rachels.haven's Journal

[Bruce]

Find out what kind of animals they have and what kind of work.

I forgot to mention that I have crack off part of a T post here and there as well. Sometimes you can work it down between unseen rocks and sometimes there is no way around other than digging it out .... if you can.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Yeah and the speciality machine to drive those posts is likely $$$$. Gonna cost him a fortune I think given he's only just started and has a mile of fence up. Plus you have to know how to weld since the braces are welded to the posts.


Line it up, take pictures, post pictures! We'd love to see if we know what it is.


We didn't say that because it goes without saying! Never go against your gut with an animal. Just like when you have a LGD you don't go against ITS gut with strangers. Somehow they smell bad intentions.

With the dog on CL, you'ld have to find out when the dog is barking. It is the annoying "any time anyone or anything walks by" barking or is it barking at night. The latter means the dog is doing his job which is what kept DW up. The former is a PITA dog you don't want. Merlin never once barked at people or cars going up the road. He would go to the fence and follow them, just in case, but never made a sound. In fact I don't think I heard him bark once during the day. And is the CL dog a working dog or a yard dog? One of the huge plusses with the female in question is that she is a working dog.

Your last line is so true..."One of the huge plusses with the female in question is that she is a working dog" .........

 

[Baymule]

Here is Trip, our male GP, eating supper with Carson, our black Lab/Great Dane. Our 2 year old grand daughter decided that it was a good time for some Trip loving. he totally quit eating and adored his little human.

Here he is watching a new lamb getting his first milk. The lamb was born under Trip's watchful eye.

 

[Baymule]

If we didn't have our dogs, we would have no sheep. I 100% agree that you need a dog. Don't let the heartbreak of dead livestock be the catalyst that gets you shopping for a dog. Better yet, get two dogs.

 

[rachels.haven]

Wow, Trip looks like a beautiful soul and a good farm hand. I will check these dogs out and try. A 30 day trial sounds best for all parties involved.

Here's the male's ad.
https://worcester.craigslist.org/grd/d/ware-livestock-guardian-dog/6943527388.html

The female is being sold by a man in Marion, Massachusetts.

Btw: heard from my rheumatologist and got blood work back. She sticks with her previous assertion that the other doctor may have jumped the gun to medicate me for lupus/rheumatoid arthritis and she still suspects fibromyalgia. Tests were still negative for both (my previous diagnosis was for nonseroidal rh/lupus, so no change there). Crp marker was slightly elevated, but not a concern to this doctor, which I seem to remember from before. We will meet again in January for a report on symptoms and winter bloodwork. No medicines needed at this point. And that's a relief. I'm hoping to try more otc's this winter. I just recently "discovered" Aleve, right at the end of winter/spring and it did help. Silly me should have tried it earlier.

I did come back anemic, so I guess it's time to get my drenching gun and do a worming, lol.

 

[Baymule]

I looked at the ad, he sounds like a good dog.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

I

Wow, Trip looks like a beautiful soul and a good farm hand. I will check these dogs out and try. A 30 day trial sounds best for all parties involved.

Here's the male's ad.
https://worcester.craigslist.org/grd/d/ware-livestock-guardian-dog/6943527388.html

The female is being sold by a man in Marion, Massachusetts.

Btw: heard from my rheumatologist and got blood work back. She sticks with her previous assertion that the other doctor may have jumped the gun to medicate me for lupus/rheumatoid arthritis and she still suspects fibromyalgia. Tests were still negative for both (my previous diagnosis was for nonseroidal rh/lupus, so no change there). Crp marker was slightly elevated, but not a concern to this doctor, which I seem to remember from before. We will meet again in January for a report on symptoms and winter bloodwork. No medicines needed at this point. And that's a relief. I'm hoping to try more otc's this winter. I just recently "discovered" Aleve, right at the end of winter/spring and it did help. Silly me should have tried it earlier.

Congradulations on your new doctor not pushing pills at you ! Aleve is pretty good stuff, I have good results from using that and pure CBD oil....
I read the ad on the male dog, sounds like a good boy, .....I just personally got a gut feeling on the female, can't explain why......but I am so happy that you are looking into these dogs, raising a puppy may sound like fun, but to get it to the point of working is a alot of constant work. They are a special breed of creature (I don't like to insult them and call them a dog...there is a huge diffrence between the two) I am so happy you are willing to explore the GP as a solution to you predators, barn intruder and family friend and protector. I hope you feel a instant connection with one as I did with Mel....

 

[B&B Happy goats]

If we didn't have our dogs, we would have no sheep. I 100% agree that you need a dog. Don't let the heartbreak of dead livestock be the catalyst that gets you shopping for a dog. Better yet, get two dogs.

Those pictures you shared are the perfect example of the heart and brains that these creature's exhibit constantly. ...I can't imagine life without one since meeting Mel

 

[babsbag]

@CntryBoy777 has one of those. It would have been helpful when I was fencing. For tamping I used a 2x4. For trying to dig out rocks I used a number of things but non were as long as that so less leverage.


Maybe it's because I had one for 3 weeks and had to return him. If there weren't the sleep ( or not sleep I guess) issue, I'd let Rachel pass this dog up ... but not until I got the contact information I guess one can't really appreciate these animals until they have one.

I could never have goats if I didn't have my LGDs. Actually I would never go outside of my house at night if I didn't have my LGDs. I can't tell you how much they changed my life.

 

[babsbag]

A few things I forgot to mention in my previous post. One, either Miss @Ridgetop or Miss @babsbag used a walk behind machine (seems like it was a Bobcat) that had a post hole digger attachment. (Maybe one of them will comment here.) Perhaps you could rent such a tool.

Also, Stoney Ridge Farmer on YouTube had several videos of installing fence. He went with steel posts and wire. The reason for using steel posts that is the steel is a lot stronger and will last a lot longer than wood posts. You can see one of his videos here:

Senile Texas Aggie

I have a walk behind Bobcat with a post hole digger attachment. I also have a post hole digger on my John Deere. Don't waste your time on a three point hitch attachment, the Bobcat with down pressure will dig a hole anywhere, I love that thing. And because I am incredibly spoiled and my motto is work smarter not harder I also have a pneumatic t-post driver. Granted you need an air compressor to run it and therefore power but I have a small generator that fits in my bobcat bucket quite nicely and I take it and the compressor where ever I need to go. I will drive a few without it, but for a big job it is priceless. CA has no summer rain and I grow rocks here so good tools are important.