# Introducing LGD to an existing herd



## fishin816 (Mar 4, 2011)

Any suggestions on best way to introduce a LGD to my existing heard? Brought home a 7 week old pup tonight and thought two of the does were going to kill her. I have her in a dog kennel inside the barn hoping they will adjust. Let me know of any other ideas you might have.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I will be watching this post as I have the same problem.

One of my does does not like dogs as her mom was killed by one when she was a month old. The other doe just had kids so she is protective. My LGD is an adult and loves her goats, especially the kids, but cowers when either of the adult does get near her.

What I did today, and plan on doing every day, is I took her on a leash into the goat pen. I let the does come up to her and they butted her a bit, which made the dog cower. I figure if I keep taking her in there that they will get used to her and eventually realize that she is not going to hurt them.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Fishin- I would think the kennel where they can all see each other and the does can get used to the pup is a good idea. That pup is about to enter a perminante fear imprint age from 8-12 weeks old. Any traumatic experience can cause lasting effects on the pup. Remember that we don't want the dog to ever be rough with the goats but this goes both ways. Was she loose with the goats when the does were being so aggressive with her? I would bring her in with the goats for supervised times and just stop any roughness if it seams too much otherwise I think they need to work out some things on their own to learn. 


Itchys- If this LDG is a adult and is good with the goats why not just let her out in there? I would worry that having her restrained on a leash and allowing the does to butt her might cause more harm than good. She is stuck on the leash and can't get away and cant work it out; the does may continue to do this everyday you take her in and I don't know what would make them stop if they are allowed to be bullies like this. 

I haven't had a LGD but am a dog trainer with methods based on dog psychology and am speaking only from experience with dogs in general not LGD's. Good luck with your dogs. We can't wait to get our LGD soon!


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## Sunny Daze (May 18, 2010)

When they are young puppies you want to have them in with younger or more submissive goats. As they get older, more confident, and bigger you put them in with your older goats. I agree with FreedomStarFarm, a pen inside the field or an adjoining pen would be best for now so your does get used to the puppy. 

You want the dog to have respect of the goats but not fear or worse, have them feel like they need to retaliate!


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Thanks freedom. I mis-spoke about the "leash" I guess. She was on a lunge line so she could get away if she wanted to. When they come at her she lies down and is submissive. The younger doe butted her twice, then I put a stop to it by saying NO to the goat. The buts weren't all out, just nugges. The one with the kids came up and smelled her then just put her head down towards her then kinda pushed her. Ginger (the dog) would slink away from her. I don't know if this is good or not. She got to smell the kids as I picked one up and let her. I do want the kids to get used to her and think of her as a buddy not an enemy! I am afraid to just let her lose in the pen as she is a fence jumper! Of course her hips are getting bad so I do not know if she would jump the cattle panels now or not.

I agree that putting the pup in a cage for awhile out in the pasture is a good idea for you as this will give the goats a chance to get uswed to the dog. But, at some point you will have to let her loose. Doing this while you are there you can avoid any bad situations. My dog will not attack the goats, but the goats will attack her.

Sorry, I kind of highjacked your post here!


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Itchys- sounds like you are on the right track there. I just got this image in my head of a aggressive doe beating up the doggie. :wink: I would think that if she has been around goats for a long time and not had a issue they are just working things out and maybe she displays in a submissive way. I am not sure about the interaction being normal but my guess is the reason she slinks away is that when she was younger she was corrected for showing any forward movement towards the goats and now protects them but is also scared to get in trouble should she put them in line. :shrug: I am sure she will be fine just her way of being with them.
I hope that she decides that the cattle panels aren't worth the effort to climb and stays right there where you need her!


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

You would think that would be the case, but she has been with me since she was 8 weeks old, she is now 3 years. She has always loved animals, especially babies. I have only had the goats for a year and with living where I am she has not been able to do her "job" so much as she learned to jump the fence so I had to tie her close to the house. She has had little interaction with the goats. but has always loved them. She keeps the other dogs away from the common fence when they (the goats) are out, so I know she will protect them. She has never shown any agression towards them at all. She doesn't go to them, they come to her.I just hope the goats will get used to her being in the pen with them and start to ignore her eventually!


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