Trip Is A Sheep Guardian

[samssimonsays]

This sounds very similar to when we trained our first pyrenees not to chase the rabbits. (pet rabbits). I hope he stops his chasing soon! And very glad the wether was not harmed.

 

[Southern by choice]

Ya know there are a lot more effective ways to correct than throwing coffee cans at him...

Glad your wether is ok.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's better than the shovel that I threw at Gracie (English Shepherd - not LGD) the other day for pretending a chicken flying past her was a fluffy, feathery Frisbee. That gal loves to catch a Frisbee, lol!

Don't call PETA - It was a kid sized plastic shovel.....and I missed anyway.

 

[Baymule]

Ya know there are a lot more effective ways to correct than throwing coffee cans at him...

Glad your wether is ok.

Yes Ma'am. I fully intend to put on my patience pants and spend quality time with Trip and show him that playing with lambs is a bad idea.

 

[Baymule]

I have worked some more with Trip, trying to spend time with him each day. He still wants to chase the lambs. I put the sheep in their night pen, Trip in the pasture. In the mornings and evenings I let him out to play with Parker, our big black Lab/Great Dane cross. They run laps, tussle and chew on each other, exactly what Trip wants to do to the sheep. Trip runs off energy and is ready to go back in the pasture.

Today I was watching the sheep and Trip, when Sheepalicious was trying to eat some high branches of elm. She tried standing on a pine log, but kept slipping off. She came straight to me, baa-ing, clearly wanting me to do something. So I bent the branch down and all the sheep stripped the leaves off. I walked around for an hour bending branches down to their reach. Trip circled the pasture and watched the sheep, he behaved himself fairly well. I did have to call him down several times for getting a little too up close and personal.

So for now, the sheep spend the night in their night pen and Trip in the pasture. During the day, Trip is in the night pen and the sheep in the pasture.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like progress - he'll get there!

 

[Ferguson K]

The other day a stick fell from the skies and landed right on Connie as she ran by me chasing a chicken.

Magical.

I wish I could've seen you!

 

[Latestarter]

 

[Baymule]

Trip is doing so good, I just have to brag on him. I am letting the chickens out in the afternoons, and Trip ignores them while he is out for "playtime". Every morning and evening, he gets his playtime. When he is all played out, he is ready to go back to his sheep and I hardly ever have to call him down for chasing them. Yesterday, after I had put up the sheep, fed Trip and put him in the sheep pasture for the night, the chickens were still free ranging. They went up the driveway and Trip followed. He lay down against the fence and watched over them. The last few days, when I put Trip in the night pen and let the sheep out, he paced up and down until I let him out too. He really is taking his job seriously now. I am so proud of him. Today he snoozed out in the shade, just like a big hairy Pyr is supposed to do. Night is falling, Trip is laying in front of the night pen gate, barking a warning. Good dog.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

So glad to hear! Makes your heart swell just a little, huh?