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Baymule
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So glad to hear! Makes your heart swell just a little, huh?
It sure does!
Trip Is A Sheep Guardian
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It sure does!
frustratedearthmother
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Ok, I've got to brag on my Maddie *pyr) just a little bit too. I turned the teenage AGH piggers loose in the pasture today to forage a little bit. I also tossed a couple mama and baby goat pairs out of the maternity ward into the same pasture. Now, these baby goats are almost 6 weeks old and strong and fast so I wasn't worried about them.
There are often times when I wonder just how much Maddie pays attention out there...she does like her naps, lol. But, one of the pigs wandered too close to a Nubian kid and Maddie who was about 30 yards away literally exploded. She closed the gap to that pig in about two seconds and literally rolled that pigster off of his feet, lol. She was snarling, he was squealing and she was having NONE of his sass! It was quite the show! She ran him about 20 yards off and then went and laid down to nap again, lol.
Also, this morning was the first time she had been with the baby goats, but it took no time at all for her to bond with them. (My goats kid in a separate pen.) In fact, I tried to get her up in the maternity ward today to see how she would do with newborns (have two does due today and one of 'em was kidding at the exact time the pig tussle was going on). She wouldn't leave her pasture.
She's such a good girl!!
There are often times when I wonder just how much Maddie pays attention out there...she does like her naps, lol. But, one of the pigs wandered too close to a Nubian kid and Maddie who was about 30 yards away literally exploded. She closed the gap to that pig in about two seconds and literally rolled that pigster off of his feet, lol. She was snarling, he was squealing and she was having NONE of his sass! It was quite the show! She ran him about 20 yards off and then went and laid down to nap again, lol.
Also, this morning was the first time she had been with the baby goats, but it took no time at all for her to bond with them. (My goats kid in a separate pen.) In fact, I tried to get her up in the maternity ward today to see how she would do with newborns (have two does due today and one of 'em was kidding at the exact time the pig tussle was going on). She wouldn't leave her pasture.
She's such a good girl!!
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Baymule
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@frustratedearthmother I bet you were about to bust wide open with pride for Maddie! I'd be bragging too!
Today was a HUGE day for Trip. Every time we leave, I put Trip up, separate him from the sheep so he doesn't run them while we are gone. Today we left and left Trip with the sheep for the FIRST time! We were gone several hours and when we got back........everything was just fine. Our neighbor came over while we were gone and he said Trip was behaving himself. I think we just might be getting there!
Today was a HUGE day for Trip. Every time we leave, I put Trip up, separate him from the sheep so he doesn't run them while we are gone. Today we left and left Trip with the sheep for the FIRST time! We were gone several hours and when we got back........everything was just fine. Our neighbor came over while we were gone and he said Trip was behaving himself. I think we just might be getting there!
frustratedearthmother
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That's awesome - Trip is gonna do fine I think. You're wise for starting him slow, but eventually I think you just have to trust 'em.
Yes - VERY proud of Maddie. She's so laid back that I rarely see her in action like she was today. I've gotta say that I'm glad I wasn't that pig because she was all teeth and fury! She didn't hurt the pig - it was more like she was gnashing her teeth right in his ear as a warning, but she body slammed him like she was JJ Watts, lol!
Yes - VERY proud of Maddie. She's so laid back that I rarely see her in action like she was today. I've gotta say that I'm glad I wasn't that pig because she was all teeth and fury! She didn't hurt the pig - it was more like she was gnashing her teeth right in his ear as a warning, but she body slammed him like she was JJ Watts, lol!
Mike CHS
Herd Master
It must be the season for dogs to start maturing and you both have to be proud of them.
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Baymule
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I never would have thought the sight of a sleeping dog would make me smile so much, but it does. Trip is a big white hairy blob under the cedar tree most of the day. What is really heart warming is watching the sheep go lay with him to chew their cud. If he does get up, he checks with the sheep, licking their faces, before he lays back down. I am loving this. 
This evening when I went to let him out for play time, he wouldn't go out the gate. I even pulled his collar a couple of times, but he refused. Parker, our black Lab/Great Dane, was barking excitedly, wanting Trip to come out to play. Nope. So I shut the gate and asked Trip what he wanted. He looked toward the outside fence, so I told him, Show me. He walked toward the fence, I followed and the sheep followed. I even counted heads to make sure one of the sheep wasn't hurt in the woods or something. They were all there. It wound up with me walking the fence line with Trip, praising him over and over for the good job he is doing. We stopped so he could bask in adulation over and over. When we were on the outside fence that is by the county road, Trip placed himself between me and the road, I guess to protect me from those awful cars he chases away from his sheep.
When we walked the fence line next to the driveway, there was Parker, bouncing up and down, boing-boing-boing, and barking. We continued our procession, me, Trip and the sheep, until we got back to the gate. Trip was ready to go out and play.
This evening when I went to let him out for play time, he wouldn't go out the gate. I even pulled his collar a couple of times, but he refused. Parker, our black Lab/Great Dane, was barking excitedly, wanting Trip to come out to play. Nope. So I shut the gate and asked Trip what he wanted. He looked toward the outside fence, so I told him, Show me. He walked toward the fence, I followed and the sheep followed. I even counted heads to make sure one of the sheep wasn't hurt in the woods or something. They were all there. It wound up with me walking the fence line with Trip, praising him over and over for the good job he is doing. We stopped so he could bask in adulation over and over. When we were on the outside fence that is by the county road, Trip placed himself between me and the road, I guess to protect me from those awful cars he chases away from his sheep.
When we walked the fence line next to the driveway, there was Parker, bouncing up and down, boing-boing-boing, and barking. We continued our procession, me, Trip and the sheep, until we got back to the gate. Trip was ready to go out and play.
That is so awesome! Congrats Bay! I can see your heart swelling with love and pride! Justifiably so 
How is your other love; Paris doing? You rarely mention her anymore... I hope she's doing well.
How is your other love; Paris doing? You rarely mention her anymore... I hope she's doing well.- Thread starter
- #28
Baymule
Herd Master
Paris learned to climb gates. She climbed out of the back yard, climbed in with Trip. They got along just fine. I left her there, she climbed back out and went back to the back yard. I will be weaning the lambs soon and I am going to hot wire the back yard, build a small pen in the corner and put the lambs in it. I plan on spending a lot of time with her and the lambs. We'll see how it goes.That is so awesome! Congrats Bay! I can see your heart swelling with love and pride! Justifiably so
Oh my! Paris actually went in to join Trip and they got along? That's great! I remember Southern saying many times that her LGDs just go where they know/think they should be... even if she didn't really want them there. Even if it meant climbing fences, breaking out of barns, hopping over gates...
By golly, you may be well on the way to having TWO real, honest to goodness LGDs! Wouldn't that just make your year? Especially after all the work you've put into Paris? The culmination of so much work and achievement of a dream?!
By golly, you may be well on the way to having TWO real, honest to goodness LGDs! Wouldn't that just make your year? Especially after all the work you've put into Paris? The culmination of so much work and achievement of a dream?!
bonbean01
Herd Master
So glad to hear you are not giving up...and making progress There were moments last summer when I was ready to give up on Keera and just make her my lovey pet dog...but...I am hard headed and kept on...so totally worth it...Keera has become a for real LGD! Could not love this dog more if I tried! These dogs are so awesome and worth their huge weight in pure gold!
There were moments last summer when I was ready to give up on Keera and just make her my lovey pet dog...but...I am hard headed and kept on...so totally worth it...Keera has become a for real LGD! Could not love this dog more if I tried! These dogs are so awesome and worth their huge weight in pure gold! 
