goat and a dog?

[jlbpooh]

I have a black lab mixed with something, possibly pit bull. She is only 30 pounds, but very solid and built like a tank. She has been in with my goats full-time from sun-up to sun-down since last July. She comes in the house at night after the goats are locked up each night. They really seem to like each other. She plays with them and occasionally chases them, but they have been seen chasing her also. They seem to play games together. When the dog isn't in the goat pasture, the goats all hang out by the gate and cry. My dog is also really good with all my waterfowl and poultry too, but don't trust her with a chick or duckling. She gets WAY too excited about those.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

who chases down my wiener dog

chandasue, i thought this was VERY cute. i bet that goat is way bigger than your pooch!

rrhall - hey fellow ohioan!

 

[savingdogs]

I have different dogs here all the time and they have all different reactions. Usually the smaller dogs do not feel like a predator to the bigger goats. But dogs meant to herd from herding breeds are usually good and dogs meant for guarding livestock of course. But think about the breed of dog and what it was designed for.

 

[PattySh]

I keep my dogs seperate from my barn with a good fence. I have cocker spaniels and they are not good with livestock, they love to chase and retrieve. I also have standard poodles and chickens would not have a chance. I have had issues with neighbors walking dogs off leash and them slipping under electric tape fencing and chasing my horses occasionally. I am not a fan of loose dogs around livestock except working dogs and livestock guardian dogs.

 

[elevan]

I keep my dogs seperate from my barn with a good fence. I have cocker spaniels and they are not good with livestock, they love to chase and retrieve. I also have standard poodles and chickens would not have a chance. I have had issues with neighbors walking dogs off leash and them slipping under electric tape fencing and chasing my horses occasionally. I am not a fan of loose dogs around livestock except working dogs and livestock guardian dogs.

 

[Roll farms]

I have a friend who does dog rescue....

Her own 'perfectly trustworthy' dogs were led astray by one of her rescue / fosters one night, and the 3 dogs killed 14 chickens, 3 goats, and her kid's rabbits.

 

[rrhall]

who chases down my wiener dog

chandasue, i thought this was VERY cute. i bet that goat is way bigger than your pooch!

rrhall - hey fellow ohioan!

ohiofarmgirl - hey, nice to have another ohioan on here.

 

[savingdogs]

I have a friend who does dog rescue....

Her own 'perfectly trustworthy' dogs were led astray by one of her rescue / fosters one night, and the 3 dogs killed 14 chickens, 3 goats, and her kid's rabbits.

Very good point. Even good dogs sometimes cannot resist a good group chase. It may not have been her own dogs doing the killing but running in groups eggs dogs on sometimes, certain dogs.

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

One of the biggest problems with goats is they don't fight back. If a dog starts to chase, goat goes into panic mode and runs, which further encourages the dog to chase. And if the dog gets the goat down, the goat rarely fights. Innocent play between goats and dogs often ends very badly for the goat.

All of my dogs are livestock friendly so there's usually no issues here, but a couple days after kidding one of my does PUMMELED my 25 lb dog while they were browsing loose. First, he rolled submissively because he had no idea what to do and she stomped and tried to crush him with her head and the front half of her body. Then when he ran 30 feet or so she went after him again, rolled him, and tried to stomp him. I was all the way across the yard and by the time I got to them she was ready for another round. Had she not been a Nigerian there's a good chance my dog would have been seriously injured.

I always assume a dog will kill livestock until they've PROVEN to be livestock friendly. Any dog showing prey drive (even in play) would be unwelcome around my goats. Situations escalate sometimes in way we might not predict.

 

[flemish lops]

Thanks every one for the replies. I guess for a couple of days we will have to keep an eye on the dog and kid.