# What is your Livestock Guard Animal?



## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 22, 2012)

What is your Livestock Guard Animal? Also how many and why them? Please share any other info you care to share about them!!

My LGD is an Anatolian Shepherd. Her name is Callie and she is four months old now. She wouldn't be able to really protect the goats if a predator were to come after them because she is still a bit to young and small, but she doesn't know that. She already growls and barks at anything she thinks is abnormal or strange. She was doing this at 9 weeks!! It is amazing how quickly these dogs mature.She lives with two Great Pyrenees' who are 100+ pounds and yet she somehow bosses them around. It is so funny. She loves them and they love her but she lets them know she's boss sometimes!! I had the opportunity to buy a Great Pyrenees, but I really wanted an Anatolian. I like how they have shorter hair so they can stay cool in the hot climate. I also like the look better and their fierceness. If they don't want something near their animals then they make it go away one way or another. When I was first getting into goats I knew I had to have an LGD because there are so many coyotes here, so I was reading up on goat LDG's and it seemed like everybody had an Anatolian and they loved them. So I became set on getting an Anatolian. I ended up becoming very fortunate and found Callie. She is an absolute angel and I couldn't love her more. It took a bit of training but she listens pretty good, in a sense. She sometimes sits and comes if you tell her to. But she DOES no what "NO" means. After alot of time she learned to not give you "love bites" but to give kisses, which she does quite often. She also comes into the house once a day just to hang out and get some love. I also go out there with her and I lie down on the ground and she will lay right with me and fall asleep. Her favorite thing in the world it to lay on her back and put her head on your lap as you are sitting down and if you stroke her head and her face then she will crash. She lives for it.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 23, 2012)

lol


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## BeccaJoVon (Jun 23, 2012)

Callie looks like Max







He was 6 months June 1.  This is my first experience with an LGD and boy is it ever an experience!  We love Max, but I will sure be glad when he gets out of the puppy stage.  He's pretty good with our sheep, but he still tries to "play" with the chickens and the ducks, which is why he's down at the pond--to "check on" the ducks.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 23, 2012)

He is so handsome!! Callie has killed one chicken and tried for a few more but I caught her. She is only with the goats now, but some of the chickens do get in with her. She doesn't really mess with them unless they are in her food bin, then she chases them. lol


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## BeccaJoVon (Jun 23, 2012)

Max is usually okay around the ducks and chickens until they start running and flapping, especially the ducks.  We have Muscovy that can fly and get away, but the Pekin are vulnerable.  Max knows "No," too, and will leave them alone as soon as I say No.  I would like to be able to leave him alone with them, but I can't just yet.

Here is a picture of Max with my son:


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## Grazer (Jun 24, 2012)

Callie and Max are such adorable, mischievous looking cutie-pies


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 25, 2012)

These are our two LGD's.  At not quite 10 weeks old, they have already begun their service as they scared the chipmunks back out of the barn when they tried like usual to get in and steal the livestock grain.  We watched as chipmunks scurried over to sneak under the barn door and then,   ooop!  Immediately back out and over to the rock wall.  LGD "1" - chipmunk "0"!

Wisdom





Primo guarding his young turkey flock


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## terrilhb (Jun 25, 2012)

These are my 2 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 I got them from the Humane Society. They are GP, Husky and Lab. They are fantastic with my goats and chickens. They are 5 months old.


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## elevan (Jun 25, 2012)

Jerry, my llama is our guard.  His primary job is the goat kids and he takes his job seriously.  Why a llama?  I've always wanted one and the opportunity arose to get him.  He eats the same food (alfalfa pellets) and hay as the goats so it makes feeding time easy in the winter.


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## terrilhb (Jun 25, 2012)

elevan said:
			
		

> Jerry, my llama is our guard.  His primary job is the goat kids and he takes his job seriously.  Why a llama?  I've always wanted one and the opportunity arose to get him.  He eats the same food (alfalfa pellets) and hay as the goats so it makes feeding time easy in the winter.
> 
> https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/378681_2265318909997_233671867_n.jpg


Oh how cute. I love him.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 25, 2012)

elevan said:
			
		

> Jerry, my llama is our guard.  His primary job is the goat kids and he takes his job seriously.  Why a llama?  I've always wanted one and the opportunity arose to get him.  He eats the same food (alfalfa pellets) and hay as the goats so it makes feeding time easy in the winter.
> 
> https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/378681_2265318909997_233671867_n.jpg


He is adorable!! How old is he and is he castrated? Just wondering?


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## Grazer (Jun 25, 2012)

@ Stubbornhillfarm 
I just love the markings of your puppies. They look so smart already and quite big too for their age


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## Four Winds Ranch (Jun 26, 2012)

I acctually have a lot of livestock gardians.
Here are Lacy, Sandra, and Tricksy!







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Here is Festus, and I don't have a pic. of my other donkey. We use them for cart pulling donkeys!






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And last but not least, here is Mick!






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All of my LG animals don't live directly in with the sheep. The are in the pasture surounding the sheep pasture, and Mick can go everywhere. I have had no predator problem at all! Poor Mick is getting old though and I might be on the lookout for a puppy for him to train shortly.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 26, 2012)

Grazer said:
			
		

> @ Stubbornhillfarm
> I just love the markings of your puppies. They look so smart already and quite big too for their age


Thank you Grazer!  They are super smart and are really interested in watching the cows and pigs which are different for them.  Mzyla did a wonderful job socializing them with the chickens, so they really don't have any interest in them.  And...Mzyla fed them VERY well!    They are healthy and full of life!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jun 26, 2012)

I love all of the variations of LGA's here.  Donkeys, Lama's all the different Dogs.  So cool how our animals are able to serve if we just let them be and do what they do naturally!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 26, 2012)

I agree!! I was hoping everybody would post different kinds of guard animals.


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## Grazer (Jun 26, 2012)

Stubbornhillfarm said:
			
		

> Grazer said:
> 
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> 
> ...


That must be such a relief, I know how much patience & consistency it takes to teach a puppy not to chase poultry and other smaller animals 
Raising 2 puppies at the same time is always quite difficult, but luckily your pups got the right start, so it will make their training in the future a whole lot easier.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 26, 2012)

Training dogs not to go after birds is very hard. Here on the shared farm we were raising 4 puppies at the same time!! Pretty hard. lol My dog, Callie, killed one chicken and nearly killed another and both of the Pyr boys have killed a chicken. Amy has not killed one yet, but sadly I don't think it will stay that way.


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## RemudaOne (Jun 26, 2012)

Here are mine.  They are protecting my sheep from a GRASSHOPPER!!!!





Sophie





Penny


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 26, 2012)

Man, I love your Pyr girl.


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## HankTheTank (Jun 26, 2012)

I don't have an LGD, but what I do have is Colin. He was raised with chickens, then lived with goats, so he's never had contact with his own kind. While he doesn't provide protection, he does make a very good chaperone and companion. If the goats go too close to the road he will shepherd them back, and if they get too far apart from from each other he'll round them back up. He is convinced he's a goat- he even grazes with them! If I'm late in bringing them their dinner, he will slip out of the fence and come up to the house and yell until I bring them something. I would love to have an actual LGD someday, but until then, I'll keep my duck


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## Remuda1 (Jun 26, 2012)

Hey Straw Hat, are you talking about Penny? Believe it or not, Penny and Sophie are full sisters, lol!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 26, 2012)

HankTheTank said:
			
		

> I don't have an LGD, but what I do have is Colin. He was raised with chickens, then lived with goats, so he's never had contact with his own kind. While he doesn't provide protection, he does make a very good chaperone and companion. If the goats go too close to the road he will shepherd them back, and if they get too far apart from from each other he'll round them back up. He is convinced he's a goat- he even grazes with them! If I'm late in bringing them their dinner, he will slip out of the fence and come up to the house and yell until I bring them something. I would love to have an actual LGD someday, but until then, I'll keep my duck
> 
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/5858_pictures_016.jpg


That is so funny!! I have heard ducks are good when you have one and they will bond with you and interact with you, but when you have more than one the want nothing to do with you!! We have had many ducks and the all stay away. They are good eating though. I had a pair of Khaki Campbells and I really liked them.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 26, 2012)

Remuda1 said:
			
		

> Hey Straw Hat, are you talking about Penny? Believe it or not, Penny and Sophie are full sisters, lol!


If she is the all white one, then yes.


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## fairview610 (Jun 27, 2012)

Mine isn't much of a guardian, more like a deterant but he gets the job done. My min donkey Snap


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 27, 2012)

fairview610 said:
			
		

> Mine isn't much of a guardian, more like a deterant but he gets the job done. My min donkey Snap
> http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/fairview610/Horse Pics/Snap.jpg


I would kill for a mini donkey. Not as a guard animal, but as a pet.


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## fairview610 (Jun 27, 2012)

I have wanted one for years, my sweet BF suprised me with one for christmas this past year. Thats all he is just a big ole dog, or so he thinks!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 27, 2012)

Who? Your BF or the donkey!!?? lol


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## fairview610 (Jun 27, 2012)

.....just depends sometimes the BF can act like the stubborn donkey!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 27, 2012)

LOL


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## GriffinRidgeFarm (Jun 28, 2012)

This is my Great Pyrenees 

Playing with the goats on his 1st birthday!






Watching the chickens


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jun 28, 2012)

theeggboxtoo said:
			
		

> This is my Great Pyrenees
> 
> Playing with the goats on his 1st birthday!
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3504_img_8594.jpg
> ...


Ok, I gotta say, you Pyr boy is beautiful!! He's a good looking boy.


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## GriffinRidgeFarm (Jun 29, 2012)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

> theeggboxtoo said:
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> 
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Thank you!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 20, 2012)

Wow. I just looked back thru this and boy has Callie grown!! She is so much bigger and looks fairly different. (No longer has as much of a baby face)


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## bonbean01 (Aug 20, 2012)

Love your dog photo of him with the goats...handsome looking fellow 

Straw...when I called a male animal _beautiful _you corrected me...now it's my turn...that boy is _handsome _


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 20, 2012)

bonbean01 said:
			
		

> Love your dog photo of him with the goats...handsome looking fellow
> 
> Straw...when I called a male animal _beautiful _you corrected me...now it's my turn...that boy is _handsome _


Well played. Well played. haha


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## bonbean01 (Aug 20, 2012)

Just returning the favour Straw


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 20, 2012)

And rightly so. haha


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## Symphony (Aug 20, 2012)

theeggboxtoo said:
			
		

> This is my Great Pyrenees
> 
> Playing with the goats on his 1st birthday!
> http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3504_img_8594.jpg
> ...


I love his head!  He'll be a beast in a couple more years.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 20, 2012)

Yeah, he is a very *ahem* _handsome_ boy aint he?


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## Sugarbushdraft (Aug 20, 2012)

OK we don't have any, but the other day there was a great pyrenees at the doggy daycare (they had a small BBQ) and then what looked like a pyrenees mix (white with some gray splotches )


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 20, 2012)

Sugarbushdraft said:
			
		

> OK we don't have any, but the other day there was a great pyrenees at the doggy daycare (they had a small BBQ) and then what looked like a pyrenees mix (white with some gray splotches )


Are you saying the BBQ'ed a GP? lol 
GP's can have grey, tan, and light brown spots on them. They are called badger markings.


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## bonbean01 (Aug 21, 2012)

Straw you nut!  Although when I first read that I thought the same thing


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## CocoNUT (Aug 23, 2012)

Here's our little guardian "in training"...Gus




and her again - AFTER getting sprayed with the hose and rolling around in the compost pile! 




Here she is again...notice the 'naughty' and EVIL hose in the background that she SAVED us from! I mean she really is correct...a sprayer nozzle really isn't necessary!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Aug 24, 2012)

CocoNUT said:
			
		

> Here's our little guardian "in training"...Gus
> [url]http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/3026/goatiesaug232012005.jpg[/url]
> 
> and her again - AFTER getting sprayed with the hose and rolling around in the compost pile!
> ...


She is very pretty!  She is going to grow in to a very nice looking girl.


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## Mzyla (Aug 24, 2012)

My LGD like to guard from up in the sky --
I guess he can scan wider radius...LOL


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 24, 2012)

haha How in the world did he get up there!!


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## SheepGirl (Aug 24, 2012)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

> haha How in the world did he get up there!!


he climbed the tree, duhhhhhhh


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## Mzyla (Aug 27, 2012)

Actually, he was lock up at the 2-nd floor - by human error.
Daughter & son didn't notice him being in one of their rooms and they left the house, locking the doors.
By looking at the traces he left - seems like he explored all the possible options of freeing himself and finally chose this way:


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 27, 2012)

Wow. That's crazy, but kinda neat in it's own way.


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## RemudaOne (Aug 27, 2012)

Whew! So glad he didn't try to jump!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Aug 27, 2012)

Yeah, he might have broken some legs.


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## Grazer (Aug 27, 2012)

Wow, I'm just glad he didn't hurt himself. What a smart doggy though! He has both beauty and brains 

@ CocoNUT, Gus is turning into a very good looking Sarplaninac, how old is she now?


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## CocoNUT (Aug 28, 2012)

Mzyla - WOW!  Sounds like something one of my cats has done...except it was breaking INto the house! Sneaky little woos!  (He was all excited to go outside...doing all kinds of naughty things IN the house...opened the door and he was GONE! 2 hours later...crying to be let back in!)  That is pretty cool though...definitely a GREAT vantage point! 

Grazer - thank you.  Gus is filling out nicely...getting nice and fluffy!  She's a smidge over 8 moths old now.  She's driving me NUTS!  Going through some kind of puppy phase...she's killed a chicken and my juvenile turkey hen...this past weekend.  (One on sat, one on Sunday.)  Just about an hour ago...I CAUGHT her with ANOTHER poult!  The stinker had pried her way into the goat area and had removed a number of feathers from one of the girls.  Now to be fair...every once in a while, one of the chickens will get out of their enclosure...but dang if Gus isn't fast enough to get them! She runs them down and catches them.  Fortunately THIS poult was still alive and UNHURT! (I've tried tying the dead chicken to her...'riding' her. I've tried whacking her with the dead chicken....apparently it's not working so far!)  She's a sweet girl...and I really HOPE she goes through this current "phase" soon cause she's not like this all the time!  

Oh..she's also decided she likes barking...at EVERYTHING!  lol  My husband LOVES her bark...VERY "massive!"


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## Mzyla (Aug 29, 2012)

That roof at South side is really steep. Even the roofers had to nail boards to it, in order to hold themselves on when they were changing shingle last summer.
South window was the only one open and accessible with big enough opening.
He did try other windows first.but there wasnt enough clearance for his size

Now we know why these LGD growing the extra nails-dewclaws.
After all, for centuries they were climbing vast mountains.
So, I guess it is inheritance in his blood not to be afraid of climbing.


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## SheepGirl (Aug 29, 2012)

hahaha my guess was wayyy off....


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## Beekissed (Aug 29, 2012)

I had a GP/Lab mix, Lucy, but she got very old and went on to a better place.  I still have her partner, Jake, a Lab/BC mix:












He's death on anything he can catch...mice, moles, squirrels, coon and groundhog.  This old dog killed two possum just in the last few days.


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## Alice Acres (Aug 29, 2012)

Stefany!











She's a 10 yr old llama. We've had llamas before w/ our flock - but had gelded males before. Then we had none for many years. With the resurgence of the coyote population in our area, we got Stef 2 yrs ago. She is a retired show llama, and just great. She has bonded with our flock, and is very alert and protective with them...but still super friendly and sweet with us 
In the 2nd picture she's sniffing my oldest granddaughter. When she was shown, it was by a girl who worked with her until she graduated from high school; so she really likes girls a lot.


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## Grazer (Aug 29, 2012)

That's such a sweet picture!



@CocoNUt

It's going to be really hard to get her to stop killing the poultry now. It seems Gus has developed this bad habit of preying on them. 
And with dogs it's always easier to teach them something new than it is getting them to stop doing something undesirable. 
She's going through puberty now, that's when some young dogs will rebel and test their boundaries again. 
I don't know if you've already tried this, but you could start taking her with you on a long leash every time you feed the flock. And then observe her and firmly correct her every time Gus tries to play and/or chase the birds.
She has a lot of energy right now, so someone could play with her or take her for walks on a daily basis. Anything to get her to drain that energy
When Gus is by herself, you can give her toys and some really good chewables, so she has something to do beside prey on the poultry.
You have to nip this in the bud before she becomes a serious bird killer.
But like I said it's going to be even harder now and your husband and you will have to keep an eye on Gus a lot more and be really fast with the correction. Timing is everything. 


BTW, in case you haven't read this link before, it explains really well how to train an LGD to leave poultry alone: http://www.anatoliandog.org/poultry.htm


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## Beekissed (Aug 29, 2012)

Here's a video of Cesar Millan doing training on a dog that had already killed chickens:

http://www.free-tv-video-online.me/player/gorillavid.php?id=7m9pmkl17wcx


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## CocoNUT (Sep 1, 2012)

Thank you Grazer and Beekissed! 
I think we've found she's not actually actively "killing" them. She wants to "play" and kind of holds them...then they go into shock and die. At least she doesn't HIDE her problem from us.  Brings the things to our sliding door like a cat would! I caught her the other day with a chicken...she was still alive. Boy did I "correct" her something qucik and fierce! I reinforced the "leave it" command we've been using and let me tell you...not only has she "remembered" what that command means...she also remembered who is the alpha *bitch*! She's now back on the "straight and narrow" path again! 
I've noticed she's a lot more mellow when I leave the goat gate open and she has at least ONE of the goats around her all day. So now she's allowed to hang out with Flora - our most tolerant and best escape artist doe! 
Just FYI - I would run her every day when i get home. She plays fetch obsessively...and will fetch anything you throw! Even eggs! When she's done, she's done though. Like most LGDs...she's not treat bribe-able...her treat/reward is LOTS of love and rubs! She hates being ignored (punishment).  and fetch is definitely one of her favorites! 

LOVE Stefany! She's a beaut! Not only is she a gorgeous guardian...you can get spinning fiber from her as well!


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## Beekissed (Sep 2, 2012)

My dog, Jake, is definitely treat bribeable....if he had oppositional thumbs he would write himself up a sign that said, "Will work for food...will do just about _anything_ for food!!!" 

Actually, all my dogs responded to treat bribes...could be that part where animals are like their owners.


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