# Weird behavior



## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

My older LGD who is 3 and a half yrs old is doing something odd and a bit icky. I had two kids suffocate under a pile due to the cold weather. I buried them, the ground is frozen and I could not go as deep as I like then I covered it with 3 feet of snow and a pallet so I could find the place later and finish the job with more dirt. 
So last night I go outside and there is the dead buckling at my front steps, he had not eaten him or otherwise harmed him. Too dark and late to go back to the grave so I put him high up in the garage. 
This morning I go outside and there is the little doeling, same thing sitting at my steps not damaged. 
He has eaten dead kids before it was fine with me but since I was quite attached to the doeling I did not like the thought of all that head crunching so I buried her. 
Is he bringing the kids "home" or what? If he ate them that would be one thing but he is dumping them at my door like I left them in the field and am suppose to care for them.


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

He sounds like a wonderful sweet dog. He really takes his job seriously of caring for the flock.
I have had LGDs eat dead chicks, but never kids or even rabbits or anything. They do kill stray cats and even a skunk. I think in your dog's case it was just the unfortunate circumstances that you couldn't cover the kids well enough to get rid of the scent.
I certainly wouldn't fault the dog though. He was just taking care of his goats. If nothing else, take carion like that to the dump or put it in a garbage bag, and send it out with the garbage.


----------



## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

This is really amazing to me. I always wonder what goes through their minds. Did he see you take the carcasses out of pasture? If not I wonder if he wants you to know you had dead kids?

Or "Hey you didnt do a good enough job burying them."


----------



## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Or he thinks so highly of you, that you can do anything..including resurrection. He is asking you to bring his family back. High praise indeed.

"May I be as good a person as my dog thinks I am."


----------



## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Yes he was there when I buried them, he follows me when I walk around the property and do my chores. I placed them in a feed bag but I am sure his sense of smell can still detect them. I only could get a foot or so down in the dirt with a pick axe before my shoulders were dying. 

Mekasmom I am not upset with him, nor did I say or do anything I just picked them up. I could not toss her in the trash, she was the only kid I was planning on keeping and I just couldn't put her in the dumpster. The only reason it was icky to me was I did not want to see her dead the first time, then see her again on my step. 
He has only eaten two kids still in their sacs, he waits for afterbirth which I let him have if the doe does not eat it. :yuck: 

I still love him even if he might critiquing my skills, lol.


----------



## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

My lgd will take long dead body parts , and move them to wherever his favorite guarding location might be depending on where the flock is kept. I think he is not only snacking, but guarding his food along with the flock.


----------



## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

His favorite spot to guard is West on a small hill, the kids were left on my front steps facing South. He did not snack on them he left them there for me to find.

Last Spring I taught him " Find the Babies". I had a couple of less then bright FFs take their kids in the field, kids under 2 weeks old cannot keep up they go to sleep and mom keeps on eating and walking. They would come in, then the mom would finally realize " Oh my kids are not here" So I taught him to help me find the babies. 
He takes a very round about route I get poked and scratched up but he finds them. Once I did not believe him since it was too far out thankfully he was persistent and we got to them as the coyote was closing in. 
So maybe he was " Finding Babies" for me. Not sure but it's all good, the babies are buried better now.


----------



## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

That is weird, it sure sounds like he wanted you to see the kids


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Its just a territorial display. The dead kids are possessions and he's protecting them. They aren't safe where they were so he brought them in. He's right if he can retrieve them a foraging fox or coyote can too. Not weird just instinct.


----------

