# Getting goats to give LGD puppy a break.



## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

My 13 week old Karakachan Birger is doing great around the goats. He keeps his distance, has never chased or shown any sort of interest in the goats. He lowers his eyes when they approach him or walks/scoots away. He has a pen/run inside the pasture behind the goat shed, where the goats eat and typically lounge, under mostly to get out of the heat. I've sectioned off a part of the shed for him to access when the weather is bad, he will not stay confined in it at night but that's another post.

My question is, when I take him out of his space he like to explore and for the most part the goats leave him alone. Until the herd queen (Frigg) decides to stomp and jump towards him. He tries to get away from her but she will sometimes just keep after him. The other goats seem indifferent and when he approches them Frigg the queen will get involved and move them away or go after Birger.

How do I get Frigg to leave this poor little guy alone. I don't want him to become frightened of them. When Frigg is leaving him alone he has already learned to give her a wider bearth when going around her.

Thoughts?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm sure someone can give you some advice.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Tonight was better. Frigg stomped and would run him away from where she was browsing or wanted to browse, but I was petting Frigg and Birger sat about 3ft behind me and watched while the other two goats came up behind him and started sniffing his coat. He looked over his shoulder and then turned back to watch what I was doing with Frigg.

I'm sure it's just going to take time, but I wish there was some tricks to help the process along.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

I think your herd queen will eventually settle down and accept him - even if begrudgingly. I’d keep doing what your doing and just spend time there with her and him both. She’ll get used to him being part of things.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Well it sounds like the goats and the pup had a great interaction. I really prefer the goats go to the pup and not the other way around. You have a great pup. Just keep spending time with the herd queen and the pup together like you did. Acceptance will happen over time. The more time they can spend together, the quicker it will happen. I know we don’t have hours on end to sit with them everyday, but if you get a day where you can just hang out with the herd queen for quite a while, that will help. It sounds like you’re doing everything right. Just keep at it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with the others.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

We have a very similar thing happening here. Our pup is 4 months old and does really well with the sheep and goats. His kennel is within the pasture so he's never far from them. My littlest doe challenges him more than I'd like. They are spending days (and last night!) together and it seems like it's slowly getting less of an issue. He's so trainable, but the goats are another story! My kids say they've seen her actually butt him but I've only seen her threaten him, not actually impact. Our sheep make a line and close in on him so he doesn't spend time unsupervised with them yet. Just lots of exposure.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Well I thought it was time for an update. Birger is getting much bigger not quiet as big as the goats but he is getting close. Frigg is still keeping him at a distance but they seem to have come to an agreement of sorts and she doesn't charge after him nearly as much. We still have work to do with them but the other goats seem to really like him and I think actually protect him from her at times.

We introduced our pullets to the pasture this week and Birger has been hanging out near them more than the goats. He is calm around them until one of them gets spooked and then he will get excited and go towards the chicken but if I call his name he redirects himself to something else.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

What a good boy ❤


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is great!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Aww 😊


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

What a cutie. Sounds like he’s doing great!


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

I'm glad to hear things are getting better. How old is your boy now? I am in the exact same boat- I have a new karakachan puppy and my best milker haaaaaates him. I'm hoping she will tolerate him better once he's a little bigger. She has no issues with my adult Pyrenees but will try to headbutt the puppy if she gets a chance. We are just staying out of the adult doe pen for now- the puppy likes the stinky mellow bucks better anyway 😂


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Calistar said:


> I'm glad to hear things are getting better. How old is your boy now? I am in the exact same boat- I have a new karakachan puppy and my best milker haaaaaates him. I'm hoping she will tolerate him better once he's a little bigger. She has no issues with my adult Pyrenees but will try to headbutt the puppy if she gets a chance. We are just staying out of the adult doe pen for now- the puppy likes the stinky mellow bucks better anyway 😂


Birger is 5 months old, he has learned to keep his distance from Frigg but she will still go after him every now and then. We've had him for about a month now


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Birger sure has grown. We took him out of the pasture for the first time today, for a trip to the vet. All and all he did good


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## Penguingirl (5 mo ago)

He's adorable 🥰


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Very cute!


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

He’s so big and so handsome! 😍


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

He’s grown so much! He’s a beautiful boy. That’s better than mine did. He seems to have a firm belief the only building a dog should be in is a barn. He was fine in the main part of the office but hated the small exam room.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

FizzyGoats said:


> He’s grown so much! He’s a beautiful boy. That’s better than mine did. He seems to have a firm belief the only building a dog should be in is a barn. He was fine in the main part of the office but hated the small exam room.


I had to carry him, he is deathly afraid of the leash. He hide his head behind my partners back on the car ride to and from. Once we got him into the exam room he never moved off her lap. When I carried him out he grabbed on to me like a little kid holding on for dear life, around my neck. At 57 pounds it reminded me of carry my kids when they were little.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

It must be a universal trait for LGD’s 😅
Big babies when it comes to going to the vet (or leaving their home at all) no matter how brave they are at protecting their herds ❤


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Boer Mama said:


> It must be a universal trait for LGD’s
> Big babies when it comes to going to the vet (or leaving their home at all) no matter how brave they are at protecting their herds


Gosh I wish I would have known that before attempting to work with my puppy to go for car rides. She does fine getting in and sitting there but as soon as I start the truck and start driving my ears bleed. So I give up and if she ever has to go to the vet she gets to ride in the stock trailer lol 
Keep taking your puppy out to see the queen though. The more she sees him the more she will understand that he is not going to hurt her. My Queensland is always within a foot of me, even when I go in with the goats. At first they were so mean to him and he never got the hint and would just curl up in a ball and take it. They finally realized that he is not there to harm them and they all except that he comes with me. Things get a little hairy when they first kid, but I also have does that are high on hormones and bite or try to get me too so it is what it is lol


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

@Jessica84 I guess I’m lucky after all- Luna is very silent in her despair 😅
I just have to clean out all the hair when we get back home 🤣


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

The scary vet visit, glad things are ok.


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