Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Beekissed]

All the GPs I've ever met were extremely intelligent and sweet natured...makes it easy to love them!

 

[smilingcat]

I think that may have been the problem with the GP I had adopted. He was emotionally so destroyed by being abondoned so many times, he became extremely needy and possessive. And whenever he felt that I was leaving him, he became worried and agitated. Such deep rooted fear is really hard to fix. He also reacted to anyone interacting with me for the same reason and he was trying to protect the connection between him and me.

And yes GPs are really calm, gentle and intelligent. They are also very stubborn as well thus their ranking in trainability.

 

[bruceh]

any dog can be trained. it takes time and love. i have been working with a rescue for 3 months. she is a mastiff that was so mistreated and starved i thought great she going to be an idiot. she is turning from aggressive to very sweet. it will take every bit of 5 more months to get her near great. dogs need leadership. if you are not alpha you are in for trouble. i can look at my bull mastiff and say one word. that dog will drop on a dime. she is however bonded to her humans. she will protect during the day at night it is protecting humans.

how in the heck can you expect a dog to take down a pack of bears. one swipe of a paw and it's lights out.for that dog. i wonder if the owners ever heard of a 30.06 rifle. now if they would have trained the dog to spoke the bears that would have been different. however i think once the bears figured out no threat they would be back with heightened scense..

 

[donrae]

Oh Pozees I think I love you!! I have Border Collies. One because he is what I chose to have and the other was a rescue. They are brilliant dogs in my mind but they are also VERY challenging! They are in constant motion and they are always thinking. One of the biggest problems for them is that they are always thinking and the owners are not. I love my dogs but I would not wish for everyone to have one. Ten borders together would take over the world with an irresponsible owner!

Did you see the joke about how many border collies does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one. And while he was at it he re-wired the entire house and brought your plumbing up to code

 

[Beekissed]

Actually the GPs are very effective against bears. What you see on TV and movies about bears is pretty much useless. They will not confront two or three large GPs....they hunt bears with dogs all the time. Especially the bears in that area....bear hunting with dogs is a big sport there.

These GPs were so effective against bears that all the neighbors within 5 miles on either side of this farm were also reporting no more bear or coyote losses. Not only that, but all the deer and anything else living in the woods for a 5 mile radius were missing as well!

GPs are TOO effective and they run all night long...the only problem with that is that they should be sticking with the flocks all day and night, not chasing off every bear in a 5 mile radius, getting hit on the road, killing everyone's chickens, etc.

 

[Beekissed]

Did you see the joke about how many border collies does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one. And while he was at it he re-wired the entire house and brought your plumbing up to code

Mine did the taxes on his lunch break after doing all the rest.

 

[smilingcat]

Typically you will have 2, 3 or more LGD dog if you have a flock of sheep. Never one.

Yes the owner has to be the alpha. No if buts then... This is where most of the problem lies with training of LGD dogs. Most do not understand this aspect. Or some misunderstand as you can treat the dog rough. It's not the same. GP will challenge you even though they are sweet natured. And you need to respond appropriately so that GP recognize that you are his alpha. The broken GP I had for a very short time knew who the alpha was. I also could not risk him killing one of my cats, chicken or attacking my partner because GP thought she, my partner, was going to take away his bond with me. The dog was unpredictable!! A cat could walk by his nose and nothing on one occasion. Next time, he would be like a spring loaded trap and lunge to get at the cat. I could not let my guard down with this particular dog. I just didn't have the right environment to rehab the dog.

On return I said, this dog needs to be the only dog in the household. No small children and no small animals. Once he was rehab'ed he may be fine. But not in the state he was when he came to me or when he returned.

Several GPs are quite effective against a bear! Bear doesn't want to get hurt either. If he really wanted, I'm sure the bear could kill the GPs but at what cost. Bear can't afford to get hurt either and their instinct tell them so.

Yup they have tendencies to roam in what they consider their "territory" and not respect your property line. LOL... You need a 6ft plus tall fence if you want to keep them in your property or train them very well. Even my GP-lab mix will do a perimeter check and bark at every corner of my property in the morning... well come to think of it any time of the day. coyotes are no where to be seen near my property. A year old coon was scoping out a his turf and decided to move on when he realized that there was a GP-lab mix dog on my property and my neighbor has Aussie shepherd. God he is so wound up.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you see the joke about how many border collies does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one. And while he was at it he re-wired the entire house and brought your plumbing up to code

I like that one

 

[smyers32]

Typically you will have 2, 3 or more LGD dog if you have a flock of sheep. Never one.

Yes the owner has to be the alpha. No if buts then... This is where most of the problem lies with training of LGD dogs. Most do not understand this aspect. Or some misunderstand as you can treat the dog rough. It's not the same. GP will challenge you even though they are sweet natured. And you need to respond appropriately so that GP recognize that you are his alpha. The broken GP I had for a very short time knew who the alpha was. I also could not risk him killing one of my cats, chicken or attacking my partner because GP thought she, my partner, was going to take away his bond with me. The dog was unpredictable!! A cat could walk by his nose and nothing on one occasion. Next time, he would be like a spring loaded trap and lunge to get at the cat. I could not let my guard down with this particular dog. I just didn't have the right environment to rehab the dog.

On return I said, this dog needs to be the only dog in the household. No small children and no small animals. Once he was rehab'ed he may be fine. But not in the state he was when he came to me or when he returned.

Several GPs are quite effective against a bear! Bear doesn't want to get hurt either. If he really wanted, I'm sure the bear could kill the GPs but at what cost. Bear can't afford to get hurt either and their instinct tell them so.

Yup they have tendencies to roam in what they consider their "territory" and not respect your property line. LOL... You need a 6ft plus tall fence if you want to keep them in your property or train them very well. Even my GP-lab mix will do a perimeter check and bark at every corner of my property in the morning... well come to think of it any time of the day. coyotes are no where to be seen near my property. A year old coon was scoping out a his turf and decided to move on when he realized that there was a GP-lab mix dog on my property and my neighbor has Aussie shepherd. God he is so wound up.

I used to live/work on a farm down the road from a sheep farm that had a large flock out with just one GP. If those sheep were anywhere remotely close to the road when we drove by in the carriage, he would come thundering down the hill barking and growling like a rabid beast. I've never taken a dog more seriously in my life.

 

[NikkiMiChickie]

So the friend with the GP is not using him as a LGD, she lives in town. She plans to make his cute fluffy self a therapy dog. I'm not seeing it... Anyone w GP experience think this is realistic? I'm trying to gently guide, while what I want to do is