# Puppy won't stay away from the goats



## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Last week I bought a female puppy from a neighboring goat farm. She has always been with chickens and goats and was born in the same stall as the goats sleep. I brought her home and put her in a pen in the middle of my goats pen, so the goats and her could get used to each other. I let her out when I'm doing chores and watch her around the goats. 
My problem is that every morning I go out and she is already out and laying close to the goats. Every day I put her back in her pen and she stays in there, until it gets dark. The goats she's with don't pick on her and they are all yearlings and used to dogs. 
So should I just let her stay with them 24/7 like she was bred to do or just keep putting her in her pen during the day.


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## K-Ro (Oct 14, 2007)

It is good that she is with the goats and is going to lay with them. That is what she is supposed to do. But as she is still small they could hurt her, so she does need a place/area that she can get to where the goats can't get her. And you will need to watch her through the puppy stage so that she doesn't play/get rough with them as she gets bigger.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds like.... you picked a really good pup... :thumb: .....yes.... if she is doing well with the goats and not trying to bite or chase...then... I would let her be around them ......as she is young.... I would watch her....and then separate... if you cannot watch....cause.... it only takes a little mess up ...to get the puppy started in bad behavior....you need to catch her in the act and correct ...... :wink:


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

I have made a little area for her that the goats cant get to in case she needs to get away. I've been keeping a close eye on her when I let her out to make sure she doesn't chase them. She is pretty mellow and it's so hot out right now that she just lays around in the shade until it gets cooler in the evening.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Her pen needs to be an escape proof pen... so I'd recommend finding out where she is getting out and fix it. ASAP. She is a puppy and puppies will do the darndest things when you aren't around. Yes, she is an LGD and she is doing what she is "bred to do" but please remember that LGD's were bred to be out free range WITH A SHEPHERD 24/7. COnstant supervision and CONSTANT contact with their mentor... be it shepherd or an already trained adult (over 2 years of age) LGD. 

To put a puppy out with stock and expect it to know right from wrong without having problems of chewing on stock, biting off ears and chasing (possibly resulting in stock death) would be a MIRACLE.... puppies will do what they deem as fun. Please for your stock's sake and for your puppy's sake... make the pen escape proof and only have her out with them when you are out with them. 

The magic # is 2 years old..... anytime before then you are just training a giant bumbling puppy that doesn't know any better than what you CONSTANTLY are teaching and reminding them. :hair: Raising LGD's from pups is not an easy task... but it is definitely a rewarding one if done properly.  

Please feel free to ask for training advice along the way.... I'm sure you will want the support.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

My husband and I have looked the pen all over and still don't know how she is getting out. I've kept goats and chickens in the same pen before I got her and never had any problems with them escaping. I plan on watching her this evening and maybe she will show me where she's getting out.

I agree that you can't expect a puppy to not be a puppy and that's why I'd prefer if she stayed in her pen unless I'm with her. I did leave her out this morning and now she has gotten herself back into her pen. So how long should I keep her in the pen by herself. The breeder told me two weeks or until they get used to each other.

If I'm always letting her out and she is with me every time I'm doing chores then how do I get her to bond with the goats and not me?


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

She will bond to the goats because she is in a pen next to them.... they will lay near her and she will bond.  I tend to let pups (the more "mature" pups at least LOL out for hour long intervals DURING the day with their charges. I go into the house ( I can see the doe and buck pen from my window) and I keep an eye and ear open for ANY ruckus or wrong doing. I honestly don't recommend leaving an LGD pup (under 2 years of age) LOOSE with their charges and no supervision at night..... so much havoc can happen when it's nice and cool out and they are extra playful and spunky looking for a playmate. Mine didn't become semi trustworthy until they were 20 months old.... yet they are perfect now that they are 26 months old.... 2 years old..... its a magic switch! 

I did put my yearling dogs on a 70 ft long trolley line inside of a pen.... usually along one end of the pen where the goats/sheep can escape the dog to the other side of the pen if necessary. This is their graduation per se.... I still let them off during the day when I am home and keeping an eye on them. If they even LOOK like they might chase they are told to leave it... if they start to chase at all it's a LEAVE IT!!!!!!!!!! then immedialtely put in jail (AKA the escape proof pen) for a few days..... this is why I say you must have an escape proof pen... you will use it.  Do you have a roof on your pen? If not she is likely climbing it. 

Mind you a lot of farms are able to do this differently because they have adult LGD's that will train their pups for them.... those success stories that you hear are generally from these people who THINK their pups just magically knew how to do their job.... they had no idea how much work their adult LGDs put into raising those pups properly! LOL 

Also, you mentioned chickens.... do you still have any? Will your LGD's have access to them ever? LGD's naturally see birds as a threat to their wards.... so separtae training will be necessary to keep them from killing poultry. Mine slept with their hens until they reached about 6 months of age and started coming into their own .... then I started finding a dead chicken a day....That took A LOT of work to break.... but it was my fault for letting it happen the first time. They were 85 lbs each and they just LOOKED grown... so I treated them like an adult dog and did not supervise. I do however have a great training tip to poultry if you are interested that will hopefully keep you from experiencing any deaths.  

I also recommend you join the yahoo group Working LGD's.... they are an incredibly knowledgeable group and will be able to help when needed.


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## animallover (Jun 21, 2010)

chelsboers said:


> Last week I bought a female puppy from a neighboring goat farm. She has always been with chickens and goats and was born in the same stall as the goats sleep. I brought her home and put her in a pen in the middle of my goats pen, so the goats and her could get used to each other. I let her out when I'm doing chores and watch her around the goats.
> My problem is that every morning I go out and she is already out and laying close to the goats. Every day I put her back in her pen and she stays in there, until it gets dark. The goats she's with don't pick on her and they are all yearlings and used to dogs.
> So should I just let her stay with them 24/7 like she was bred to do or just keep putting her in her pen during the day.


 I think if she is that mellow then let her stay but every now and then check up on her.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice! The fence is 7ft tall so I don't think she's going over it. I thought I had found where she was getting out only to go back out there later and she was out again. I think once she gets a little bigger she will find it harder to get out, right now she must be squeezing through a small opening somewhere.

I do have chickens, but they aren't in the pasture. The are in their own pen where she can see and hear them, but can't get to them.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

she soundslonely


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