# Intro new lgd to existing lgd



## Eden'sgardener (Jan 16, 2012)

I'm so excited! The rescue people are coming with a 3 yr old female who was purchased from working parents in AR as a pup for a young FFA student to protect her animals who, sadly, has decided not to take care of her after she has finished with the Ag program. She's been tied up and forgotten basically until a relative called the rescue folks. 

She was fine with chickens at the foster farm. My main concern is jealousy between my existing dog, Bear, and the new dog, Molly. The foster mom is coming with her of course. I'm hoping for a peaceful transition/introduction. 

Any suggestions once they are acclimated regarding how to proceed with the training? I am hoping she helps train Bear! Do I keep them to the same routine I have had Bear on? Or let them get used to each other first for a few days? 

Help!  

Just so glad my Bear will have a buddy!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Don't know what breed Bear is, but I doubt jealousy will be a problem. If you have a large fenced area for them to meet, that would be ideal because they can be off leash without the fear the new girl will run off. I would not use a pen that is used for your goats/sheep/whatever because Bear may feel he needs to protect it. Don't be surprised if after the initial greeting the new dog ignores Bear and everyone. This is a calming signal.

Keep Bear on his regular routine and give each dog a place to be alone. I'd have them sleep in separate quarters, even if adjacent to one another. I crate the new dog at night and often during the day, put them outside at the same time, feed them at the same time, but I have indoor dogs.


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## Eden'sgardener (Jan 16, 2012)

Bear is GP and Ant Shep mix - we're pretty sure - he also was a rescue. Got him about a month ago and he'd been on a farm since he was about 3 months old. Molly, his new buddy, is GP. 

So far, everything went well. We did leave them in the larger fenced area. She was pretty nervous at first but Bear was sweet to her. Then, he just wanted to play! 

Molly hadn't eaten yet, so I did feed her - and Bear left her totally alone so she could eat - plus, he had just eaten prior to her coming over, so he prolly wasn't hungry/interested. 

They don't have crates, they live outside to protect the chickens. So separate quarters, I'm not sure how I would do that? 

So far so good though - they seem to like each other. Tomorrow, we break the news to the shop cat.  And hopefully, she shows Bear how to respect the chickens.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I'd have them both on STRONG leashes and let them touch noses through a gate first.

If the dog you hve now is a TRUE LGD, he's not supposed to accept new dogs readily.

I'd want to be very sure they aren't going to fight before I'd ever turn them both loose together.

If they get along, then stick to the normal routine.
LGD's don't like changes


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> They don't have crates, they live outside to protect the chickens. So separate quarters, I'm not sure how I would do that?


Are they fenced in or running loose?

They will find their own places to sleep, as long as they can get out of wind and rain.
Building a "doghouse" is a waste of time, because they will sleep where THEY want, and not where YOU want


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## Eden'sgardener (Jan 16, 2012)

Right now, they are in a moderately sized, fenced in area with a smaller area that is fenced in to keep the chickens area separate. During the day, I had been putting the pup in this inner area (where the chickens are also contained by poultry netting), to hopefully get him to "bond" with the chickens - and not guard the refrigerator in the shop.  I think he may have been a little confused b/c the first several nights here, there weren't any gates and unsupervised, he did sleep inside the closed shop so he couldn't run off. 

Once the gates were installed and he could be allowed to run around without supervision/leashing, I find him outside most of the time, but it took about a week or so. It was funny to come out in the morning and he would come slinking out of the shop.... "I thought you were an OUTSIDE dog?" I would say to him. LOL

Now with the 2nd dog, who was accepted after a brief intro, they both run the bigger area and inner area. I need to "test" the new dog, now that she's settled in a couple of days. I think she had been hit in the past as she cowls down when you first go to pet her head - very sad. 

But I want to put the pup on the outside of the chicken area and take her (the 3yr old) in with me on leash with the chickens when I let them out in the am and see how she reacts. I sure wish I could talk to the girl who first had her and see what she did with her. Besides grow bored after she got out of ffa and tie her up to a tree....

Anyway, so far so good - the 3 yr old has taught the pup one thing so far - to bark at me! ha ha When I come to the gate until she sees it is me, she starts to bark and now so does Bear. It's pretty funny. He NEVER used to bark at anyone - just the other dogs in the hood. (I have an urban farm, and there are neighbors)

Thanks for the help - sorry there ended up being 2 threads on this subject, my computer shut down and when it restarted, somehow had saved and posted it. (I had already signed on on my laptop to finish my thoughts and repost)


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## Goatress (Feb 4, 2011)

She was tied up? Shame on that girl. I would give this dog more time to assimilate that two days. Don't be in such a hurry.....this is a long term commitment, right? You need to work on getting her trust. Slow down. Let her relax, get comfortable, find her niche.


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## Eden'sgardener (Jan 16, 2012)

I am going to have to not take things for granted regarding her though, Goatress. And with 2 now there's no telling what happened, but I did find an injured rooster and blood on Molly's coat yesterday. (She is only here since Thursday, is a 3 yr old GP with unknown training, but has shown little interest (to the foster home and here so far) in bothering/chasing fowl.)

Initially, I couldn't figure out where the blood came from - wasn't a lot - but I looked all on Bear, on her, nothing - the chicken area looked quiet, etc. 

However, later on in the day, I noticed that I had mistakenly left the inner gate ajar, those 4 fowl must have wandered out into the outer area (of the chicken pens, there is still another gate that can keep the dogs out of the entire chicken area, but it too was open so they could patrol the area.). 

One of the roosters was bloody about his head and acting all strange, lethargic. uh oh I thought.....

Now, he _has_ been arguing with one of his brothers lately - since being confined and down to two hens - so it may be they really got at it with each other; and Molly only sniffed or tried to break it up. OR, maybe Bear chased, got a mouthful and she took him off of the rooster. I'll never know unless that rooster starts talking - in which case, I'll be wealthy enough to build a fortress around my farm and not have to worry about predators again. LOL 

So I closed off the outer gate to the pen area, took the rooster in of course to doctor him and observe him overnight, and I will def proceed much slower on all avenues for several reasons. 

I have roofing work to do in an area that overlooks the whole dog pen/chicken pen area so I'll be able to keep a close eye on things today. I sure hope it was the 2 roosters bickering - that's easier to resolve then if one of my dogs has started to get a hankering for chicken..... 

I am not sure if you saw the post on my first thread with ?? about LGD's, but another rancher gave some pretty old school advice on what to do with them - and they involved tying to the chicken tractor and basically ignoring the dog till it bonded with the chickens, etc. (I think it is pretty old school and kind of severe training style - in any event, not one I'm comfortable with.)

I'll keep things posted on this thread or the first one about step by step. Thanks for the input!


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## Lannie (Jan 11, 2004)

Having poultry and a year old GP pup that sometimes likes to amuse himself by playing with the chickens, I have observed that comb/head damage is caused by roosters fighting between themselves. My pup likes to grab them by the feet and carry them around. Then pull feathers out of their backs. sigh... The ones the pup mauls, IF there's blood, it's only on the feet or legs, and their backs are bare, so I know it was him. I've only ever had bloody combs when roosters were fighting with each other.

Definitely keep an eye on her until you know her better, but if I were you, I'd assume Molly broke up a rooster fight. My girl has done that once or twice.

~Lannie


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## Eden'sgardener (Jan 16, 2012)

Sadly, I have now found a dead rooster - and Molly eating it. Full story on Some Step by Step thread......


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## chefed (Jan 30, 2009)

I wonder if the Rooster may have attacked Molly?
Our Rooster likes to challenge my wife and GP at times when she is in the field walking. Wife came back from a morning walk and heard the kenneled dogs barking , looked out and saw Ellie lying on the ground holding the roo with one paw and plucking his back, guess she just had enough. This was about four months ago and Ellie is just a year old now with just OTJ training, she spent two days in timeout but no more challenges from the roo and she has not bothered any others since. I only have Ellie, never had a LGD but am amazed when I see her put herself between the goats and even the ducks and chickens hide like children behind momma when a stranger shows up.


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