Moving with an LGD

[Southern by choice]

What kind of area should I have for him to transition with? Dog pen? Cattle panels? In view of the livestock, away from the livestock?

Having an area that is fenced well, ajacent to the goats is best. The goats get use to the dog and vice versa... then you take the dog in with the goats and let then get to know each other. Do a search and you should find where I have talked about this. You don't want goats running because they are scared then the dog chases them etc

@Southern by choice Would it be beneficial to have him taken somewhere to get trained to goats? Or is that something we need to do? I've never trained dogs before (other than the basic commands- sit, stay, heel, etc), especially dogs that have been around livestock.

You need to do this, if the dog has good LGD traits it is not so much training as it is proper introduction and guiding him through maturity

I hear ya loud and clear. I would love another one, I would just have to convince my husband that I need another one. He's barely tolerating the fact that we are getting this one with the property. I'm sure once he sees how beneficial they are, he won't mind it, but it's getting to that point first.

That is a shame because like I said most often when people get a single they end up with issues then they blame the dog then the dog gets sent off... etc etc. Seen it too many times to count.

I am not sure. All she said was he has been wandering and is afraid he might disappear. I really wonder if they understand what his instincts are, and if they might be starting to kick in and she doesn't realize that it's normal for a GP to wander. I don't know how he's getting out of the fence, but if it is only 5 or 6 strands, I'm sure he can easily crawl through it.

This could be the case or he is bored. Any other LGD's? Just him?

 

[newbiekat]

Read the LGD forum if you haven't already. It is a goldmine of information.

I am trying to read through them, but need to give the seller an answer pretty quick here about whether I am going to take him home with us or not. I will eventually read through the threads (like I did with the goats).

Having an area that is fenced well, adjacent to the goats is best. The goats get use to the dog and vice versa... then you take the dog in with the goats and let then get to know each other. Do a search and you should find where I have talked about this. You don't want goats running because they are scared then the dog chases them etc

So for our property there is the triangle shaped part and then the square part that juts out to the south. Both are fenced separately (barbed wire) with the driveway in between. Would that be too far away from the goats? I will look for that post, I'm sorry if this is redundant to the questions you have already answered.

This could be the case or he is bored. Any other LGD's? Just him?

He is the only LGD there.

If we were to get another GP, what age should we be looking at? Similar to his age? Younger? Older? Already trained to a farm? Both needing training?

 

[newbiekat]

So I got a little more information from the seller... The dog is leaving the property and going to a neighbor's who is apparently feeding him. They have gotten rid of the cattle that they had in the pasture so he is not currently guarding anything.... So the boredom thing could be a factor. I told her we would not keep him during this month long transition time, and if he is there when we move then we will figure it out from there.

I am looking into training programs for livestock dogs in the area. Hopefully if we can find one quickly, so we can we take him to them ASAP after we move in. Also, I convinced Hubby to get another one of similar age due to the wealth of knowledge that was being shared with me, that we NEEDED another one. He agreed.

So now we have the issue of a neighbor feeding him... I am not holding my breath for this pup. Either he is there when we get there, or not. We will deal with it when the time comes. If not, we will look at getting pups later on once we get settled.

 

[Southern by choice]

Good! As far as your fencing- you have goats the new property - if I read this right- has 5 strand barbed wire?

Will you have a paddock for the goats or are you letting them just run the whole of the land? I advice paddocks. Also barbed wire is a big no no. Not good for goats, not good for dogs. Horrible accidents waiting to happen.

If you have fencing adequate for now on the 3 acres I would take the dog now. Spend time with him introducing him to goats and seeing how he does.

 

[newbiekat]

Will you have a paddock for the goats or are you letting them just run the whole of the land?

I would like to have paddocks and rotate pasture eventually, but in the beginning they will probably have access to the whole of the land.

If you have fencing adequate for now on the 3 acres I would take the dog now. Spend time with him introducing him to goats and seeing how he does.

What is adequate fencing for a GP? We currently have field fence (4" openings) around approx. 1/4 acre that he could stay in which is adjacent to the goats who have 2 acres... Would that be sufficient? Or would I need to put hotwire in it too?

I have attached a pic of our current property, the goats are in the yellow part (but have access to the red part- we just have it closed off right now), and the red part is where our chickens are, and where the dog would go if we brought him home now

 

[Baymule]

I would put him in the 1/4 acre. I sure wouldn't miss a chance for a free LGD that is already at home in your new home. The timing might not be the best with all that you have going on, but it will all work out. I'd say go get the dog.

 

[newbiekat]

@Baymule I like your answer!

Another couple questions:

-Are there any books that anyone can suggest for me to read up on in the mean time? I am going through the forum threads as well, but would like some sort of training guide while we are transitioning and looking for a formal training program.

-If we are looking at getting another dog, would it be wise to get another male? Female? Similar age? Older?

- For the new property, being the two pastures are separated by the driveway, would I have to keep him in one designated pasture?

- Chickens at the new place are outside of the fenced area... How do I get the dog trained to chickens if they aren't in his fenced area?

 

[Baymule]

I was given a free Great Pyrenees some years back because she killed chickens. They punished her terribly and she HATED my chickens. But-they were in a coop in HER back yard. Eventually, with time and patience, the chickens became "HERS" since they were in HER yard. She became the best darn chicken dog you've ever seen. Same thing with the sheep. She wanted to attack them. We built a small pen in "her" yard and weaned lambs in that pen. They got the benefit of her protection from being in her yard. We sat in the yard and let the lambs out for short periods of time, then put them back in their pen. We put a leash on her, let it drag, and she walked among the lambs. We praised her a LOT! And over time, she realized the lambs belonged to her and she went from wanting to knock them down to protecting them. She is fantastic with the sheep now.

You might use this same approach with your new dog. Pen the goats up in "HIS" pasture until he gets the idea that they belong to him. Take him in their pen, praise him, lots of love. Let them out in "his" pasture when you can be out there with him, for short periods of time, slowly longer periods of time, then put them up. Keep them penned at night while he has free run of the pasture, he'll get the idea.

 

[newbiekat]

Thanks for your input. I am planning on putting up electric fence in that 1/4 acre today, around the perimeter as well as around the chickens specifically. Then I think I am going to try and get him tomorrow afternoon. He will share a fence line with the goats, and be in the same area as the chickens, just with hot wire around them. Do I need to pen him up during the day until I get home from work? Or let him wander the 1/4 acre?

@Baymule can you explain the small pen idea a little more? Did the sheep get to graze the pasture while you were training her to them? Did you build it out of cattle panels? Electric fence? Sorry I'm asking so many questions.

 

[Elle]

We are buying a place with their Great Pyrenees staying on the property (moving in about a month). Moving from our little 3 acres, to 37 acres just 10 miles down the road. After about 4 years of looking we are finally getting a bigger place! AND a Pyrenees ! I've wanted one for SOOOO long but couldn't justify it with our little 3 acres!

He is approx 7 mos old, they said he has been trained, not sure to what extent, but I do know that every time we are around him, he bows down (submissively, it seems like), but also at other times lays down wanting belly rubs... He is out with cattle currently, and they said he does well with chickens. We would have to introduce him to goats though, but that's a different question for another time.

The sellers contacted me today and said that he has started wandering off and she is afraid of something happening to him or someone taking him before we move in. She asked if we wanted to take him home with us (on our current 3 acres) until the move. My question is (I guess I have more than one)... Would that be wise? He would be coming to 3 acres for a month, just to go right back. He has been there since he was young, and every time we have been there he is on the back deck sleeping or somewhere close by... Also, would it be wise to train him here at our current place with the goats for just a month, or wait til we get to the new place to train him with the goats? Will we need to walk the fence line with him when we move...?

I have attached the layout of the property, with the yellow lines being gates into the pasture. The small plot on the bottom of the property (south side) is separated by the driveway and there is only the one entrance into it. If we needed to walk the fence line with him, what would be the best way to do that?

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