# Does anybody use emus as livestock guardians?



## goat boy (May 17, 2013)

HI my LGD is not being very good and i am going to sell him and i am thinking of tryinf emus instead, is it a good idea? cause i have heard about people using emus and thought i would see what i could find out about them
Can ya help


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## Southern by choice (May 17, 2013)

I am so sorry. If I was close to you I would take him and retrain him.  

What breed do you have I have forgotten.


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## goat boy (May 17, 2013)

Anatolian here is a pic


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## goat boy (May 17, 2013)




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## Southern by choice (May 17, 2013)

I thought you had a toli.    He is still a pup isn't he like 9-10 months.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 18, 2013)

*Why not just keep him and train him. IMO there really is no substitute for dogs. 

Here the emus are pretty small, I could see them getting eaten by coyotes in a pinch.*


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## goat boy (May 18, 2013)

He's 8 months 25 days old


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## Straw Hat Kikos (May 18, 2013)

Yeah I'm interested in him too. He's pure Anatolian right? And you are located where again?


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## goat boy (May 18, 2013)

I'm in missouri
But he is already going to be sold to get a new one, and they say that the second pup you put in there is easer becuase the animals are already used to a dog being around


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## goat boy (May 18, 2013)

he's pure


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## Southern by choice (May 18, 2013)

goat boy said:
			
		

> I'm in missouri
> But he is already going to be sold to get a new one, and they say that the second pup you put in there is easer becuase the animals are already used to a dog being around


This is not true and poor  advice. The issues you are having are going to make the goats even more nervous.
Owning a LGD does require training and correcting behaviors. Getting another dog at this point may not be wise.
Who is mentoring you with the training... where is the breeder of the boy you have now? 
Your boy is a pup and with proper behavior modification should be a fine guardian. 

birth - 16 weeks is critical in the developing LGD most issues are things not corrected in the 8-16 week age frame. 16-20 weeks dogs should be adapting well but still with immediate corrections which takes time and effort.

Working 1 day a week with the dog won't work, nor a few no's.

Please, before getting another dog learn what to do and find a breeder that will actually teach you.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 18, 2013)

* I agree, getting rid of him and getting a puppy isn't going to solve anything. Any dog is going to need time and training. *


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## goat boy (May 18, 2013)

Yeah i see what your saying, but that was the first LGD I'd ever had and i did-int know much, but i will take the time now i have been reading about training LGDs for the best guard dog and i even read your page too Southern by choice. I think that this time i will probably do a Pyr's. what is your advise on the best kind of guard dog?


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## Southern by choice (May 18, 2013)

Much depends on the stock the dogs come from, also of what to look for in a pup. Honestly in many ways anatolians are easier and less stubborn than pyrs, yet are more diggy (meaning they like to dig) and barkier.

Have you considered purchasing an already trained ( I mean really breeder trained and raised) mature dog. They ]can cost about 1200-1500 but is worth it for many that do not have the time or energy.

I wish I could get hold of your boy, he really just needs retrained. I worry about his next owner. I hope he doesn't end up in the shelter as unadoptable. You see he will be labelled that way and will not be able to be placed anywhere with livestock and these dogs are not going to make it as a house pet. 

Goat boy if I remember you are young, who spends the time working the dog? how will that change with the new pup?

Many of the LGD books out there are terrible, they were written for dogs that were in large packs that patrolled hundreds - thousands of acres. That is not the face of the LGD today. The parent dogs raise and train the pups. Today pups go to their new homes at 8 weeks and miss all that instruction, then we become surrogates. My pups will not go before 12 wks... I prefer 16 weeks. 

Have you all contacted the breeder?


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## Grazer (May 19, 2013)

Goat boy, I hope you listen to Southern and to WhiteMountainsRanch's advice. 
The problem doesn't seem to be with your current dog but with your training or should I say, lack of it.

Although livestock guardian dogs are born with the instinct to guard whatever you intrust them with, they still require lots of supervision during their first 2 years, and you need to invest lots of time and energy into them.
There are no shortcuts in life. 
Getting rid of your current dog and then getting a new one will only result in your current dog ending up somewhere in a shelter (where he will most likely end up being put down) and with you facing the exact same problems with your new puppy.

I don't think you understand that you need to supervise an LGD at least the first 18 months or so, until he has proven to be trustworthy. 
By supervising I mean not leaving your LGD alone with your livestock/poultry unless you are there to monitor their interaction. And then correct and praise the dog as necessary.
Because what at first looks like they are playing with the livestock, soon turns into a much more serious behavior where they can actually hurt and traumatize the livestock/poultry. Or even worse, they end up killing them.


So I hope before you or your parents (in case you are a minor) do anything in haste, you take the time to read these links:


http://www.luckyhit.net/guardd01.htm 

http://www.luckyhit.net/guardd05.htm 

http://www.milkandhoneyfarm.com/dogs/training.html


@ Southern, I don't know why the first two links showed as malware to you. That's really odd..


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## woodsie (May 20, 2013)

I completely agree with what others have said...and Southern's advice of finding a already trained and working LGD is something you really should consider. The older dogs have all the silly puppy stuff worked out and they really are worth WAY more money for all the hassle you save yourself if you don't have the time and patience to train.


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