# Lgd playing with the neighbor dog



## bcnewe2 (Jan 3, 2014)

Jesse is my project of the winter.  
She is a year old this month.  We've had some bloody lamb ears and one dead chicken. I really think it's due to me being out of town,  no routine while I'm gone and locking them into a small paddock. She gets bored.

I think we've got that under control now that I'm home and can supervise closely. She hasn't "played" with any livestock since I got home.

But for a couple days I've see her up in the top pasture playing with the neighbors boxer. It's another female and very timid. If I holler out the door she will take off towards home. I've never seen her close to the sheep.  

I am wondering if Jesse is distracting her from coming down the hill to the sheep.  They don't seem bothered that a dog is in their area but I am.

Jesse is youthful and full of piss and vinegar so in a way this neighbor dog is giving her a way to burn off extra energy but.....
They are usually about 10 acres away from sheep. Never seen them closer.  Still makes me nervous.

Jesse doesn't like the other neighbor dog. it's a small terrier mutt that I've seen many times wander through the sheep making her way to the other side of our farm and her path goes straight through our sheep pasture.  She is small, never even looks at sheep but Jesse will not have her in "her" pasture.  I watched Jesse escort her off the property several times. Not meanly but with serious intent.  I think During my time out of town, Jesse got out and on that neighbors property and the little dog didn't like it. I also think that neighbor do not like our sheep or our fencing.  I have a feeling they have chased Jesse off.  She will lay around sleeping till those neighbors come out then she barks and growls. She minds her own business with other neighbors comings and goings.  

Back to the Boxer.  She is timid, I've chased her off by just yelling at her.  But I'm not always around to watch.  Jesse is a great guard, still growing into her job. I can't see them going after any of our livestock BUT...one never knows.

How do I handle this. I don't know the boxer neighbor, only where she comes from.  They are connected to the very back of our upper pasture by a very tiny part. I hear they are renters but the guy that owns the property's reputation is not a nice one. I hate to make neighbor enemies.  HE lives very close to us too, just not directly next to us.  He has complained that the previous owners of our farm infringed on his property with their fencing. I recently fenced that side of the property with field fencing and followed the original fence line. So there could be trouble brewing.  

What to do about that dog.....?????


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## MissFitFarm (Jan 3, 2014)

wish I had an answer for you.. I have the same problem here only Bear aint playing and it is a German Shepard. Keeps getting closer and closer to my Goats and comes through the horses. My gelding don't like strange dogs and if caught will be stomped to death. if not caught and makes it close enough to the Goats Bear will kill him. he allows no one or nothing thing close to his Goats, and of course buddy is the second line of defense. And if any of that happens... well neighbor enemy...
So I feel your pain.


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## secuono (Jan 3, 2014)

Do you do anything daily to burn her energy? She's still a puppy, no matter the breed. Might have to lock her with her sheep at night, daytime play with her to burn her energy.


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## bcnewe2 (Jan 3, 2014)

No i dont do anything special to play with her. She loves toys i see her tossing them around playing with herself. I don't let her play with my border collies as I dont want her to bonded with them staying at the house.  They get along but if we have bonding time its with her and me. she gets plenty of excerise, its more young dog play energy that she doesnt have a way to burn. My border collies dont play well with others. If we go out to stock they are all business. 
Neignbors....i miss living out where we didnt have any close.
If she killed a dog on my property id probably go with the 3S rule. No other livestock people round here.  So not much sympathy for damaged livestock round here.
She is doing a great job, just steep learning curve for her age. So many grey areas with close populations of neighbors. She rarely goes out of her fields. Mostly to get down to our house.
She is still one of my favorite guard dogs ive ever owned.  I will b glad when she ages into her job.
Fyi, she is with her sheep 24/7 i dont lock my sheep up at night. It is tight quarters where she gets to  playful with the lambs.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 3, 2014)

Have re-read this several times and either I am tired or have no comprehension... 

Is the Pasture fenced? How is the boxer getting in?
How is Jesse playing with her?
I am actually quite surprised Jesse has not killed the Terrier.


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## bcnewe2 (Jan 3, 2014)

Pasture is finally fenced. Except a tiny corner in the way back. But we have rocky hills, easy to find ways under the fence. Jesse knows where all the wholes are.  But she rarely goes under. Only to get down to the house.  
I watched her back the terrier right to the spot the small dog came in.  She wasnt growling or barking just stood her ground and the terrier would back up and she'd walk up the same steps the other dog gave.  I think she is leary because the terrier belongs to the neighbors who dont like her. 
My black dogs dont like the terrier either. Another reason for her to not like it. They havent seen the boxer or theyd be running it off. They stay with me down the hill. Jess has free roam up the hill too. So no pack dogs to tell her we dont like that dog.
It's the boxer dog im worried about. A young boxer with youthful energy and not much for brains. Im still not convinced she isn't distracting it from her sheep and playing at the same time. She is a very loud dog when she barks her guard bark or growls her mean growl. But has not found all of her power yet.


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## bcnewe2 (Jan 3, 2014)

Jumping and wrassling but jesse seems to keep everything headed away from her sheep. The play chase but it never comes down the hill. It looks like young dog play to me. Play bowing on both parts included.


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## secuono (Jan 3, 2014)

I let mine play with the Dober puppy, she still pays attention and runs off to do her job if she sees or hears something off. But w/o having the other dog or me to play with, she'd end up chasing the other animals because she has so much energy.


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## Southern by choice (Jan 3, 2014)

sent you a message


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