How much can I trust Jake with Billy?

[gritsar]

The situation as it stands right now, until we finish the fence building/mending is that Jake is on a 60ft. runner while Billy the goat is allowed free run of the yard except after dark when I stake him to a 20 ft. run by his house.
The thing is, every time I look outside I find Billy over by Jake, either taunting him or playing with him, I'm not sure which. I worry about Billy's safety so whenever I have to leave for even a few minutes or if I take a nap I go out and hook Billy up to his run; which he absolutely hates. Jake is kind of a goofy dog, still very much a pup. Should I be concerned that he might hurt Billy?
This is only a temporary situation until we get to work outside. With my SO's schedule we only get to work around here on his days off and when the weather cooperates.
And oh, Billy has a new game. He leaps up on the outside kitchen windowsill and 'knocks' until I go outside to play with him.

 

[helmstead]

I would be concerned...

For one, even in play the dog could hurt the goat. Doesn't take a lot to lame them up. I'm also seeing in my mind's eye a goat's leg tangled up in the dog's tie out...dunno if that's possible in your set up or not.

For two, if you ever want Jake to be a herding dog and he gets hurt or scared by the goat...that could hurt his bravery and make him a less successful herder.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks Kate. I know I could depend on you for sound advice. We are just gonna have to get our fence mending done faster. Jake's runner is an overhead one, so no leg tangling, but I don't wanna take any chances.
It is kinda cute to see Jake go down into the herding crouch whenever Billy gets near. We don't ever intend for Jake to herd. Having a border collie at all was kind of an accident/stupid mistake on my part; but he'll have a good home here for the rest of his life; unless we find a better home for him someday.

 

[lacyloo]

border collies are exellent dogs with animals"but" high energy and could patentially hurt a animal. I would shorten the dogs chain. or space them apart more.

 

[Buster]

Irrelevant once I read the other posts. Good luck!

 

[lacyloo]

Hes a border collie, I sall that on her signiture

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
When both are on their runners, they are as far apart as possible for them to be on one plus acre. Jake at one end of the yard, on one side of the house; Billy at the other end of the yard, on the other side of the house. The problem is not when they are on their runners, it's when I turn Billy loose and he insists on going over there to where Jake is.

 

[Moonwalker]

My pit bull wants to play with the baby goats SOOO bad!! I let her sniff around them and play a little, but she is just too rough. She tries to play with them like she would with another dog, nipping at them and pouncing on them. But she is so much bigger than they are that she would hurt them unintentionally. I will continue to allow her contact with them so that as they get older and bigger, she will learn to be gentler and they will learn what those bumps on their heads are there for! But I will never leave them unsupervised together, even when they grow up. Might be different if they were Nubians, but they will always be smaller than she is. (African Pygmies)

A bit blurry, but the darned things never stay still!

 

[lacyloo]

lol they "never" stay still