# Where to start?



## AClark (Aug 28, 2017)

So, since I've never had a LGD, I'm a bit confused on where to even start. She showed up in my yard almost 2 weeks ago and nobody has claimed her. She has about zero training, other than she is apparently housebroken. 
What I know:
She's about 4 months old, found a front incisor puppy tooth cap in my carpet
She LOVES to chew stuff up...RIP slippers
She's learning to walk on a leash with a collar
She seems pretty smart, learned to sit within about 5 minutes
She is stubborn and doesn't listen, kinda does her own "thang"
She is good with the livestock, doesn't harass anybody - apparently has a thing for cats, I had to retrieve her out of my neighbors yard since he's a cat hoarder. 

Like Baymule told me, she's big and only going to get bigger. I feel kind of thrown to the wolves here because she is big, she has a different mentality than I'm used to. I have always had herding dogs, and they're like the Rottweiler on Over the Hedge...PLAY! She wants to play, she play bows and barks at me and the other dog to play, but uhm...how do you play with a dog that isn't all about fetching stuff?


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## Latestarter (Aug 28, 2017)

She's a good looking girl!  Best thing to do would be to go get another LGD about her age and let them burn each other's energy off.


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## AClark (Aug 28, 2017)

Nooo, lol. One giant dog is enough. I don't think I mentioned, I was looking to get a small dog for our next dog...like a Dachshund. Then Sadie showed up.


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## BrendaMNgri (Aug 28, 2017)

As resident devil's advocate, I must ask this question.
What makes you so sure she is an LGD breed?

She does not look like one to me. A purebred Anatolian or Kangal does not come close to resembling this dog.
Their coloring and features are different.
Nor does a Pyrenees, Akbash or Maremma.

I think she's a Heinz 57 cross of God knows what.
Probably some Lab running through her, look at the position and shape of those ears.
In this day of rampant foolish crossing of LGDs on non-LGDs, no telling what she is - DNA test is only way you'll find out.

You have a new pet. LGDs must be run in pairs or more to be used right so I'd just raise this mystery up as another pet.


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

Nobody ever said anything about keeping this dog out with my livestock or anything of the sort. I'm asking people for some ideas (or books, books are good) on training a giant puppy with a mentality I'm not used to, not your opinions on what she is or isn't.

_Edited by staff_


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## Baymule (Aug 29, 2017)

Sadie could be a mix of anything. But you recognize that she seems to be wired different than what your normal dog would be. Mixed breed dogs have been known to make very good farm dogs and some excel at becoming pretty darn good LGD's. My advice would be to read through the threads on this LGD forum, glean what you can use and apply it to your dog. 

Is Sadie a LGD mix? Who knows for sure. The only important thing is that she is a good fit for you, your farm, your animals and your family. LGD's are known for their quirks and independent personalities. It takes patience, patience and more patience. Sadie will be a puppy until after age 2 years. She may get an attack of stupid around 9 to 11 months old, which can really drive you crazy. Patience.......LOL 

Most of us on here have a couple of LGD's, some have more dogs, depending on how much livestock they have. Most of us are not experts on LGD's, we post our experiences, our problems and our solutions. Please post about Sadie, we will be glad to help you.


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

That's the biggest difference. Cattle dogs, in general, can be swayed to do whatever you'd like because you have a tennis ball/frisbee/anything they can chase. Sadie looks at me like "yeah so what". She definitely could have some lab in her, but she's too big to be just lab, she's already 3/4 the size of a lab and the age is right from the teething. The vet said Anatolian mix, and she would be over 100 lbs easy. My husband is a lab guy and said the ears make him think lab, but the rest of the dog not. 
I've always had herding dogs, GSD's, ACD's, a border collie (never again, what a crackhead) and Australian Shepherds. She's absolutely nothing like those type of dogs. I don't see prey drive, food drive isn't great either - picky eater. DH said labs are easily food driven, he has experience with hunting dogs; I don't. 

I don't care if she's a mutt, that's not an issue. I've had mutts and purebreds alike, it doesn't matter much to me. What matters is not having a 100+ lb a-hole for a dog because she isn't like what I'm used to, like you said Baymule, and I screw her up. An ounce of preventative is worth a pound of cure.

She got to stay because she doesn't get after anybody, otherwise I would have taken her to the shelter and as full as they are, she probably would have gotten her 72 hours and that's it.


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## babsbag (Aug 29, 2017)

@AClark in your first sentence you sort of led people to believe that you were going to use her as an LGD...that is what I thought you meant. If that isn't the case then no harm, no foul. But if that was the case then what @BrendaMNgri stated is a very good point. Now I'm not sure what the moderator edited out after her original post but what is there right now is true and needed to be said, to you or anyone else who finds a dog that they think is an LGD breed. There are some good LGDs out there that might be crossed but sadly there are many many more crosses that didn't work out. 

I hope that she makes a wonderful farm dog for you.


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## AClark (Aug 29, 2017)

I meant LGD type - that's what's in my journal. Might have been prudent to ask if she was so concerned but it doesn't matter now.

Either way, I'm done with this thread. I wish I never started it.


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## OneFineAcre (Aug 29, 2017)

AClark said:


> I meant LGD type - that's what's in my journal. Might have been prudent to ask if she was so concerned but it doesn't matter now.
> 
> Either way, I'm done with this thread. I wish I never started it.



I wouldn't worry about it if I were you
Post about your dog
I've got 4 GPs and I have one GP mix
He was the first "farm dog" we got for the goats
We got him from another goat breeder when we were back at our old place and literally had an acre
But we had coyotes that used to come in the field behind our house and he kept them at bay
He's a great dog
I guesss since I bred our GP's and had a litter of pups I'm one of those "backyard" breeders she always references
I guess you have to have a blog to be a real breeder 
Well the 2 pups I kept are doing great and the pups we placed are too
And we have some friends that have a 100 goat dairy
They have recently added SM's
Needless to say they got them from someone else
And they drove across the country to get them from someone who actually raises livestock and isn't just in the puppy breeding business


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## babsbag (Aug 29, 2017)

I wasn't trying to be critical and I haven't read your journal in quite a while so I had no reference to anything else about your new dog other than what you stated here. I didn't mean to offend you, I just happen to agree with what was posted. Of course, I didn't get to see what the admin deleted...  But I would be feeling pretty guilty if you did intend to use her as an LGD and if ended poorly and I could have given you a head's up and I didn't.


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## Mini Horses (Aug 29, 2017)

Well, I LIKE Sadie and she has a very "knowing" look.   You say she is smart, has her own quirks, so try to work with those in training her to be a great farm & family dog.   As she matures certain tendencies may become more evident. 

The one thing that most LGDs seem to display pretty much across the board (from what I have read -- don't own one) is that they decide what they feel is their domain to patrol & protect.  So, if she has any LGD blood, that would be something I would be on the alert to help her decide, where the both of you felt she should patrol.  LOL.    On the flip, look at Mel & LS...house?

We'd love to hear how Sadie progresses.   And yes, reading some of the threads that Bay suggested would help you decide if any of those training efforts works for Sadie.  If so, great.  If not, you have a smart dog who will learn.   Talk to her, she has a very keen sense of you & your wanting her to succeed.
If you tell her what & why, she will work with it...keeping it within her own capacity.


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## babsbag (Aug 29, 2017)

It is hard to know the "history" of reply when you can't read the entire post.  I apologize to @AClark if what I said caused her to feel like she needed to leave BYH. That would never be my intent.


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## babsbag (Aug 29, 2017)

BTW...LGDs often have selective hearing and 'come' is a suggestion.  They are very independent thinkers and that trait can be very frustrating. They also aren't easily bribed so offering treats in reward for good behavior isn't something that comes easily to many of them.  My Border Collies will fall over themselves for a treat, not the LGDs.

You might look for a thread called the "The Education of Ben".


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