# Help!! food aggressive lgd and chasing



## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

I just got my 5month old pyr, she was trained by her parents and I was her working and she seemed lovely. She was with the goats since yesterday morning and did wonderful. She chased off neighborhood dogs and didn't bother the goats. But last night when I fed her in a xl dog kennel since the breeder did say his daughter made the mistake of feeding the puppies with they goats and the goats would bully them away. They started to bully back a little. My oldest doe put her nose to the cage and my pyr started growling. I quickly snatched her up threw her on her back and yelled no. Today I fed her in the very corner of the pen where the goats hardly go. A baby about 2 weeks old ran up to see me and rain my pyr started chasing it. I grabbed her again and slammed her on her back. I really do not trust her now. I've seen her body go into a pre chasing mode one or two times when my doe molly would come up to me and chew on my pants. I made molly go away as soon as I saw the look on rain. I think she is more interested in protecting her food and me instead of the goats. I have removed her for now to a chicken pen where she can still see the goats but not touch them. I need to get this resolved or I will place her in a pet home because I refuse to loose goats.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Slamming her on her back is actually going to make her more aggressive. It's called alpha dominance training and it has been shown by statistics to increase aggression, even if for awhile it makes them too scared to act in the same way. 

Growling is actually not a bad thing. Growling is a warning. If you punish for growling, you will encourage her to bite without warning. I know growling is scary, but it's a GOOD thing she growls. It means she's going to give a warning before she snaps. 

I would look into learning about dog behavior and start training her gentle and firmly. She's a puppy, these are not uncommon things. Young livestock dogs are not often kept alone with goats until they are all grown up, and that can take awhile.

Victoria Stillwell, and Kikopup (youtube) are GREAT dog training resources.

Good luck.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Can you build her a small enclosure only she can get into when it's feeding time?
Mine can get a little food aggressive; they are fed in the wether's pen which is right next to the doe pen. Dogs jump fence for breakfast.
She does not need scolding for protecting her food.
Chasing or chewing on goats definitely yes.
Give her her own stuff to chew on. She is still a pup & has to learn your boundaries.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

My LGD is amazing with my goats and does not bother them in any way, but she will snarl and even snap at a goat that tries to eat her food. She's never bitten a goat, but she does click those teeth in the direction of any ear or face that gets too near her food bowl. This is a good thing because dog food is not good for goats, the dog needs to eat too, and if the goats learn they can harass the dog to the point of stealing her supper, then the goats may become aggressive to the point of harming our good dog. It's ok that there's a limit to what our goats can get away with. A good LGD will protect the goats but will not let them push it around and abuse it.


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## Naunnie (Jul 4, 2014)

Just my :2cents: about feeding. Maybe it's different with LGD's but I do not tolerate any kind of food aggression. I think it's a bad behavior that will only escalate. My dogs know I am Alpha and I can do what I want with them or their food. Me, kids, cats , ducks or other dogs, should be able to approach their bowls without a problem. At the same time I do not allow one critter take food away from another critter. If a dog has something I don't want it to eat, I need to know I can take it away from them.....easily. If the dogs are eating and the Baby crawls toward the bowls, that Baby is not in danger.


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## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

I've contacted a breeder who has had them for a long time. She said growling is good as a warning like most of you said. With that being said I can work with that. But the way she watches the goats is the same way she watches predators before chasing them. It's scary and I will not loose a goat. I'm placing her in a pet home. She has already viciously chased my goats today and I will not have one of my goats fall victim to a dog who is supposed to protect them.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I suggest working with the breeder to help correct.
Our first LGD was a good 9 mos old before he was left with the goats. Even then there was correction.


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## AvyNatFarm (Oct 29, 2013)

At 5 months she is VERY much still a puppy and undesirable behavior can be corrected. What helped with our GP was to not allow newborn kids with him. I know it's supposed to be fine, but he could very easy hurt little babies when he's just trying to play. Also have structures where the goats can get away from the dog. This helps so much. I don't put kids in the pen with him unsupervised until I know they can jump up on the big slide/play area. That way they can escape if pup gets too intense playing with them. Our GP was an obnixous, huge puppy but he has never actually hurt a single animal on our farm. He's now 4 and I'm so glad we put the effort into building him into a smart, gentle dog.


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## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

I talked to the original breeders. They said the only association they had with her was feeding. He believes she is viewing me as a food source along with other people and she wants to protect that food source. Since she was pushed away from food so much growing up. I have a long lead with a dog house tied to a post in the goat pen. She can still be with them but she can not chase. He suggested penning her up while I was in the pen and releasing her when I left. That way she can associate me with more than just food and that I have an active role.


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## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

Also she only did this behavior while I was in the pasture and when my neighbor was. I can see her from my window and she will sit calmly in the corner till some actually enters the pasture.


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## jannerbanner (Apr 1, 2014)

I was told not to leave pups alone with stock until they are at least 12 months old, better even 18 months unless you have experienced LGDs to train the pup. A pup alone is a vulnerable creature and the insecurity and the want of play are both dangerous things when left to their own devices,
janice


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## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

I will not leave her alone till I am with her. She is in there but can not get to the goats. I am building her a separate room so she can associate with them.


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