B&B Happy Goats....journal

[Bruce]

Oh, well then I doubt she is the dog to guard your goats. I'm not sure what having a job to do means for a home protection dog. Hang around waiting for an invader? Not quite the same as a Livestock Guardian Dog needing a herd/flock of animals to protect. Busy all day and night keeping watch with eyes, ears and nose, even when they are laying with their eyes closed and appear to be dead.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Ya have to remember that GSDs are herding dogs and it is certainly their nature.....the breed was developed and chosen because of their ability to nip the legs of livestock to herd them where they were to go.....they are protective of their recognized charges, but will also attempt to control the movements of their charges.....we have never had Gabbie directly in contact with other animals....other than Callie our inside cat....Gabbie doesn't attempt to attack her, but only tries to sniff her....tho, she will protect Callie.....Callie and the DD3 cat aren't exactly social and have had a few confrontations....Gabbie will position herself between them and keep the other cat, Kara, at the other end of the house and away from Callie. If the goats are closed up at night and protected in a pen or house, then the dog could patrol inside the pasture area at night without causing much difficulty....this was my intentions with Gabbie at first, but since we had to leave and give the goats, chickens, and ducks up it never occurred.....I don't have a ton of experience with them, but @Southern by choice most certainly does....but, she has LGDs and if GSDs were good substitutes for LGDs she probably would have a couple working....that's not to say they wouldn't make a great farm dog....cause they certainly do....but ya have to use a tool for the job it was made for....ya can hammer with pliers or a wrench, but it will never take the place of the proper hammer for the job....

 

[Latestarter]

Having owned German Shepherds, they ARE working dogs and (most) need a job, or something to give them purpose. Since this one has been trained for protection (a job) it's even more important that it have one. @Southern by choice used to train them professionally, I would suggest you pm her with your concerns and questions. Hopefully she'll have some spare time to address them. The visit should be very telling and you'll "know" a lot better after that happens. Whatever, I hope things go for the best with it.

 

[Latestarter]

Fred and I were posting at the same time... GSD's are awesome animals. Most are smart, powerful, and very dedicated. SBC doesn't raise/train them anymore, but she still owns one & her decades of experience with them has been shared with others here.

 

[Bruce]

I am thinking that a new riffle with a scope may be the better option for me. It eats less and barks once !

But you have to be awake, on patrol and notice the threat before it barks. A watch dog is always on alert and can see, hear and smell WAY better than you can (even at your best). My alpacas can see things that I can not, unless I have the binoculars out. A house cat at the edge of the field at 100 yards is not visible to me. The 3 weeks I had Merlin proved just how well a dog can hear, even when it is in the barn "asleep".

 

[Latestarter]

Actually, you'd be better off with a pump action shotgun. The sound of that slide jacking a shell into the chamber is often enough to send unwanted folks with bad intentions, running. And double ought buckshot is pretty effective even out to 75 yards.

And I'm still sorry that you weren't able to keep Merlin Bruce. That was a crying shame! B&B does already have a dog that should alert should someone approach the house at night. Partly the reason I recommended a shotgun. simply point, no real aim required. Scope aint much good in the dark either.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Not sure how far away the goat house is to ypur house, but ya can get a baby monitor and put it in the house to alert ya to anything happening around it....

 

[Rammy]

If you have wifi you can get a Ring stick on camera. It runs on batteries, has motion detection and two way voice.
Nothing like the sound of racking a shotgun to give even the bravest man a reason to crap his pants. Doesnt matter if you can see well or not. With a 12 gauge, you dont need to see, just point. With double aught(sp) shells, your gonna hit something.

 

[Bruce]

Rammy beat me to it. Yep, aim in the general direction of the noise and whatever it is will take at least some shot.

 

[Bruce]

Sounds like you need to do some target practice if you've never shot her. You really do need to get a feel for how she's gonna kick, especially with the pistol grip.