down then immediately get back on the gate.  After several rounds of this my dog ran over and chased the buck away from the gate. Then ran off again and sat down watching me from a distance.  Is it my imagination or is he trying to make the buck behave? Only "attacking" to get his point across?


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## Southern by choice (Jan 27, 2015)

He is not attacking but but ruling and keeping order. Your dog is acknowledging you as part of the herd and as his master human. These traits are good as he is protecting you and could possibly save your life one day. If you don't care for this you can correct him and each time work with him telling him "No, I have this... it's ok ". It doesn't sound as if he is actually being aggressive or would hurt them if that were the case it would be different.

As far as the first part with the food. I think our dogs work too hard and are far to valuable to be put in situations everyday of having to guard their food from the livestock. Although that wasn't ideal I say good for him. Food for thought (lol no pun intended)...why would you yell and scream at the dog when you allow this  goat to do this over and over  and the dog has no options. 
I am a big believer in respecting the guardian... respect him enough to feed him a stall or pen or somewhere he doesn't need to do the constant guarding  of his bowl.


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## treeclimber233 (Jan 27, 2015)

I got after him for chasing her because he was still getting after her when she was 50-75 feet from his bowl. I don't mind him getting after them while he is eating to keep them out of the bowl. I don't want him guarding 1/2 of the pen. I feed him at the same time that I feed the goats in the pen so he can eat in peace and usually that works well.  This particular doe however seems to like his food better than her own food.  I guess I need to put bacon grease or egg on his food again. That seems to stop her from wanting his food.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 27, 2015)

Why not separate him in a stall or pen? What he did IS acceptable. Seeing how it is the same doe and she isn't getting the point.
The doe is the problem not the dog. Personally I would prod the doe's butt if she even came near the food.

I had a doe eat an entire bucket of dog food nearly bloated and scoured (runny like water)for a day and a half... It was awful. All because the dog in with that group yields to the goats at all cost. 
Sometimes it is better for them to set some ground rules.


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