What will happen to my LGD if I get rid of my goats?

You can get a couple of pygmy or nigerian goats to keep the dog company. They eat alot less pasture then full sized so less hassle. Go one step further getting a couple mini fainting goats and they wont try to escape to eat your trees. They cant do much jumping because the fainting habit.

I don't believe that for a second

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Recognize the beauty in things, in creation, even when thats difficult to do.
Be loving, show compassion. Create while we're here.
Enjoy this life, be in this life but not be of it.

Sounds like the kids [human] need some sting applied via wood to their gluteus' when they leave gates open.

This is not a goat problem.

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We will meet in the golden city, called the New Jerusalem,
All our pain and all our tears will be no more.....

Kids are two, four, and six.

Thank you everybody, sounds like I have a lot to think about.

I lived on an acreage in northern BC, I was house sitting until the place sold. There was 2 LGDs and they had no animals to take care of after the owners left. Those two dogs patroled the entire acreage, they had a system of trails the walked all night long. I didn't see any wildlife the whole time I lived there, which could be considered a bad thing but I had a 2 yo kid running around the yard during the day and I was happy to have those dogs around. They knew that was their home and they continued to do their job even after the animals were gone.

If your gates open out into the pasture put a spring or a bungee cord on it so it closes back when opened. That is what I do to keep my gates shut. Or, put a fence around the fruit trees inside your yard for double protection.
I had cows eat everything in my garden when they got out. Until that time I never knew a cow would eat tomato plants, tomatoes and all.
Cows and goats are very compatible as far as pasturing is concerned. As previously stated, they do not share parasites, or diseases, nor do they eat the same forage in the pastures.

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Living the good life in Kansas.

Ditto. Unless you start with bottle calves and raise them with the dog, you will NOT get the cows to accept the dog. Even then, it might not work. There's just something about dogs that cows do NOT like. The dog is not the problem where cows are concerned.

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http://maysmissive.blogspot.com/

I'll do the Oggie thing and suggest getting rid of the kids instead.

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Moms don't look at things like normal people.
-----DD

I have never heard of Maremmas. How are their personalaties and how are they with children?
Well, duh. I just googled them. Very interesting.

get more chickens! get rid of the goats... maybe buy her a puppy to train.

bring her in the house and spoil her rotten! ok, maybe not.

Our Maremmas have wonderful relational personalities and are great with our 11 grandchildren, though the kids have to get used to their large size and wagging tails. The dogs protect anyone and anything within their working area. LGDs are unique dogs and require some different training and orientation than non-LGD breeds, but once they understand what you expect of them they are faithful hardworking assistants. We have bears around our place and a cougar was seen on our property, so we got two Maremmas. I would never go outside at night before they came, but now I feel totally protected. They are worth their weight in gold.

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~Marie

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