The puppies are here!

Bearfootfarm · #21 02/27/13, 01:54 PM

Spot more closely resembles her Mom in the face and coat:

trnubian · #22 02/27/13, 02:06 PM

Awwww! Puppies are adorable! They should make you some great protectors. A good LGD definately has a different "puppy" attitude than another type of dog. They are very smart. Good luck with them!

Ford Zoo · #23 02/27/13, 02:19 PM

BFF, I know what you mean, if they are together I can tell by size. If I see only one, I can tell because the the female has a single line of tan under her right eye, like eye liner.

Is it mean of me not to tell DH this little secret? He can't keep them straight unless they pee!!

Minelson · #24 02/27/13, 04:01 PM

We have the same thing here with with black & white cats...Even when I tell hubby the difference he still doesn't get it. So (of our outside cats) he only knows Thelma because she is gray and white...and he calls Mini mick Thlema because he is gray.

Hollowdweller · #25 02/27/13, 04:08 PM

Those are some nice looking pups.

I notice you got 2 of them.

I have always found it harder to bond the dog to the livestock with more than 1 pup.

Have you or any of you with 2 successfully bonded them?

When I have done it they would run off predators but also would run off together some times.

However I have read that Maremma's are the best for staying with the livestock so maybe that's not an issue?

dranger1108 · #26 02/27/13, 04:21 PM

how about Yeti and Nanook (Eskimo for polar bear)

Bearfootfarm · #27 02/27/13, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Very interesting, these dogs are unlike any pups we have ever had

People who have never had a TRUE LGD have a hard time understanding that, but it's definitely TRUE.

They have to be handled differently, and they LOVE routine.
They instinctively notice things that don't FIT the routine

Quote:

He can't keep them straight unless they pee!!

One of my adult males would always squat, due to my HIGH VOLTAGE electric fencing, and a couple of "surprises" when he raised his leg

Squeaky McMurdo · #28 02/27/13, 05:12 PM

To avoid confusion and to buy more naming time, but still train them to come when called you can just call them Boy and Girl for now (you'll likely be telling them good Boy, good Girl anyway) then when you decide on names you can wean them into them.

My husband and I couldn't agree on a name for one of our dogs for a month, so I just called him boy, then when we agreed on Crow, I called him Crow Boy for a week or two before I dropped Boy and just called him Crow.

Bearfootfarm · #29 02/27/13, 08:53 PM

With Maremmas, it doesn't matter what you call them, because they will only respond if THEY think it's a good idea

Otter · #30 02/27/13, 09:23 PM

Beautiful pups!
Definitely keep a journal! That would be great to read.

anita_fc · #31 02/27/13, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

With Maremmas, it doesn't matter what you call them, because they will only respond if THEY think it's a good idea

Hee hee. I was thinking the same thing. Names are mainly for our convenience!

Beautiful pups! Our first Pyr changed our lives forever. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as we did.

Anita
Dan-Ani Pygmy Goats, Idaho

Ford Zoo · #32 02/28/13, 03:05 PM

Thanks for all the thoughts, I am open to any and all input. The woman we got them from has been breeding and using her particular line for years. She suggested starting with 2, a neutered male and unaltered female as she said they work better in pairs. I have worried about them bonding to each other as they are in a "pen in pen" inside the goat pen unless we are out there with them for now. But since they were free range on her farm, I think that helps. The do not chase the kids, and do try to bond with the goats when they are out.

Once the female is big enough not to get thru our fencing ( I think she only could now if she really wiggled) we plan on putting them in an adjoining pen with a few older, gentler goats. I do hate leaving them kenneled right now, but the are getting time outside in the goat pen a few times a day with us.

Bearfootfarm · #33 02/28/13, 05:11 PM

Quote:

I have worried about them bonding to each other as they are in a "pen in pen" inside the goat pen unless we are out there with them for now. But since they were free range on her farm, I think that helps. The do not chase the kids, and do try to bond with the goats when they are out.

I'd be letting them spend as much time as possible with the goats.

The prime "bonding" age has already passed, but they are still young enough for bad behavior to be corrected.

Unfortunately, the only way to CORRECT it is to let them interact and ALLOW it to happen, if it's going to

The easiest way is to use a shock collar, but it's not the cheapest way.
It serves to keep them from associating anything unpleasant with YOU though

Mine started working at a very early age:

Ford Zoo · #34 02/28/13, 05:54 PM

BFF, they show submission if a doe even simply tilts her head at them. I do have 2 does that are not as lenient and the one in particular goes after the female full on. If she is not paying attention she 'gets it'. This concerns me as she yelps then comes running to me for reassurance. I simply tell her she's OK, maybe give her a quick pat on the head. I am trying so hard not to give them too much attention.

So far I have seen no behaviors that need correcting (but we've only had them a few days), other than the smaller one trying to fit thru the fence at times. We live on a highway and that really scares me, so I do not plan on leaving them out for longer periods until I am more confident she will stay in the goat area. The woman told me the female likes to venture out a bit.

I am very pleased that when the goats run, they do not chase. I have alot to learn here, Thank you for your help. How old are yours, generally, before you trust them with the goats 24/7? I am reading they go thru several stages until they are a bit more than a year old.

Ford Zoo · #35 02/28/13, 05:56 PM

And about the shock collar, I have goats with horns and another fear is a horn getting caught in the collar. Have you had problems with that?

Bearfootfarm · #36 02/28/13, 09:15 PM

Quote:

How old are yours, generally, before you trust them with the goats 24/7? I am reading they go thru several stages until they are a bit more than a year old.

All of my dogs have spent their entire lives in pastures with animals.
If their Mom ( or another older trained dog) is with them, I leave them alone from about 12 weeks on.

Most of the problems will come around 6 months old, when they are like "teenagers", or at their first kidding, when they haven't seen small animals up close.

Most will accept them with no problems, but some may like to chase the little running , jumping toys

I make sure they have a place they can get to avoid contact if they want a "break", but otherwise they've never known any other lifestyle.

They quickly learn the pecking order, and how to deal with it, and in a few more months they will be as big as your goats, and will be able to defend themselves if needed.

I've never left a shock collar on while I wasn't watching them, BUT it allows me to watch from a distance so the dogs don't KNOW I'm watching.

That way they revert to their natural behavior.
They will rarely misbehave when they know you're watching, and they ARE smart enough to know the difference