# new LGD questions



## SAHM (Mar 8, 2005)

we got our new LGD home, he is a gem, just over a year old, a pyreneese/maremma 
he loves the goats, but my goats are not in love with him. I don't want to stress my goats, but I want him to be able to bond with them too. 
My goats get locked into the barn at night, he is in the barn now as well. Everything gets locked up here at night ( we do dairy animals) 

question number two- barking at animals he is unsure of- now I know he barks to tell everyone is not sure if they are a friend or a foe- but he is barking at our cats and our pigs- they confuse him- it is not the scary I will eat you bark- it is the 'hey! what are you- what are you doing/ hey! ' bark . How do I respond when he barks at animals I want him to live along side? He is new here, I know it will take him for him to get an idea of 'who belongs' so I don't want to overcorrect- but I really don't want one of our kittens killed or anything 

we are fully fenced in with field fence, but I feel that dogs who want out- will get out- I don't want him to try and go back to his old home because he has not bonded with us yet- I guess that is not really a question- just another concern

he is really a gem, when he saw one of our house dogs, our house dog barked at him ( while licking their lips in submission) - he looked at me and gave a half hearted 'woof' to our silly puppy-- you can tell he is just not sure who is friend and who is foe, who belongs and where he belongs- I want to make the transition easier for him in any ways I can


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

He'll figure it out. Give him some time. They really are "thinking" dogs.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I can only tell you what has worked for me in such situations; and it does take time/effort on your part.

When I train a dog not to bark, I do so by holding his/her mouth shut and going "shhhh". That way the dog can stay alert without inviting irritation for whatever is around her. I would also have the dog on a leash and spend much time with it inside the barn with the goats, letting it (and the goats) get acquainted while I'm in there because they both already trust me; so I serve as a mediator.


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## peteyfoozer (Nov 23, 2012)

I have 2 Maremmas. It didn't take them long to win over the stock. Yours is still a little young to be on its own as they tend to be puppy like up into about 2 years old. Make sure he doesn't get bored and want to 'play' with the stock. i introduced mine to all my house dogs and animals. It didn't take them long to figure out who belonged where. They are good with the ranch dogs who live here as long as they stay OUT of the pastures and yard. These are intelligent, thinking dogs so I'd just be there to point out any mistakes, use necessary intervention and let him mature.


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