# LGD introductions w/goats



## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

We got an LGD 3 weeks ago and he's almost 16 weeks old. Guapo.  He came from a small farm with lots of other animals including horses and sheep. So far he's been great with our sheep and goats. (He's markedly less great with chickens). He's made no aggressive attempts toward them at all. Guapo's been sharing a fenceline and spends a lot of time with the goats, no problem (except at milking time because he LOVES goat milk, then he needs help). One of our goats (of course, the littlest) even protects my son from the dog by trying to head butt Guapo away. She's all talk and just defending her status, not overly aggressive. Mostly he ignores them and the goats walk away or around him.

So, this weekend I plan to get a doeling (9-10 months) and a 3 month old buckling. I plan to put them together in the handling pan, which is within the paddock the other goats live in. I'd like to put Guapo in with the established herd (only 4 goats), and hopefully introduce the new two soon after, but which order is best for success? I feel like he's ready for unsupervised goat living but how do I test this safely? Would I be better off waiting to put Guapo in once all the goats are settled TOGETHER? He's going to be so big, it seemed better to do it early rather than later so the goats have a size advantage if he gets ornery.

I'm thinking we feed him lots of his favorites in those first days (peanut butter, goat milk and raw eggs) to make sure he feels satisfied. We'll take him out for tiring play breaks so he doesn't try to engage the goats. What else? 
@FizzyGoats- you've been so helpful with your LGD advice! Can you share more?


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

You’ll get different opinions but mine is that the sooner you can have him living with the goats, the better. If he listens when corrected verbally and is good with the goats (no chasing/nipping/barking/playing) and they’re good with him (no head butting for no reason) put him with the herd. Adding new ones won’t be difficult because he’ll be introduced to them by you and know they belong. Just get him bonding to goats and finding comfort in their company (instead of him always seeking humans for comfort and companionship, but don’t worry, that will still always be there too). That’s how I prefer to do it. Others don’t bond the dog to the livestock. So there are other options. I just don’t know them. 

When I take those first scary steps in to the “unsupervised” phase, I spy on my dog like a creepy stalker. Lol. I have cameras that assist me. I hide and watch where they can’t see me. I do whatever it takes to make me feel better that all will be well when I’m not watching. Don’t worry if you still have to make a few corrections. Him being with the goats on his own and being in the mix is just the next step and there might be hiccups. As long as both the goats and Guapo (so love that name), are safe from being harmed by the other, you’ll be able to quickly work out the kinks. Just be firm and consistent with any corrections and if he’s having a “not listening and do what I want day” stay calm and bring out the long line to remind him there are certain unbendable rules and then go again. It sounds like he’s doing great so far.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I mostly agree ☝ 

If you can’t watch from video camera or by physically watching.
I would remove the dog until, the dog can be supervised again. 

You will have to do this until you are absolutely sure, the dog will be trusted.


----------



## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Alright. I think we're ready for this. My son has been spending about an hour a day with Guapo in the pen, supervised but loose (he has a leash on but my son doesn't hold the leash), with no troubles. Maybe we'll start with an hour unsupervised when he's well-fed and tired for a few days, see how that goes. I think they'll like each other and do fine. I do like the idea of him being in there sooner/smaller rather than later/bigger. I think the goats will be more confident with that too. 

@FizzyGoats You mention a long line...do you mean, literally, a long line? So, he can do his thing without feeling like he's supposed to be at our side, as on a short leash.

He goes on a long cable once in a while but I've wondered if we can put him on that within the other animals' enclosures so they can get away if he gets ornery. I've worried about his safety- like tying a goat out.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds like a plan.


----------



## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

maybe it's fortunate that he's much more interested in what comes out of their back end than anything else with goats. we've been told we can't train that away. it seems to be a favorite snack. he has eaten some really gross stuff before we can stop him. normal, i hope?


----------



## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

My dog will nose thru horse poop 😒

our old hound dog used to eat chicken poop- more so in the winter than when it’s warm tho. Kind of weird.

dogs mouths aren’t always the cleanest around 😂


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

My dogs enjoy some goat pellets now and then. Dogs are gross. They eat chicken poop too on occasion. 

And yes, I mean literally a long line. When training, I like to go leash (most control), long line (mine is 50’ and gives them freedom while still allowing me control if necessary), then e collar (mine is like the kind sport dogs use, basically used as a wireless leash for me), then freedom and trust. They don’t move from one to the next until I feel they’ve mastered whatever it is I’m asking. My biggest thing is I want them totally clam around the goats and if they’re not, they get corrected (not punished, corrected). If we have a hiccup or they decide their ears are strictly ornamental that day, we go back a step for a refresher until it clicks again. My dogs still have sessions on leash, long line, and e collar at times, sometimes because it’s an “ornamental ear” day and sometimes just because I want to review with them even though they’ve both been rock solid with all the animals and that’s never what I need to work on anymore. They quite enjoy all three methods and wag their whole body when they see me coming with any one of those things in my hand, so even though I use the leash, line, and e collar to keep them on the straight and narrow, I work hard to keep positive associations with all my training tools. 

I’m not getting notifications for some reason, so I’m sorry if it’s taking me a bit to respond. 

Anyway, I think when you have a little pup and goats who aren’t being mean to him, it’s a great idea to get him in there early (as long as he knows and obeys the rules of no playing with the goats). Sounds like you have a great plan. My guy was over 100 lbs at five months when I brought him home and introduced him, so my goats took a little while to trust him. He definitely had to work hard to earn their trust. Lol.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

[mention]littleheathens [/mention] I was just curious as to how it’s going with your pup and the goats.


----------



## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

SO GOOD. He's just so excited to hang out with them- not play or cause problems, he would just rather be with them. He settles down and barks less and causes no problems. We've been able to leave him for long stretches unsupervised. The sheep are usually in electric net fence and they have ganged up on him and caused problems but he spends lots of time in there. It won't be long. Our two new goats are quite fond of each other, and he barked at them upon arrival, as he probably should. So they are still getting to know one another through a fence.


----------



## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

Sounds like he’s a good dog with good instincts. Glad it is going well.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

You have a great dog there. 

The sheep taught him well, by doing what they did, believe it or not.

He was trained and taught to respect their space, which was a very good lesson.


----------

