Questions for Herding Dog Owners

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My Borders herd the goats and bring them in to the barn when I want them and at night. BUT, how do you all do this when you have a donkey or Great Pyreneese to guard the goats or sheep? Rosco, our jack, is fine with a dog or two in the field UNLESS the dog starts to bring them to me, then he gets mad and goes after the dog. Same with the chickens.

A friend of mine is going to have a litter of Pyreneese pups in a month or so, and I am thinkin on it. Do GP's and donkeys mix? Can they get along or will the donkey hurt the pup. Should I just stick with the donkeys and not get a GP.

We found a place we like with 14 acres of woods and a massive barn. I don't know if Rosco will stay with the goats as they go around in the woods. He never hurts the goats, he's good with them, even at feeding time. But if someone comes to buy a goat, I can not send the dog out there to get them, the donkey or GP will go after the Border. I have gotten used to just sending the dog out and waiting by the gate for them all to come. But I can't let the goats be alone at a new place in the woods. So, what do you do?

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 07, 2001

Answers

Haven't any experience with a GP and Border working together, but have had to work with a donkey and a Border Collie. Our neighbor leases out his land to a shepherd every summer. This man has sheep all over the county and since he cannot watch over all of them 24/7 he puts a donkey with each flock. The neighbor's fences do not always keep the animals in so we have to "return" them occasionally. Even though the donkey sees our dogs every day and will touch noses through the fence, as soon as one of our dogs begins working the sheep the donkey becomes defensive. We end up restraining the donkey so our dog can work the sheep. Once everyone is rounded up and heading home we can turn the donkey loose and he just follows along. We have never tried to correct the donkey for going after our dogs, he is just doing his job. The fact that he follows peacefully after the gathering is done shows that he isn't bother by the dogs, he just doesn't want them to "chase or attack" his flock. Don't know if this info will help. Good luck.

-- Nancy Bakke-McGonigle Mn. Sunset (dmcgonig@smig.net), March 07, 2001.

Cindy, it seems that you are asking the various animals to do things that will antagonize each other, and maybe get your BC killed or at least injured. If you want to do all of the above, you will have to catch and pen the donkey when you want to work the goats. As for a GP puppy, I would be very hesitant to put one in with a donkey. You might get your new puppy stomped. In places where herding dogs are used seriously, they are very specialized and only do certain jobs. The borders bring the stock in, heelers or kelpies work them in the close confines of the pens. It's nice to be able to send the BC out to fetch the stock, but not if it antagonizes the donkey to the point of attack. I wish I could give you a good solution, but it seems like mixing gasoline and matches. By the way, we have friends who have borders, aussies, GP's and donkeys. They use the GP to guard the angora goats, donkey to guard sheep, but when they want to train the BCs and aussies on stock, they lock up the guardians.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), March 07, 2001.

For you that have GP's, if you go out there and call the dog, does it leave the sheep or goats and come when called? If you have it on a leash, will it be OK with the Border going and bringing up the goats? If I raise the puppy with the goats and General, my dog, around the goats daily, will it understand, and trust General?

See, sometimes, when a real bad storm front is comming, I know it but the goats don't. I have a lot to do to get the animals up where it is safe. The goats will only run to the barn when it starts to sprinkle. By that time, it is too late. Around here, some storms can be real bad. With the donkey, I would have to walk maybe 1/2 mile down into the woods to halter him, and then walk all the way back up, holding on to him while the dog brought up the goats, with a storm comming. Ever try to move a donkey who dosen't want to be moved? I'm just thinkin it over now, so maybe I'll know what I need to do when we move. Here, I can see the goats, and the donkey is in the pasture with my pony. Thanks.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 08, 2001.


Putting just any ol' donkey in to guard can have you wind up with maimed/killed stock. It's rare that it works. Successful guard donkeys are raised by breeders specifically for guarding. The donkeys are put with stock ~ poultry, cattle, sheep, goats, etc. ~ when they are weaned. They can not see nor hear other donkeys. They grow up with the stock. Jacks are NOT suggested for guards, since they usually have their minds elsewhere! -G-

Great Pyrs will guard AND bring the stock to you. A fella down the road has 2 Pyrs. One tends the perimeter, one the stock. I've seen this fella stand on his front porch and give a certain whistle. The dogs bring in the large herd of goats.

Critters can't just be dumped in to do a job. The skills may be in the blood lines, but training has to take place.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), March 10, 2001.


Rosco is a gelding, about 6, and he is very protective of the goats and chickens. He lets us know if anything odd is out there. When a deer is out there, Rosco snorts, and his ears are pointing to where the deer are, and he'll trot over that way snorting. Every time.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), March 10, 2001.


Try teaching the donkey to come to a feed bucket, a chain rattle attached to the handle, or some other sound call that means food and is not used for any thing else.

-- Thumper (slrldr@aol.com), March 11, 2001.

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