# 9 month old Anatolian Shep playing rough



## ONG2 (Sep 22, 2010)

This just started last week. 

Lady our female Anatolian has been staying in the barn with our sheep. Yes I realize that is pretty young but up to this point things have worked out well. 

My wife and I both work off the farm and are not able to monitor her behavior 24/7. Lady started biting the older lambs back legs, my wife caught her in the act one time, threw a coffee can at her and gave her a scolding. Lady went off the side with her head down as my wife put the lamb in a pen so Lady would leave it alone. 

That was last Thursday, now we have another lamb with sore legs but could not catch her in the act. 

Lady can get out of the barn & run if she wants to but seldom does. I am fairly sure this is simply bored puppy entertainment but what to do?

Has anyone tried putting a muzzle on a pup that is behaving like this? My thinking is that you leave the muzzle loose enough for Lady to eat & drink but not grab a leg, or if that didn't work tie her when we get to the barn take the muzzle off feed her and then put the muzzle back on. 

Lady gets fussed over for several minutes each time we chore and she is really getting into the guard dog thing. 

I don't want to stunt her progress but we can't have her hurting the lambs either.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

I don't think a muzzle would do any good. One of my 9 month Anatolians was chasing the sheep. He wasn't doing it in a mean way, but he was still causing the sheep to panic and run. I bought a shock collar and watched him from the house. It took 2 little zaps and he is like a different dog. He is calm and respectful around the sheep, although he and his brother still adore the sheep (especially the ram).


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I put my young anatolians in the pen with a couple of my senior does who will not take any crap off a dog. Olivia has been one of my best guardian trainers. :>) She will not run and will head butt a pup in a split second to keep them in line. 
A shock collar will work as well. And of course, if you have a mature dog that can help that is ideal. If needed, put her in a separate area, close to your sheep but where she can see but not chase. It is very important to discipline as soon as it happens.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

just one caution if you do decide to use the shock collar. These dogs are really sensitive. They don't need much correction to get the point. So start out on a low setting and work up to a higher one if needed. And use it very sparingly. I'd also separate the dog from the sheep unless you can supervise. This is a very bad time for these giant breeds. They are going through puberty and kind of forget the rules for a while.


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

try--- spraying the back of the sheep with bitter apple. If that doesn't work... remove the dog from the sheep.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

One of my anatolians loves the taste of bitter apple. Silly dog......


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## ONG2 (Sep 22, 2010)

To those that said a muzzle won't work...............:goodjob: You were right, at least on the one I tried last night. 

Let's see, can drink through the muzzle, check. single band behind ears makes for easy removal.......well no crap...Lady got it down to 12 seconds to remove the the POS that we bought from Tractor Supply. 

Anyone know what Tractor Supplys policy is if they sell you a piece of dung?


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

I think our muzzles are just as good as anything else your going to find outside of a specialty market. Its not the appropriate way to train and if you where going to use one of the muzzles they sell at tsc it would be considered cruelty if left on more than 30 minutes in my state.
Tractor supplies return policy is 30 days with a receipt


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

Just for future reference, a muzzle should never be left on a dog unattended. It can be dangerous or even deadly. A dog needs to be able to open his mouth to pant and he knows it....so even if he did not need to pant at that moment, just knowing that he can't open his mouth all the way would cause him to panic and rip at it to get the thing off. They do make basket muzzles that are really roomy (and expensive) but even those should never be left on a dog unattended.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I was wondering what LGD was going to accomplish with a muzzle. Look every breed, type and cute bundle of a puppy is going to test the limits, and behave like an idiot. It just needs leadership from its handler and even companionship to set it on the path you want. ALL puppies take notes from the pack leader, some want your job and are a handful until that's cast in stone but only a very few won't train out of bad behaviour. It just takes time and effort on your part. I'll leave the practical application of a many thousand years relationship to those more akin to the type, but the basics will be the same. The pup needs guidance and rules, and I'm not sure how to apply that unless you're there. Frustrating it with a muzzle doesn't sound promising.


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## Goatress (Feb 4, 2011)

Muzzles? NO NO and NO, not ever.


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