English Shepherd as Poultry Guardian

[centrarchid]

I thought dogs went 'doggie style', him on top of her facing the same way?

It starts that way as seen in second from last image. Click to magnify. When "plumbing is installed" the male plumbing has a bulbus region that swells further making so it hooks between bones of the female pelvis resulting in the dogs being tied. The male then dismounts with his plumbing still installed. That is part my kids had issue with when they first saw it. Sperm transferred when dogs tied. Normally, the tie is maintained until the additional swelling of bulbous region goes down, then they separate sometimes with a little yelping. They can also separate when really motivated without swelling going down, like when a strange dog is seen in distance that they want to run off. More yelping when that happens.

I will have to look up proper terms for male parts.

 

[aart]

It starts that way

Ah OK.....I knew the rest.

 

[centrarchid]

Ah OK.....I knew the rest.

In link below, connect maintained on female side based on muscle contraction, not hooking into groove made my pelvic bones I wrote earlier.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_penis

 

[centrarchid]

Even my dogs do this.

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/7575...-squirrels-eavesdrop-on-birds-researchers-say

Humans are just a capable, but most to busy pondering other things.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Even my dogs do this.

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/04/7575...-squirrels-eavesdrop-on-birds-researchers-say

Humans are just a capable, but most to busy pondering other things.

Very interesting!! I suspected as much since I have seen lots of animals and even my own chickens do the same exact thing.

 

[centrarchid]

Now that heat is complete, we are seeing a major change in both Honey and Ben. A lot more aggression is being exhibited. Ben is back to barking a lot at night. Honey does a lot more bullying of Lucy and she is getting more aggressive towards even male dogs not part of her pack. She rushed a couple of male dogs owned by neighbor when we went to get mail. Ben and Lucy were ready to back her up which got me to move everyone back quickly.

Lucy used to be the dominant dog for almost 2 years after loss of Scoob. Now she is the omega. Despite this she still plays leading role when something like a raccoon is involved.

Very low raccoon and opossum action for nearly last month. Camera traps and actual traps showing no activity and the dogs are not running to barn at odd hours of night as often.

 

[centrarchid]

I commented too soon on predator issues. Honey came back into house whining to get me to go outside. As soon as I popped head out front door I could here Lucy barking tree. Got dressed real quick; just running shoes and orange underwear so the world can get a visual; got rifle, three rounds and spotlight that had full charge. Went to where Lucy had an opossum treed in a persimmon tree not 30 feet from another persimmon tree where some juvenile games where roosting. Seeing and shooting good enabling me to easily drop opossum where Lucy and Honey made sure it was dispatched. Ben is "still-mouthed" on opossums. Squirrels and armadillos are his thing.

We are protecting persimmons as much as chickens on this. Dogs, chickens and me like persimmons real good.

 

[fisherlady]

I enjoyed reading the link on the animal communication...we had an example of the 'danger' side of it just the other day. Husband was in front yard throwing ball to entertain dogs when the male ES began acting odd, looking off to the east over a hay field, growling and hair bristling, Mindy (female ES) went to stand beside him, followed his line of sight and when she saw what he did (hawk circling) she began barking and chickens all bolted for cover.

Evidently the birds understand not all barks are the same, they basically ignore the barks when the dogs are playing or when friends drive up to house. But if it is something which upsets the dogs the birds all respond immediately....

Mindy has twice saved birds being attacked by hawks (witnessed by me) and she has a real hatred for them, this was the first time we actually saw Dillon be the first to react to the danger, usually he followed Mindy's lead on aerial predators or ignored them unless they were on the ground in the yard. Furry predators are a different story.

 

[centrarchid]

Chickens here key in on dog body posture as much as sounds produced. We have had so little raptor activity this year that chickens and dogs have not had as much time to train up on signals. Honey in particular is into raptors but is having to settle for vultures and bald eagles, neither of which are a threat here, but are still fun to chase and bark at as they fly over.

 

[centrarchid]

We had a busy last few days. Saturday about midday a fox came in and ultimately got three juvenile chickens. One was taken and not seen again. Another was damaged to die later and another was returned by dog after he founded where dog cached it. Fox came in while dogs where either inside or sleeping on north side of house. I was inside when the females ran for door growling and I could hear Ben barking already. The dogs were running about growling like they do when a fox or coyote comes in. Within a couple minutes my son informed me that Honey was attacking a chicken. When I went to see what was going on Honey was indeed messing with a pullet but was not doing much beyond pushing it with her nose. It had revived what I call dry bites where damage is done to back and neck with minimal slobber. She had extensive nerve damage and likely damage to air sac system. She passed within an hour. He brother and another 6 week old cockerel could not be found although I did find feathers from her brother. Another cockerel had hid in brush and a hen with seven chicks was hiding about 50 yards beyond where they normally go. I was able to call all in and they were not concerned about dogs. Later sometime after midnight Ben brought brother to pullet up. Cockerel was covered in dirt so likely Ben found it buried. Ben barked a lot to get me out of bed so I would see what he found.

The following night Lucy got into a major battle with a raccoon she could not kill because is got up into a pipe. Also same night a GHO came in. Most birds now penned during day, all penned at night except broody hen near front porch. Owl this morning was watching hen with chicks near front porch until dogs came around. Owl was not scared of me.