Magnum- the unfolding/unravelling story of our LGD

[frustratedearthmother]

I've had LGD's for 30 years - and 25 of those years were with Pyr's. Occasionally they would get out of the fence. I didn't like it, didn't want it, didn't condone it and didn't tell them it was ok. But, without fail after maybe an hour or so of nosing around the neighborhood they would come home and ask to go back with the stock. Cowboy, the Anatolian, would do the same thing. I spent months, before I got electric fencing, trying to figure out how to contain him. But, again, without fail he would come back home on his own accord. They never hit the road or found a new farm - they know where their bread is buttered, lol.

 

[Ridgetop]

Then she has no worries.

 

[Stephine]

Maybe slightly off topic but good information for anyone reading this to inform themselves on LDGs for their farm or homestead - there is the English Shepherd as a fantastic all around farm dog breed. They can work independently, are gentle with little ones, tough with predators, and generally want to please and do a good job for their human. It takes a different mindset to train one of these from training a regular pet dog, too, but I think they might be quite a bit easier. The trick to training there is to keep the dog with you for all your farm chores so they see what needs doing, what the rules are and they will start to offer their help. They can not be kept apart from their human though, to live with the livestock, but if they can move about freely, they will spend time with their humans and watch the farm. They don’t tend to roam - they are very attached to their “pack”. We have one and he was a *real* handful as a pup, then his hormones kicked in at 6 months and he became calm, caring and very serious. You will need several to protect against larger predators, but that might be a better farm dog solution for some people and set ups. Good breeding is of course key. Working dogs should come from proven working parents.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

@Stephine, that was very helpful information that you just shared...nice post

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@Stephine - I am also an English Shepherd lover! I had one for 5 years (Gracie) and lost her a few months ago. They are excellent farm dogs - not LGD's - but great all around dogs to have. I can't live without them. At this point I have three LGD's, one ES pup on site, another that I will pick up in a few weeks and one more that I'm on a waiting list for. Gracie was chief exterminator, herder helper, and overall farm manager!

 

[Baymule]

We got Trip 3 weeks before we moved. He had to stay in a chicken run in the back yard because Paris wanted to eat him. We moved. Paris had a fenced yard. Trip didn’t. We put him on a chain and brought him in at night, put him in a crate which he hated. We finally got a cow panel pen for him built. It was a pretty good while before we had an area fenced for him. Basically we did a whole lot wrong and backwards. He was a year old before we got Sheep. That was another disaster. We got through it. I never gave up. He finally made a very good dog, despite all my blunders.

The OP has asked for help. She has made a lot of mistakes. She wants what is right for her, the goats, the dog and her family. Magnum has learned some bad habits. Now that @ChickenMomma has asked for help, she has begun to adapt to better training. She made some progress in the right direction. One thing about it @ChickenMomma, you have learned a lot in a very short time. If you want this to work, you go back to square one and start over. New you, the Alpha Bitch. New Magnum, the puppy that needs correction and training. Take a deep breath.

Where do you go from here? It has been noted that you don’t have a fence from the goat yard to the house. I don’t know what type of fencing you have, I recommend Goat and Sheep fence with hot wire top and bottom. Yes, fence is expensive and a lot of work. You can buy a roll, put it up, save for another roll.

In the meantime, spend good training time with Magnum. Clip a leash on him, walk him to the house for family time. Let him enjoy family time, take him back to his kennel.

This will take time. Get ready to spend a good 2 years for him to grow up and become the dog you want him to be.

You are at a crossroad. You can decide to rehome Magnum and put off getting another LGD until you have fencing up and have studied these dogs intensively. Or you can plunge into making him the best dog he can be. He will teach you way more than you teach him.

 

[Stephine]

@Stephine, that was very helpful information that you just shared...nice post

Aww, thanks!

 

[MoreAU]

He will teach you way more than you teach him.

So very true!

 

[ChickenMomma]

I just wanted to document that my sweet boy protected me yesterday...from a toad!! LOL He was on guard and stood in front of me barking and growling at it very ferociously!! So if there are any toad packs that come our way, we are safe!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That's awesome! Go Magnum!