# Insight needed-About to tear my hair out..



## spinandslide (Jun 6, 2008)

Please tell me this is normal, or not normal..or what..but I am about put over the edge..

Put ewe back in with flock after weaning her lambs..she was kept up with the show stock, so was not out with the flock when I brought home Halo. Ewe is a good size, very friendly and pretty tough.

I come home next afternoon to ewe acting strange..ears are wet, my thought is, ewe's bag is full, not feeling so hot, Halo the pup trying to get her to act "normal"..I get ewe up, all is good. I walk BACK out to pasture after putting horses up, find ewe laid out on her side..with halo messing with her..I think HAlo thought she was going to die for about 15 seconds..I proceeded to lock her in her "crate" in the pasture..her "time out"..ewe was fine, got up and ran off during my tirade at the pup.

I leave pup in timeout for about an hour..let her loose..she leaves the ewe alone..but I dont trust her..so I put ewe in the catch pen with hay and water and leave her for the night. next morning, ewe is acting normal..she doesnt seem to be so uncomfotable with her bag. I let her out yesterday evening..everyone ate dinner..this ewe and another one, at times, will try and steal kibble from the dogs..but the dogs growled and the ewes went out into the pasture to graze..great..

This morning, I feed..everyone is acting normal..I go back out an hour later to let the horses out..Halo has the ewe pinned in a corner of the catch pen (which I leave "open")..her tail is wagging as she is attempting to mess around and almost play with her..Ewe has cuts on her hind legs where she's been nipped..BIG tirade at the dog again..Im about to leave for work, so pen ewe up again..the rest of the flock was out grazing in the pasture..

I am at my utter wits end with this..I love this pup dearly and she is a great guard dog..but the reason I got a pup while I still had Angel was because I wanted Angel to TEACH her..but Angel DOESNT..she just watches her..I work 40 hours a week..Im not home, so I cant supervise all the time. I learned she cant be in with young lambs..I can handle that..but now shes annoying a full grown ewe..

Ive walked her the pasture..Id hid and caught her in the act, with SERIOUS consequences..We've had time out..I dont know WHY this one ewe is causing this reaction with her! Any help appreciated..


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## ONG2 (Sep 22, 2010)

While I am not very experienced with LGD's I would think an electric training collar is in Halo's near future. Be interesting to see what the pros have to say.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

If the ewe has been separated, she is an "intruder" to the flock in the dog's eyes. Why not put the ewe into the time out pen with some food and water for a couple of days so the dog can get use to her being in the area again.


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## spinandslide (Jun 6, 2008)

I am not one to "whip out" the E-collar for any minor infraction..but I seriously debated on this situation..

I know ideally, she shouldnt be out unsupervised..yet she is great with the rest of the "flock"..I tried a suggestion last night of confining HER..which worked OK for abit, until she dug out....so the ewe went back in the catch pen.

she is still confined this morning..which makes it HARD, as she isnt with the RAM if she's confined! Another suggestion was a "run line" for the pup..

I am planning to seperate my pasture soon..which would make things easier, as I can put the older dog with the ram and the two ewes left to breed back..and put the pup with the bred ewes on the other side (since they arent due til June time..)

I tried to set her up last night, by walking towards the ewe...Halo followed me til about 5 feet away, then sat down and wouldnt get any closer to her..so PERHAPS some progress?


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## MonsterMalak (Apr 15, 2011)

I would have to say that Mekasmom has a good plan.
Many people think that just because a dog is trained on Goats, that it will accept all goats. Chances are increased, but not an absolute.
I feel the dogs view them as individuals.

Many stories come out of Turkey about Kangals and Boz traveling 20-30 miles to retrieve and return with some goats that were sold from his herd of 500-1500.
Think about the logistics of traveling though other LGDs territories for many miles.  Weeding through that shepherds huge flock and smelling out his goats. Then being able to drive them back to his flock.
I do not feel this would happen if the LGDs did not view the goats as individuals that he loves. Otherwise, any goats would do.
Also, many Boz Shepherds that are sold, return home to their flock some hundreds of miles away, and sometimes 1-2 years later.

Gotta say that is LOVE.

I would pen any new introductions for a time, and walk the LGD in while suppervised for introductions. Guessing a week or two would do, as with my Boz.


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## spinandslide (Jun 6, 2008)

Monster, thanks for responding..

I am still a relative newbie with LGD's..my older Pyr, who I aquired first, doesnt care who I take out or put back in..she accepts it and is done and does her job. she likes the newborns..but isnt DEVOTED to the sheep..she does a job..if that makes sense?

This pup is simply a TOTALLY new experience to me..I swear she LOVES these sheep..I mean LOVES them..she wants to be near the flock all the time..I know a good LGD is in there...I know she will be stupendous..if I can understand her!

The ewe is still penned..I will give it another week, with supervised introductions..what do you discourage during supervised introductions? as in, obviously chewing or trying to play is discouraged..but what about sniffing? is that "Acceptable"?? even after she's tried to chew on her?

I will be introducing a show ewe of ours in the fall to be bred..so I now know what I need to do and can plan accordingly.


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