# My pyr is aggressive with one of my goats



## Christine Povroznik (Mar 14, 2019)

I have a great pyr buddy who's about ten months old in with our pyr mix Maggie who's nine months old, and two Nubian does and a whether, eleven months old. Our whether, Forrest, has taken to fighting with buddy, and buddy has decided to fight back, and has bit Forrest several times, and has drew blood a few times on his ears. I'm trying to figure out how to keep the peace, and not brake the bond by separating them. Buddy and Maggie are fixed, and when I see this I put buddy to the ground, but I saw him yesterday kind of lose it, and got kinda visious before I could get to him. Now they're separate until I can figure out what to do. Ideas please,


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## Ridgetop (Mar 14, 2019)

Remove the wether.  If he is getting aggressive with the Pyr and butting him for no reason, the LGD will take a dislike to him just like anyone would with a bully.  Discipline the wether.  Buddy and the other LGD are still puppies in training. 

Here is how it works, the dogs love their herd, and want to play with them.  When they were smaller, they played lightly but they are now teenage LGDs, and are l arger and stronger.  Dog but can't play with goats since dogs and goats ply differently.  Dog play leads to torn ears and blood on the legs.  It is the main beginning for dog attacks on flocks.  The goats don't protest like pups would by growling and biting back if they get nipped.  They run away, or just take it if they know the dogs.  That is why you put a more aggressive goat or sheep in with puppies as they progress through the play stages and teenagerhood.  The more aggressive animal will butt the dog and discipline them when they try to play.  This causes the dog to learn to leave the goats alone - problem solved, training accomplished.

On the other hand, you can't put the aggressive animal in with the dogs when they are too young, or if they do not play with the herd/flock.   If the aggressive or dominant goat/sheep is too aggressive they will butt the dog even when the dog has done nothing.  It is no longer a learning environment for the dog, rather it sets up a dislike of the aggressive animal.  This dislike can spread to all animals of the species.  You don't want that, now your LGD has learned to dislike your goats instead of loving them, not the training you want!

It sounds like Buddy (and Maggie) do not have any problem with the 2 Nubian does.  Since the does do not show any injuries that you have mentioned, I would remove the wether and watch the interaction with the 2 other goats.  If Buddy starts getting aggressive with the does, you will know that it was not the wether who started things.  At that point, you can go back to the beginning and decide if there is further training you can do with Buddy.  It is possible that the wether is initiating the biting by butting Buddy instead of butting him after he bites.  You have to find out which is the precipitating event before you can deal with it.  Putting the dog down on the ground if the wether is instigating the behavior is sending the wrong message to the dog.  Putting the dog down on the ground is used more to emphasize that you are larger and stronger and in charge.  Try teaching the "back off" command instead.  Get between the dog and the wether.  While telling Buddy "back off" in a firm voice, walk into him and force him to give way before you.  Make sure to stay between him and the goats since he will try to go around you.  This "back off" command is very useful since it can b used in various situations from not letting the dog enter a space you don't want him in, to backing him off from a new mama and her kids, or another dog. 

Hope this helps.


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## Christine Povroznik (Mar 14, 2019)

This definitely helps! My husband said similar, he said I should have disciplined the goat. I'm not really sure how to do that, but I will learn. my wether is definitely provoking, and I don't want to have my pyr hate the rest of them. So I will figure out how to separate my wether, and continue working with them both when I can be out there.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 14, 2019)

Confinement in a separate pen will be fine.  Does the wether go after Maggie?  She could live with him in the other pen.  Are the does due to kid?  Keep the wether in case Buddy starts playing rough with the does and their kids.  You might need him to discipline Buddy later.   If worst comes to worst, after kidding season you might have to think about rehoming the wether and keep a couple of the kids instead.


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## Baymule (Mar 14, 2019)

You can put up a quick temporary pen with cow panels.


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## Christine Povroznik (Mar 20, 2019)

Ridgetop said:


> Confinement in a separate pen will be fine.  Does the wether go after Maggie?  She could live with him in the other pen.  Are the does due to kid?  Keep the wether in case Buddy starts playing rough with the does and their kids.  You might need him to discipline Buddy later.   If worst comes to worst, after kidding season you might have to think about rehoming the wether and keep a couple of the kids instead.


We have a very pet relationship with all of them. The does and the whether will head butt Maggie, but she runs from them, she is the submissive. I definitely think the boys are just trying to dominate each other. We've kept them separate unless we are with them, so far so good. Buddy is responding well to back off, and it's been good timing since we have to train around the chickens with leave it.


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## Baymule (Mar 21, 2019)

It sounds like you have a good grasp on things. Kudos to you for being a good LGD PARTNER and working for the best interest of your dog.


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