Emus + predators

[chickenzoo]

Between the five GPs, the twenty geese, guineas, and the mini donkey..... Not much around here goes unnoticed for long, lol. The guineas or geese honk at something, the donkey starts braying, the dogs go running and the emu follow the dogs..... The GPs are worth every penny.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
How difficult are the GPs to train? I haven't had but two little inside mutt dogs in my life and that was many years ago. Just not a dog person. Plus, I have 30 free range chickens in the area the dogs would be protecting. But I have given it some thought. Just wondering. Are GPs the best and is it possible to train them not to kill chickens?

 

[chickenzoo]

Mine sleep with, share food with and guard 200 plus chickens, 12 turkey, 20 geese, pair of Egyptians, 6 swans, 4 emu, 2 crowned cranes, horses, mini horses, mini cows, fainting goats,a mini donkey, llamas and alpacas .... I don't trust my one female with the peafowl or my pheasants.... But as long as they are in a pen she won't bother them.... Funny she's fine with everyone else. My two older males I can trust with almost anything.... He did kill a button quail once, but not on purpose.... He squished it. The two puppies are good with almost everything....kind of like the female, chickens -bantams, silkies, geese biting them..... Don't care, just wild smelling stuff. Not all are good with birds, not even when raised with them. Out of my litter of nine, half made good dogs with birds, others better with larger animals. Their are other LGDs but I did not have luck with Anatolians or crosses. GPs seem to be good with all types of animals. They can be very hard headed... As they are bred to be self thinking, they LOVE to dig, and they bark a lot as a warning to predators to stay away. But they are great with kids and animals and love their family.

 

[larkflying]

I'd love to have two GP to deal with our nasty coyotes -- but we don't have enough fenced area for them I think. Plus, the training makes me a little concerned. When the kids are all older so I have more time to train . . . However, if we ever do have a good large perimeter fence I am going to seriously consider it. The coyotes make me nervous, but it is the neighbor's undisciplined pit bull crosses that "accidentally" get out that really make me worried. The GP digging doesn't bother me -- the barking might bother the good neighbors -- we don't have many, but I try to keep on the good side of the one nice family. As far as the pitbull owning family, ah, well, don't care much about what they think. (I do know that not all pitbulls are vicious, but it has been our unfortunate experience that the ones that live by us are very dangerous and unpredictable. I have met some in other places that have been friendly and normal dogs ) And, I'm so glad I don't have any bobcats around . . . I think . . .