# Mutt "Guard Dog"



## cjulian214 (Feb 12, 2013)

So...back in November my husband almost ran over a little mutt puppy and ended up bringing it home. We do NOT need another house dog, so we decided to give it a go living outside with our small goat 'herd'. We have notice coyote packs around, although we don't have a lot of predators where we live, and thought it might be a good idea just to have a dog who would bark and alert us or scare off any coyotes that might get curious. We have two nigerian dwarf does, 1 pregnant and due in March, and are getting a buck and a whether around the same time to place in a separate pen. This puppy (Roland) was about 2 months old and has been living with the goats non stop since the end of November. He does very well with them, and our non pregnant goat Cassie and he are buddies....especially when she is in heat. She loves all over him. However, our goat Peggy, while not exactly afraid of him, doesn't like him so much and is very standoff-ish while he is around. He doesn't chase the goats or bully them, and they don't run off when he is near them, but I don't feel comfortable leaving him with them with Peggy getting closer to kidding time. I just don't want some instinct to tell him to eat my kids. We were planning on moving him to a pen adjacent to the primary goat pen during this time until we can introduce him to the kids safely and know he won't hurt them, etc, and we probably will still want a good area to separate him from the kids if needed. However, we don't think its kind to leave him in a pen by himself, although he will be near the goats. We were thinking about getting another dog to keep out there with him to keep him company, but who will also be good with the goats. We aren't necessarily looking for an official LGD...my husband is concerned about getting a GP because he feels he will have to do major work to reinforce the fencing around the goat area? We have a 5 ft wrapped wire fence that we have never had an issue with goats trying to get out, but we worry a GP would. Also, we would like to leave Roland out there with them too, and don't know how GP do with other dogs. Any suggestions to help our dilemma?


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## Southern by choice (Feb 12, 2013)

Your pup is roughly 5 months old and has done well thus far. IMO he should be fine adjacent to them. Bringing in another pup I think is going to end up possibly causing issues.  First, so far you've been pretty lucky with the pup, if you were to add a non LGD type dog you are taking a big chance. A Great Pyrenees is a great LGD and raised with other dogs, even non LGD's they are fine... but you would be looking at another pup and having to raise and "train" it. I use the word "train" lightly.

LGD breeds are really NOT like other dogs..reading and seeing these dogs in action, visiting farms etc is a great way to see how well you think you would fair. These are not dogs that are easily placed if they don't work out. Most LGD's that don't work out are really due to owners not understanding the nature of these dogs, lack of proper correction, thinking that they are like other dogs. All breeds of LGD's are a handful. We have standard fencing (farm field) and at the top we did have hotwire when the dogs thought they'd like to climb. Also we turn on hot wire at the middle when the bucks are in rut to prevent them from tearing up the fences.

I am curious as to what your "mutt" is and how large is he now. Is he neutered?


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## cjulian214 (Feb 12, 2013)

The best guess for our mutt is a lab mix. He is about 42lbs now I think (if I remember correctly) and the vet said he looks like he will get to 60 or 7y0 lbs. I worry that he may be chasing my pregnant doe when we aren't out there because she is so skittish around him...when he isn't there (like today while he was at the vet getting neutered) she will sit with me&want attention, but when he is out there, if I'm petting her and he walks over she takes off.


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