# Bring adult LGD onto farm with other dogs



## nathan104 (Nov 16, 2007)

I have been losing goats to coyotes. A donkey has no helped. So, I am looking at getting one or two adult LGD's. I found a pair of sisters from local goat farm that are 3yo. I want adults vs pups as I need help now instead of a year from now. 

I have 4 dogs already that are our pets. 2 English mastiffs, a heeler/border collie cross, and a terrier ccross. 

Our goat pasture is across the street from the rest of our farm so our 4 dogs do not have access in order to protect the goats. They do however do a good job on our side with the chicken, cows, goats on our side. 

Right now, we have moved our goats onto our side of the road into a side pasture to keep them from getting killed. Only the small terrier can get into that field with them as its field wire. 

What do I need to know and do with bringing in adult LGD's to be wwith the goats in order to keep them from killing my other dogs. In the field they are in now, the terrier can get on there, and once moved across the street, our dogs only go over there when I do. Right now they will just be seperaated by the line of field fence. 

Any advice wwould be great. Thanks.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

The biggest problem you may have is they are not "These Girls" goats, not to mention, the Terrier may get killed by them as well.
They need to be allowed to meet and great the new goats, introductions must take place in a way that they cannot access them, at first. Then you start allowing supervised access, then, after a bit of time, and only you can judge that by the reactions of the dogs, you can allow them with them.
As to the Terrier, if you do this, you either need to be sure he/she has no access what so ever, or introduce and allow them to bond with it also. They will kill it if they have bonded to the goats, and don't know it.

Maybe to start with, a moat fence might be a good idea. It will give the dogs the ability to guard the perimeter, while allowing them to see and smell the new to them goats.
Good luck.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

I had the same thought when I lost a very expensive sheep to yotes. I wanted something that would fight back if needed. Their size and presents is 98 % of keeping predators away. 

I agree with Debi, but my thought process on older LGD's was how much would it cost me if they cause more damage then the predators.

So I decided to get 8 week old pups and raise them with the sheep and I worked with them every single day, I didnt even have a garden, no time. They were never allowed with the sheep while I was away or at night. They stayed with the sheep 24/7 but in a pen when alone in the middle of the paddock. And in a pen in the barn when I put my sheep up at night.

Now I have awesome gaurdian dogs, however I still have one that is inmature and has cost me money, sooooo, he is back seperated from his brother and sheep and gaurds the pasture. He goes in with the sheep when I am home from work. And I also dont feed them near the sheep, sheep like dog food....LOL I have learned some lessons with a teenaged LGD and that is even though they are brothers and from the same litter, they can mature at differant levels.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

No real advice but like the moat fence idea... puppy (7 months ) has killed 3 chickens including my flock protector Roo-- so I can def relate...


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Fowler is giving some great advice!

Since you have your goats on your side ... the safe side ... of your property, you might want to keep them there for awhile. Get yourself a couple of LGD "pups" and let them bond with both the goats as well as your other dogs, especially the ones you are concerned with following you when you enter a goat pen. It should not take long before you will have a pair of LGDs you can trust to guard your goats; then at that time you can move them back across the street. (If your predators are many, you might even want to consider getting more than 2 LGDs.)


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