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We will be getting a 7-8 week old pup here in about a week or two. Now before you get all huffy about it, hear me out. I have posted this over on HT, but I keep getting the same close-minded answers that have nothing to do with my question. This puppy is a mutt. A St. Bernard, Collie, Rottweiler, and Lab mix. Its purpose will be to be somewhat of a lgd. I have heard all of the debates about whether you absolutely need a specific LGD breed and yada yada, but that is not what I am asking. So if you are just going to post about how I should be getting a Maremma or a Great Pyrenese, forget it. The purpose of this dog is not necessarily to take down predators, just to keep them distant. (The coyotes around here are chickens and stay way from dogs.) Also, with our 3 strand electric fence (that works great for our goats) might not work so well with kids if they felt so inclined. Now my mother has one of these pups from last years litters, and it has shown great potential without training. She had a goat tethered in the yard, and the dog was relaxed as usual, but every time the goat got off the chain or broke it, the dog would herd the goat back to the tree it was tied up to. I, personally, thought that showed great potential. I figure if I can teach this puppy that the goats are supposed to stay in the fence, that if any kids wander out, the dog will correct this action. My mothers dog has never shown any signs of aggression towards livestock, doesn't chase, and has never even mouthed a farm animal. I would also like this dog to not kill/hurt any of our free ranging chickens that might wander out to pasture.
I am unsure of how to introduce it to our goats and getting the training started. I keep seeing articles about penning it up with a doe or kids, but this doesn't seem possible with our set up. We have a pretty natural setting for our goats. All of the does and buck stay together. We expect them to stay together to have their kids. The ten acres we have fenced in is fenced with 3 strands of electric wire. At night, the 7 goats have a 10 by 10 shed that they all fit quite comfortably in and can go in and out of freely, but most nights they choose to sleep outside. Should the pup be chained during the day in the main area near the goats until it learns the boundaries? Crated in the shed at night? Is it safe to put the dog in a crate, as some of my goats have horns? I know I sound like a terrible newb, but I need some advice.
We will be getting a 7-8 week old pup here in about a week or two. Now before you get all huffy about it, hear me out. I have posted this over on HT, but I keep getting the same close-minded answers that have nothing to do with my question. This puppy is a mutt. A St. Bernard, Collie, Rottweiler, and Lab mix. Its purpose will be to be somewhat of a lgd. I have heard all of the debates about whether you absolutely need a specific LGD breed and yada yada, but that is not what I am asking. So if you are just going to post about how I should be getting a Maremma or a Great Pyrenese, forget it. The purpose of this dog is not necessarily to take down predators, just to keep them distant. (The coyotes around here are chickens and stay way from dogs.) Also, with our 3 strand electric fence (that works great for our goats) might not work so well with kids if they felt so inclined. Now my mother has one of these pups from last years litters, and it has shown great potential without training. She had a goat tethered in the yard, and the dog was relaxed as usual, but every time the goat got off the chain or broke it, the dog would herd the goat back to the tree it was tied up to. I, personally, thought that showed great potential. I figure if I can teach this puppy that the goats are supposed to stay in the fence, that if any kids wander out, the dog will correct this action. My mothers dog has never shown any signs of aggression towards livestock, doesn't chase, and has never even mouthed a farm animal. I would also like this dog to not kill/hurt any of our free ranging chickens that might wander out to pasture.
I am unsure of how to introduce it to our goats and getting the training started. I keep seeing articles about penning it up with a doe or kids, but this doesn't seem possible with our set up. We have a pretty natural setting for our goats. All of the does and buck stay together. We expect them to stay together to have their kids. The ten acres we have fenced in is fenced with 3 strands of electric wire. At night, the 7 goats have a 10 by 10 shed that they all fit quite comfortably in and can go in and out of freely, but most nights they choose to sleep outside. Should the pup be chained during the day in the main area near the goats until it learns the boundaries? Crated in the shed at night? Is it safe to put the dog in a crate, as some of my goats have horns? I know I sound like a terrible newb, but I need some advice.