# Trouble getting my Livestock Guardian to accept new herd members?



## dianneS (Jan 4, 2010)

I have three new full grown goats.  The Livestock Guardian Dog wanted to chase them off at first and protect the orignal goats from these new intruders.  The new goats are not used to a LGD so it doesn't take much for him to intimidate them.  

I have spent three days sitting out there with them.  Scolding the dog if he chases.  I have tied him where he can see the goats but not chase.  I have penned him next to the new goats.  I have penned the new goats next to him.  Every time I leave him alone, I look out to see the new goats separated from the others in the corner of the pasture.  

I'm not concerned that the dog will hurt them, but he's interfering with the new goats becoming acclimated to the orignal goats.  He's not allowing them to work out the herd dynamic on their own!

He's tied to a tree right now where he can see inside the barn and still get pretty close to the goats.  Right now he's watching all of the goats play together and he's going crazy!  He's barking his head off like he wants to break them up again!

What am I going to do with him??


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## mully (Jan 4, 2010)

Introduce the new members slowly..... he is just doing his job of guardian and you do not want to confuse him.  May take awhile but he will catch on.


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## dianneS (Jan 5, 2010)

I think he's getting the picture now.  I was advised by a Karakachan breeder to take a driving whip with me to the pasture and if the dog chases, just flick the whip at him and he'll get the picture.  My dog is also an adolescent so he's been really ornery lately.  Well the driving whip worked like a charm! When I couldn't supervise, I kept him tied yesterday where he could see the goats.  Once the goats worked it out among themselves and my older goats began to accept the new ones, the dog began to accept them too.

They all voluntarily slept in the barn together last night.  The goats are all eating their hay together and the dog is lying in the pasture with his big bone!

Part of the problem is that the goats are so intimidated by the dog, that every move he makes, scares them, even if he's not chasing them.  When they run, its tempting to him to chase.  Now that they are gaining confidence, they are not so intimidated anymore.  They'll soon figure out that he means them no harm.

The dog also wants to sniff them and check them out and the new goats won't let him.  Since they've spent a few days next to one another, they're doing much better.

I expect that by the end of the day today, they will all be getting along quite well.


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## hikerchick (Jan 6, 2010)

I would bet anything that once Nomad figures out the dog isn't going to hurt him, he will start chasing the dog. That's what he did with my boxer. Dancer and City Goat will never play with the dog, probably.


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## dianneS (Jan 6, 2010)

Well, he's doing fine with the new goats now.  It was really cool the other day I was outside taking some pictures of them all and the dog has really been hyper-sensitive to anything out of the ordinary lately.  When I put the camera to my eye, it freaked the dog out!  He started barking his "warning bark" and ALL of the goats ran TOWARD him and toward the barn, not away from him!  Its like they are learning the meanings of his barks already!  It was pretty cool

Then he has to go and chew on my little baby doe and make me mad at him again!  That's the way its been with him since day one!!  Its like two steps forward and one step back.  I don't know why I'm surprised anymore.  I guess I just get disappointed in him.  He can be so amazing, then so stupid at the same time!!


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## cmjust0 (Jan 15, 2010)

How cute are they?!?


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