# LGD's go nuts… almost lost a goat!



## Goat Whisperer (Jan 18, 2017)

Had quite a scare today!

Earlier today I heard the dogs barking, they were really going at it and Chunck was pacing the back fence line barking. Briefly looked around and didn't see anything, figured maybe they were barking at SBC's other neighbor &/or their Dobbie. 

Then I heard it… the most ear piercing, horrific scream… I immediately knew it was Moses, one of the Kiko herd sires. I've never heard a goat scream the way he did, it was terrifying in a way.

I of course am tearing down one field, run to his field, fly over the 4 ft gate (all while thinking I'm not going to get to him in time) and get to Moses. 

Tiggs (lives with these guys) is totally frantic, poor dog looked so upset! Its very hard on them when something like this happens. He calmed right down as soon as the bucks got untangled. 

Moses had locked horns with his Kiko buddy, it wasn't a typical horn lock that happens time-to-time, his head and neck were severely twisted, if I had tried to move him, his neck would have snapped. 
His one horn is already separating from the scull, and is cracking and bleeding. 

I finally am able to get them apart. Beast seems fine, but Moses goes to walk away and his head is flopping around and is in shock. 
I'm able to handle these situations pretty well, but this was intense 

Grab some feed and poor it down for the other 2 goats and try to approach Moses again and lure him in so I can get a better look. He was dazed, but now able to control his head. Offered him a few handfuls of feed while I was able to check him over. 

Good news is that he should recover and be fine. Maybe a small amount of damage to the neck but now (hours later) he seems to be moving it okay. Horn is still cracked/ & a little separation of the horn, but if he doesn't do anything stupid he should heal up ok 

So thankful the dogs were able to alert me  Had they not been going bark-crazy I might never had known and come out to a dead goat (or 2) 
These dogs prove themselves everyday, NOTHING like a good LGD!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 18, 2017)

I swear I think these goats plan this stuff! 
I was not on site when this happened! Still can't figure how GW was able to do this. These are BIG goats with BIG horns.

Poor Tiggs. Callie isn't there to calm him either.  
So thankful for the dogs.


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## NH homesteader (Jan 18, 2017)

Scary! Glad he's ok, that's horrific. Good dogs!


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## babsbag (Jan 18, 2017)

It's called adrenaline. Those goats are bigger than GW but fortunately they aren't wild goats as well as being big. 

Why do you still have the kikos? Do you have a kiko doe back there as well?


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## Southern by choice (Jan 18, 2017)

Yeah we still have Kiko does... well actually we sold one ... we are retaining all does to rebuild the herd.


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## babsbag (Jan 18, 2017)

Oh, you are crazy. I thought that the Kikos were Straw's passion and you were just babysitting.


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 18, 2017)

Glad you were able to get them apart!


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## samssimonsays (Jan 18, 2017)

Wow! Crazy!!! So glad it all turned out ok and  for a full recovery!


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## Southern by choice (Jan 18, 2017)

babsbag said:


> Oh, you are crazy. I thought that the Kikos were Straw's passion and you were just babysitting.


I LOVE the Kikos! Moses and MoClone are very special! Wish We didn't sell Kelly.  Maybe I will buy her back!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 18, 2017)

So glad it turned out the way it did....sounds like it could have been a tragedy in the making.  Whew!


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 18, 2017)

Yikes! Thankful you were able to be there GW, and help untangle them! Give those dogs a big hug from me, they are a Blessing!


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 18, 2017)

They really are!


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## Baymule (Jan 18, 2017)

That must have been scary! Good boy Tiggs! I am glad that he alerted you so you were able to untangle the goats and avert a terrible loss.


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## Goat Whisperer (Jan 18, 2017)

Baymule said:


> That must have been scary! Good boy Tiggs! I am glad that he alerted you so you were able to untangle the goats and avert a terrible loss.


I'm able to stay pretty calm during emergencies like this. I've found a goat with her whole head encased in blood and still bleeding profusely, broken leg goat, stuck goats, other occasions where they were tangled, and a buck with its eye bulging out due to an injury (_that_ was nasty!) 
None were this frightening. 
I think it was really because I couldn't move Moses without potentially breaking his neck, that was the scary part. The only other time I've been that scared with a situation like this is when I found Callie bloated…

It's pretty amazing though, it wasn't just Tiggs barking. It was ALL of the LGD's thinking back, all the dogs were facing that same direction. They were serious too, they knew something was wrong! 

Love these dogs


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 18, 2017)




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## OneFineAcre (Jan 18, 2017)

I hope Moses is ok


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## Ridgetop (Jun 4, 2018)

Amazing how LGDs know when something is not right.  I remember years ago waking up to really intense barking from our 2 Pyrs and seeing the far hill on fire.  They were standing between the fire and the livestock.  The fire was far enough away but they knew it was dangerous and were prepared to stay between it and their herd!  Another Pyr brought a dead newborn lamb up to the house from the field and laid it tenderly on the porch then barked to bring me to the door obviously hoping I could fix what poor Sandy couldn't.

These dogs are just incredible.  Unless you have had firsthand experience with them our true stories would sound like fairytales.


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## babsbag (Jun 6, 2018)

One morning I woke up to my male barking like a mad dog and he is usually quiet so I decided I had better go check on him. I found him standing at the water trough licking and pushing and pulling on a newborn goat trying to keep its head above water. Yes, mom had delivered it in the trough. It would have died if not for my dog. He had obviously cleaned its face too.


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