Buford T. Justice

[farmerjan]

Excellent training day. Training takes time, but when the result is a perfect LGD (or herding dog) the results are worth every minute. People who figure they can get an LGD puppy and toss it in the field with the sheep/goats "because it will work instinctively" are asking for trouble down the road. No matter how well bred the dog is, or how well the parents work, there is always training to be done with an LGD. (Although I have never had one potty in the house even as a puppy surprisingly, and we usually drive several days to transport our LGDs, meaning at least one night in a motel.)

I farm sat for an older man, very brilliant but common sense DUMB.... he got 2 Maremma puppies to be guardians of 5 sheep.... never did one thing with them as far as discipline... and they got to killing the lambs and then roaming... he kept one chained so it could not bother the lambs and the other stayed around with it. It was sad, then he passed away and the girlfriend rented the farm to someone that basically took it out from under us and I don't know what happened to the dogs. They were sweet dispositioned too, one got heartworm and I had to give him some pills daily.... but they just didn't "know" any better.

 

[Ridgetop]

Good dogs ruined. Happens frequently. How DS doing lately? Hoping he is starting to level out from GF. Spending time with the kids is sweet of him.

 

[Baymule]

I looked out the window and saw Buford running Zoomies in the flock. None seemed particularly disturbed. He was not chasing! He ran himself out and flopped down in the grass.

Big improvement! Yesterday and day before I was yelling BUFORD NO!!! About every 20 minutes.

 

[Bruce]

Gotta get out those zoomies!

 

[Baymule]

I moved Cooper the ram, with his 8 ewes, to Ringo’s old pen, where Buford spends the nights, away from the lambs. I put Buford and Sheba up for the night and Buford ran up to Cooper. He licked Cooper’s face, all excited and happy. Cooper stoop transfixed, processing this new turn of events, then butted Buford. Buford Yiped! and ram under the Dog Tower. Sheba greeted Cooper and Cooper butted her too. She was confused, only ram she ever knew was Ringo, he raised her. She sought refuge on the dog tower. Buford got up there too, safe from Cooper. I spent about an hour, slapped Cooper a few times for being a butt and left them for the night. Next morning, all were alive and unhurt, so they must’ve worked out their differences.

 

[Baymule]

I built a Dog Tower so Buford would have a safe place to get away from Cooper. Only problem was that Buford doesn’t know he can jump.

So I helped him up and he was pleased with himself. He belly flops up on the platform and kicks with a hind leg until he gets it on the platform, then drags himself up there.

I was real happy to see that he could get on it all by himself without me helping.

Then yesterday I got this picture, not a clear one, but one of those WOW moments. You gotta look close, there is a black and white lamb, Fancy, between Buford and Sheba. This is outstanding because of Buford’s chasing the lambs, and them not trusting him. I don’t know if Fancy was laying in that shady spot first, probably so, or if she went and laid down with the dogs. The flock moved off and she ran to stay with her mom.

Yesterday evening Buford was wanting to play with the ewes in his pen. I stepped out on the porch and yelled, BUFORD NO! He stopped. Shortly afterward he wanted to play again and started it all over. This time Cooper corrected the misbehaving butthead. Cooper butted Buford and then stood between Buford and the ewes. I had to laugh.

 

[Bruce]

Cooper is a good boy

 

[Baymule]

Yes he is and he ain’t gonna take crap off a big bumbling puppy.

 

[Bruce]

He'll be a fine LGD with all the training from you, the sheep and the older LGDs.

 

[Baymule]

I let Cooper and his 8 ewes out this morning and went to church. Buford has been behaving himself so I left him out with them. Came home to calm sheep, back in their pen, ruminating. I closed their gate and let the ewes and lambs out. Later I saw Buford tearing across the field, to where the ewes were. The cows in the field next to my property were too close to the fence and Buford was protecting the sheep! Sentry hates for the cows to get too close to the fence and Buford has picked up on it. Now sheep and cows are moving down the fence line, escorted by Buford and Sentry.