This morning.... Coyote

[MissFitFarm]

I'm no expert by no means but to take on a pack by themselves I would wait till 2 depending on how big the pack is. but I don't have lg packs around her mostly just 3 -4 and they stay clear of our LGD's ( GP ) It looks like your critters are pretty far from the house?? will you be able to get to them fast if they alert you that something is up? I don't know about the 2 females together thing I have 2 intact males and they are brother from the same litter, they have their arguments but nothing big, they are 2 now. Mine sleep in te house or with the goats or where ever they want. Some put them out with the critters and leave them, I don't like that way but each to his own right. You should get a hold of Southernbychoice. southern could answer you questions.


I see southern has already answered... lol

 

[steenbola]

Many say 2 years but it is all dependent on the dog and much of that is in the raising / training of the dog. IMO that would be unacceptable. By 2 they. are a matured LGD perhaps that is what is meant. By 2 all the "kinks" should be worked out and the dog will have a kidding or two they've gone through, new livestock added, all kinds of growing in the job.

With some exception for poultry issues. A good LGD is well able to be on the job by 10 months-1 year of age although they will continue to gain in weight and size up to over 2 years.
More often than not LGD's that cannot be trusted til 2 years either a) did not have proper imprinting by not being with parent stock long enough or b) improper behaviors were not recognized and corrected in a productive manor. c) was not evaluated for LGD work and was not suitable for the job from the beginning.

As far as females fighting... the probability is high. Spaying IMO should not be done til after the first heat cycle or even a bit later so the growth plates may develop. This may not be an option for you. I am not a fan of spay/neuter except in special cases but that is my opinion. If you cannot protect your dogs from accidental matings than spay both.

I am not sure why you are locking them in the house at night... I'm all for acclimating LGD's to all environments but allowing them to sleep with your goats in the barn is part of them learning their job and developing the bond. Couch time and family time will not ruin your dog though and teaching proper house behavior is good!

Welcome to BYH!
Check out the Livestock Guardians Forum.... and post some pics of those beautiful dogs!

Thanks so much for your answers. I got them probably two weeks early at 6 weeks old. The goat house in my pic is where they have lived ever since ive had them. Seperated till about ten weeks in their own area only seperated from the goats by fencing inside the goat house. Since ten weeks till now almost 6 months old they have slept in the same area as the goats everynight. They have never left the area. They do very well with the chickens and pay no attention to them . They only care about eating the chicken poop and food if i dont remember to pic up the food. They can be out with the geese and when the geese bite at them they just stand there. They were born from a working pair and have lived in a goat paddock as week old pups till i got them. Their whole lifes been with goats . A few times ive had to correct them for chasing kids and Some ducks. They stopped after just a few corrections

 

[Southern by choice]

All sounds great! Sounds like you have some very good smart LGD!
How old are they now?
Disappointed in the breeder though. 6 weeks is way to early and so is 8. Parent stock doesn't even start training pups til 7-8 weeks and continues til the better part of 12 weeks.

 

[steenbola]

 

[steenbola]

I thought it was too young to but I didn't know better. They are almost 6 months old now.sorry I'm still learning this site I don't know how I got double photos

 

[Southern by choice]

I thought it was too young to but I didn't know better. They are almost 6 months old now.sorry I'm still learning this site I don't know how I got double photos

Great pics! You can go to your post and hit edit... then just delete the extra pics!

 

[steenbola]

Great pics! You can go to your post and hit edit... then just delete the extra pics!

my phone would let me edit but only if i was driving. then it wouldnt erase the extras. i just got on the laptop and got it done.

 

[steenbola]

what about the goat minerals. are they bad for the dogs will i always have to pick up the blocks when they are all together . getting a full grown GP fixed has to be expensive. il wait till their first heat is over though if i do fix them and if they don't fight i might not ever do it. Will they let a stray dog get close if they are not fixed or will they still guard against them when they are in heat. do i only have to worry about males that have grown up with them and are not fixed

 

[Southern by choice]

Animals are attracted to salt so maybe that's why they like it so much. I honestly do not have an answer for you, we use loose minerals and the dogs have never bothered with it. Good question!

I would make a new post and ask in the Livestock Guardians forum. More people will see it and you will probably get a better answer.

As far as heat. A bitch will "stand" when ready for ANY dog. All intact males will try to get to them. Females also will dig, climb and do whatever they can to be bred. It is all instinct. Most people that have females will lock them up til the heat is over and she is no longer flagging or "standing".

As far as the expense... yes BUT it is far worse to have a mutt litter. Large mutt dogs don't find homes and responsible LGD owners would never let their bitch breed with a NON-LGD Breed.
The care, raising, weaning, deworming, vaccinations etc adds up quick and you will "lose" your working LGD out of the field for 2-3 weeks. You will lose your pregnant bitch late in pregnancy and through at least 5 weeks to be with the pups from her duties.

I am not a fan of spay/neuter BUT if you are unfamiliar with heat cycles in a bitch and all that goes on with canine reproduction then spaying is best. I think if you can educate yourself more about the cycles of heat etc you can make a better decision.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I don't know if it's been mentioned but the "red wolf" actually originated (a LONG time ago)by crossing timber wolves with coyotes... but it was so long ago that they are now considered their own species... so in order to resurrect the species they are "re-creating" them with coyotes and wolves... however most of them now are mostly coyote crosses or crossed with dogs. There are very few "real" red wolves left...

Red Wolves are supposed to be native to the southeast U.S. You are correct about the cross of coyotes with wolves, with a touch of domesticated dog that the Indian tribes had.

My point is, not really a species that needs to be preserved.

Besides, there are so many coyotes in the area they were released here (Alligator River Wildlife Refuge) all we are going to have is jacked up coyotes.

They are breeding with the coyotes and "preserving" themselves.