# Why I trust my DOGS!



## Southern by choice (Apr 12, 2019)

I snapped this from my cell from the computer monitor. I was watching Tiffany pass yet another afterbirth (3 this time). Notice "D" in the bottom right hand corner. There is one dropped already, she is passing another and he never bothers with her or the dropped placenta. This is what we taught our dogs to do. Out on the land in the field is one thing but in our environment we want to know it has been passed.

I share this because these dogs are amazing and I tire of all the BS I see said about the LGD.
My dogs are my partners and trust is our bond.


----------



## Rammy (Apr 13, 2019)

Good puppy!


----------



## Baymule (Apr 13, 2019)

D is a great dog. It takes time and training to make a good dog a great dog. While you sing your dogs praises, I’ll give you the pat on the back that you so richly deserve. 

Livestock isn’t the only thing we trust our dogs with. LOL Carson is eating, Trip is reveling in the adulation of a 2 year old, ignoring his food. Love these dogs!


----------



## AmberLops (Apr 13, 2019)

That's amazing...someday i'll have a LGD! I just need more animals first


----------



## Baymule (Apr 15, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> That's amazing...someday i'll have a LGD! I just need more animals first


Read everything in the LGD forum. Study. Ask questions. These are not your typical fetch a stick, tail wagging, anything you want, dogs. Sometimes I thing they should have their own species name. 

My experience so far is limited to the first one we have, Paris, a free throw away, messed up psycho Great Pyrenees that took two years to turn her around. Paris is 9-ish, maybe 10 now and slowing down, but still fiercely devoted to her flock. Trip, our 2nd GP, we got as a puppy. Let me tell you, it is a whole lot easier to get a puppy than it is to get a psycho dog that somebody else messed up. I read the posts here, haunting them like a stalker, and LEARNED how to train my dogs. The information here is some of the best reading you will ever have available to you, and it is FREE. I am certainly no expert, but what I've learned here makes me look smart.


----------



## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Read everything in the LGD forum. Study. Ask questions. These are not your typical fetch a stick, tail wagging, anything you want, dogs. Sometimes I thing they should have their own species name.
> 
> My experience so far is limited to the first one we have, Paris, a free throw away, messed up psycho Great Pyrenees that took two years to turn her around. Paris is 9-ish, maybe 10 now and slowing down, but still fiercely devoted to her flock. Trip, our 2nd GP, we got as a puppy. Let me tell you, it is a whole lot easier to get a puppy than it is to get a psycho dog that somebody else messed up. I read the posts here, haunting them like a stalker, and LEARNED how to train my dogs. The information here is some of the best reading you will ever have available to you, and it is FREE. I am certainly no expert, but what I've learned here makes me look smart.


Ha ha ha! Well it definitely sounds like you know what you're doing when it comes to LGDs!
I know they're not like house dogs...I work at a vet clinic and some of the LGDs that have come in are extremely different. You can tell just by looking at them that they're amazing creatures!
I knew someone who had a GP as a 'pet' and they had him since he was 8 weeks old...he was the most aggressive and unpredictable dog I've ever seen. I explained to them that it's because being a pet isn't his purpose...but they thought that because he was raised since a pup to be a pet that he should be a great house dog....I felt bad for the dog.


----------



## Baymule (Apr 15, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Ha ha ha! Well it definitely sounds like you know what you're doing when it comes to LGDs!
> I know they're not like house dogs...I work at a vet clinic and some of the LGDs that have come in are extremely different. You can tell just by looking at them that they're amazing creatures!
> I knew someone who had a GP as a 'pet' and they had him since he was 8 weeks old...he was the most aggressive and unpredictable dog I've ever seen. I explained to them that it's because being a pet isn't his purpose...but they thought that because he was raised since a pup to be a pet that he should be a great house dog....I felt bad for the dog.



If I know what I’m doing, it’s because of all the great people on this site who share their experiences and wisdom.


----------



## Skiesblue (Jul 15, 2019)

I’m probably redundant but with
LGDs there will be mistakes, miscommunications and sometimes a stock fatality. Always give the dog the benefit of the doubt. Ask yourself if you missed something in the dog/flock dynamic. And remember that dogs may be trained out of bad behavior. Also  the “terrible twos” when they turn into onery teenagers, regressing only to settle down.


----------



## Southern by choice (Jul 17, 2019)

Skiesblue said:


> I’m probably redundant but with
> LGDs there will be mistakes, miscommunications and sometimes a stock fatality. Always give the dog the benefit of the doubt. Ask yourself if you missed something in the dog/flock dynamic. And remember that dogs may be trained out of bad behavior. Also  the “terrible twos” when they turn into onery teenagers, regressing only to settle down.


Agreed, however I will say far too many expect bad behavior, expect naughtiness, expect  chasing, expect a nightmare, expect the terrible teenage  timeframe and that is exactly what they get. I have always expected excellence, always expected to respect livestock, expected them to bond with livestock and human, expected success and that is what I have always gotten.
Sadly I have seen for years just how many people are "waiting" for their dog to do something dumb. I just SMH.
I too believe that the dog should always be given to benefit of the doubt!


----------



## Beekissed (Jul 17, 2019)

Southern by choice said:


> Agreed, however I will say far too many expect bad behavior, expect naughtiness, expect chasing, expect a nightmare, expect the terrible teenage timeframe and that is exactly what they get. I have always expected excellence, always expected to respect livestock, expected them to bond with livestock and human, expected success and that is what I have always gotten.



Can't agree with this more!   I think those lower expectations are an out and an excuse to not work at training.   I think, with these breeds, the bad behaviors are the exception and not the norm.  They are intelligent dogs that seem eager to please and that's a great combination.  

Ben got sheep and, never having been around them before, some would expect that I would have some behaviors to deal with...but he was at first a little fearful of them, then quickly transitioned into curious about them.  Now he seems calm around them and even seems to want to be friends, though they are having none of that.   He did get a little anxious the first time I had to halter and tie them for working with them...don't know if he was worried about me or the sheep!     They are quite wild and have not been handled much previously.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 17, 2019)

Beekissed said:


> Can't agree with this more!   I think those lower expectations are an out and an excuse to not work at training.   I think, with these breeds, the bad behaviors are the exception and not the norm.  They are intelligent dogs that seem eager to please and that's a great combination.
> 
> Ben got sheep and, never having been around them before, some would expect that I would have some behaviors to deal with...but he was at first a little fearful of them, then quickly transitioned into curious about them.  Now he seems calm around them and even seems to want to be friends, though they are having none of that.   He did get a little anxious the first time I had to halter and tie them for working with them...don't know if he was worried about me or the sheep!     They are quite wild and have not been handled much previously.



Bee! You got sheep? Have I missed something somewhere?


----------



## Beekissed (Jul 17, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Bee! You got sheep? Have I missed something somewhere?



Just a few, Bay.  Two ewes and I've got a ram lamb on the way.   The ewes are pretty low quality, but I was on a budget and had looked at 4 different herds locally....these were the best from those four and that ain't sayin' much.  Wish now I had just combined their price and bought a ewe lamb from Mike in TN.  Had a friend willing to transport for me.

Getting a ram lamb via the same friend from FarmFresh in Missouri, so was able to inject some measure of quality in there.

Bought on older ewe as she is willing to accept other lambs and raised her own twins and a bum lamb from another ewe this year...figured she might come in handy.   She's 7 yrs old.  Another ewe, also had twins this year, is 3 yrs old.   To me they both seem on the small side for Katahdins, but believe it or not, they are much larger than all the sheep from two of the other herds I saw...folks be raising miniature Kats around here, registered no less.


----------



## Baymule (Jul 20, 2019)

They may not be the best quality, but you have SHEEP! I am so happy for you!


----------



## Mike CHS (Jul 20, 2019)

A lot of people register everything that can be registered and it shouldn't be that way.  I would easily put most of my commercial ewes against the majority of registered ewes around.  At least you got your sheep!


----------

