Southern by Choice's Teaching Moments- Indoor LGD! Badger

[sadieml]

Just tooo cute for words. Get a load of that head full of hair on the Grandbaby, too! Mine (babies-no grands, yet) were nearly bald until 2 yrs or so. Of course, no one has ever had a haircut, either, so they all have wonderful long hair!

Mel looks like THE biggest baby EVER! Really awesome. Maybe one of these days we'll be blessed with and LGD to rescue. Until then, looks like I'm the designated LGD around here. (btw - my initials actually are LGD) Most rain-free days, I can be seen somewhere outside watching our boys as they browse. The extended warm weather has kept some of their favorites around - like sweet gum leaves, vetch, and liriope (border grass). Pretty soon, they'll have to be satisfied with more hay and a little grain. Also, lightly roasted pumpkin and other squash seeds, and maybe a handful of BOSS.
Anywho, don't want to swipe the thread. Looking forward to more of Southern's awesome teaching moments.

 

[Southern by choice]

His big noggin is too much! Very glad he accepted the grandchildren!
What he did is what Not Leo did with the family that met him... then when they came back another time it was really interesting. How he KNEW that all the children weren't there was pretty amazing-
He walked over to their van and jumped right in searching for the other two. Stayed with them til they got out of the van.
Very watchful over little toddlers too.

Mel has such a serious face! Poor Mystie

I loved that "little" pup so much. So glad he is well cared for and very loved!

Happy New Year!

 

[Baymule]

@Latestarter love the pics! Very handsome! (you and DS ain't bad either)

 

[goats&moregoats]

Very pleased with the pups... they will be one on Jan 2!
Very glad I kept so many back for started dogs. I have really enjoyed it.
Since this is "teaching moments" I like to share the great, the good, the bad, and the ugly!

As many of you have already read "Silver" has been the slowest to mature. He is the forever puppy. Smart, loves the little ones, loves to play. He is our micro-manager and really wants "little" goats barred up in the barn. In the end I DID NOT move him. I decided that he will do best by learning the hard way.

Since he doesn't do this with the big goats it didn't make sense to move him with all big goats or he may never learn.

So this is where I am with Silver- he loves to play and has always, if you've followed the pups the past year, he was the one that would entice the other dogs and get them to run and take him down.

Well.... poor boy... his brothers are very grown up and guardy and they are more into their job so this slowly has become more of an irritation to the others.
Last week Pete and Not Leo just flat out took him down. It got ugly. Callie will take him down but she is his mom, so she is a little easier on him. His brothers were not. Pete and Not Leo are an incredible team, very powerful and very serious.
I like this team a they are confident- they are leaving for their new farm this month. I just hope they can adjust to the different livestock- if not they will come back.

So since Silver was"put in his place" he has been a bit mopey.
Unusual for siblings to do this... but they did. It is as if they have let him know- GROW UP and do your JOB.

Silver does do a good job he patrols and he watches but is immature. I would like to see him with a dominant female watcher.

The pups really LOVE their goats. Chunk has been a great mentor.
Certain goats have their favorite dogs. It is sweet.
Here are some pics.

My BABY BLUE!
View attachment 12979
Silver up front, Not Leo back, Chunk right
View attachment 12980
Silver- he is sad and a little mopey- No one will play- he is being forced to grow up
View attachment 12981
Pete (PT)
View attachment 12982
Not Leo- always very close to his goats
View attachment 12983
Chunk, Silver, Not Leo, Callie laying with goats
View attachment 12984
These two are on the other side of the goats sitting on the fence
Blue and Pete
View attachment 12985
Ruby was curious as to what we were doing (cleaning out the apartment) so she came over- Not Leo followed and stayed close.
ALL the dogs LOVE RUBY!
View attachment 12986
Littlest DD and Blue
View attachment 12987
DD with Pete - I love how he leans in
View attachment 12988


What a joy our goats and dogs are!

Tahoe leans in like that when I walk through the pasture.

 

[Southern by choice]

Silver was eating a BOX TURTLE tonight.

I guess with all the flooding maybe it headed to higher ground? I don't know - but we never have turtles in the fields... the dogs keep it clean of any critter.

I was at a tournament ... DD told me- said it was awful... Said it was so awful she used the scoops to dispose of it. He had bitten into the shell and was ripping it off.

I know it sound babyish but come on, turtles are so cool.

 

[goatgurl]

ewwwww, poor turtle. could be worse, JJ was laying on the back steps pulling the innards out of a squirrel. again ewwww.

 

[Mike CHS]

I still can't believe all the rain you folks are getting. We have been able to spend the last week in TN and very little rain here but lots to the North.

 

[Beekissed]

I think it's a little cool that they still react to live game like a wild predator does....I encourage that in my dogs. Not a real quick death for the turtle, but it's nature all the same. I've never seen a dog do that before but it's no different than them catching a mouse, squirrel, or bird and eating it.

 

[sadieml]

I'm not sure a box turtle would count as a dangerous predator to your herds, I supposed they could "nom nom" someone to death, given time, but you can't fault the dogs for being hunters. I've heard that turtles make good soup, and probably taste like chicken since almost everything people can't describe "tastes like chicken". Since your LGD's are not likely to get "fresh chicken" (at least not while keeping their jobs ) this should qualify as a real treat. I've never been given a fresh kill by a dog, but with cats, the parts they give you signify your importance to them. The innards, tail, and brain, are the "choice" parts, so if your kitty gives you a pile of *shudder* guts, consider yourself honored, make a big deal out of it, and dispose of it later when kitty can't see.

 

[Southern by choice]

I've never seen a dog do that before but it's no different than them catching a mouse, squirrel, or bird and eating it.

I am thinking he thought he found something interesting to play with... the mature dogs learn to not go nutty over the squirrels.. those dogs are in heavy woods... always gonna be squirrels and don'r want barking etc all the time... but if one comes to the ground... Callie is usually the first to get it. She loves squirrel meat. If my son is carrying squirrels he has learned to stay far from the fence. Callie will reach her head through and snag in a second.

LGD's are not likely to get "fresh chicken"

Ours do. Of course not the birds they watch over... we slaughter a lot of chickens so they get the meat tossed to them or we freeze when we do large numbers- they also get lots of deer.... some goat when we have it... if we ever start meat rabbits that will be nice too.
OK, none of our cats do that They just bring their kill to the porch and leave the whole thing for us. They never eat them.
I think we have weird cats.
Of course they all have always liked to "play" with mice... they catch it let it go catch it again... they will do this over and over and then finally after they are bored kill it.
I don't like them playing with the mice- kinda cruel.
Maybe since our cats have always been raised with baby chicks but they do not kill birds- at all. I like that because I do love nature and the birds are so cool.