| Author | Message | ||
     Cindy Hance New member Username: chance Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
Hi my name is Cindy, I'm a new member. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on introducing my dog to my new goats. I just got the goats last night. We have a stray who is maybe 4-5 months old who knows they are there but pretty much leaves them alone because she is scared of everything, she barked a lot though but this morning see didn't even go back there so I think she's over it. I have my older dog, a female cocker, who met them this morning, growled once to twice not even a bark, the goat butted the fence and my dog just went about her business like they weren't even there, she didn't seem to care.  Now we're down to our 9 mo. old dalmation who is pretty big and is probably a good 100-125 lbs. I'm not sure how he is going to react. He's very friendly and playful yet kinda protective. We always just let our dogs out to roam the yard in the morning but couldn't today so it was kind of a hectic morning and I'm just worried. The others were so good but they are also smaller than my goats. Any suggestions?} Cindy | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 112 Registered: 07-2005 Rating: N/A |
You have good reason to be worried. Your goats are suddenly faced with predators everywhere they look, your dogs suddenly have strangers on their property. If these were my goats and dogs I would be absolutely sure the dogs could NEVER reach the goats. Dalmations are NOT good with livestock or small animals, cockers ARE hunting dogs and your stray is a puppy and those are very unpredicatable. Your goats are outnumbered too. Dogs can live in relative peace for years with goats and one day turn on them with disasterous results. Remember dogs will ALWAYS be predators and goats will ALWAYS be prey, keep them separated. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Brenda D. New member Username: brendad Post Number: 4 Registered: 08-2005 Rating: N/A |
Please heed Maggie's advice regarding dogs with goats. Our dog attacked the herd early one morning but was interrupted. The damage to my main doe was devastating and too great to save her. Bebe was a great mother and defender of the herd. She is missed by all of us. Goats and dogs DO NOT MIX. (Including Pyreenes.) | ||
| Cindy Hance New member Username: chance Post Number: 5 Registered: 10-2005 Rating: N/A |
Thank you for the warnings! I'll take every precaution possible. I'm not looking for anyone, goat or dog to get hurt or killed. Everyone seems to be doing fine so far. The dalmation didn't fuss at all-no barking/growling nothing-just a wagging tail. I realize that someday it may not be like that though. Right now they don't aren't going in the back yard unless we do so they must not be bothered by them too much. Hopefully things will go well. I've instructed the kids not to go in the pen unless with an adult to make sure no goats get out and no dogs get in. Thanks again! Cindy | ||
| kenneth winter jr New member Username: bubbawinter5 Post Number: 11 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Do or has any one had any problems with foxes messing with any of your goats? we have a couple of fox that play in the yard, not more than fifty feet from the goats. we do lock the goats up of a night. but we do have a hole in the door with a mud flap over it. so that they can get out if they want for water or extra hay. I don't want any thing to happen. or one to try to crawl through the hole in the night. I don't have traps or a gun, other than a bb gun and I know that this is not enough. do foxes attack or have interest in them? they eat meat.right? if a problem, can I get some kind of poison? or deterant? the goats are in the same barn with two horses. thanks | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 156 Registered: 07-2005 Rating: N/A |
I have many foxes here and have never had a problem with the foxes bothering the goats. A rabbit is very big prey for a fox and most goats are much bigger than that. Most foxes eat very small prey, frogs, mice, large insects, ground nesting birds and eggs, carrion. They especially won't bother with goats in a herd situation. Setting out poison for foxes (or any wild animal except rats and mice) is quite illegal so is trapping without a license. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic |