LGD: seeking advice from experienced owners

[WingItRanch]

I agree with @Squawkers from my experience. We have an Akbash that's been in with our sheep and goats for at least the past three years. He's not neutered. He was a year-and-a-half when we got him. He showed the same instincts/curiosity behavior and I definitely tried to discourage it (and he listened to me and didn't continue or I would have done more), but I don't ever recall ever separating them. I think they just figure out that they are not a sheep/goat, hopefully in most cases. They are smart and animals are animals so I totally wouldn't beat yourself up about it. Hopefully the behavior works itself out and doesn't continue like my luck had it. I think he definitely sounds like a good one and worth working with.


Oh, and I definitely wouldn't worry too much about her being injured there. It's one of the most vascular parts of the sheep* besides the ears, and they are pretty tough as nails there, considering what it goes through. Never bad to keep an eye out, though.

*sheep/goat

This is helpful (and calming). Thank you! Good to know that this can happen sometimes and can be trained out.

I think what I'm going to do for now is keep them separated when I'm not there. When I'm there, I'll bring Beau back into the enclosure and just observe and correct any unwanted behavior when I see it.

Then I'll re-evaluate after he's been neutered and recovered from that.

I'll definitely keep a very close eye on Maggie. She stopped bleeding but still looks a little puffy. Her behavior hasn't changed.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

He is gorgeous, btw. In case I didn't say so already!

 

[Jener8or]

I think that sounds like the best plan! Your doe is probably in heat and that's why he's chasing her and has a puffy vulva, I'm assuming.

 

[WingItRanch]

I think that sounds like the best plan! Your doe is probably in heat and that's why he's chasing her and has a puffy vulva, I'm assuming.

She is in heat. Or she was yesterday. She was making all sorts of crazy noises and wagging that tail. Maybe she "let" Beau make contact? I just don't know.

 

[WingItRanch]

@Love Donkeys going to tag you in too in case you've also experienced this since I know you had LGDs.

 

[NotabitaiI]

I think what I'm going to do for now is keep them separated when I'm not there. When I'm there, I'll bring Beau back into the enclosure and just observe and correct any unwanted behavior when I see it.

Then I'll re-evaluate after he's been neutered and recovered from that.

I think this is exactly what you should do. He's fairly young and he will probably learn not to do this if you nip it in the bud now. Neutering should knock him down several pegs hormonally and eventually you'll be able to reintegrate him. If he were any older I personally would've made him solely a property guard but he's at that age where they're feeling their oats and like I said before he's probably the worst now that he'll ever be.

 

[NatJ]

I realized she was bleeding so I suspect he made contact and caused some trauma to that area. I immediately moved Beau into another pen away from the goats and cleaned her up. She's slightly swollen and bleeding from her vagina. I have another doe that is heavily pregnant but this girl is not because she's in heat so this is not a miscarriage.

How closely do those symptoms overlap with what is normal for a goat in heat?

 

[WingItRanch]

How closely do those symptoms overlap with what is normal for a goat in heat?

Do you mean the bleeding? The bleeding is not normal. It's only trauma, miscarriage, or some internal issue that would cause it.

 

[NatJ]

Do you mean the bleeding? The bleeding is not normal. It's only trauma, miscarriage, or some internal issue that would cause it.

If you know that bleeding is not normal for goats, that explains why you jumped to the conclusion the dog was responsible (and I think you're likely right.)

I was thinking of both the swelling and the bleeding. I've read about quite a few different species but never fully got straight which ones swell, which ones bleed, and so forth.

 

[WingItRanch]

If you know that bleeding is not normal for goats, that explains why you jumped to the conclusion the dog was responsible (and I think you're likely right.)

I was thinking of both the swelling and the bleeding. I've read about quite a few different species but never fully got straight which ones swell, which ones bleed, and so forth.

Same here. I'm always learning. I did do a lot of research to make sure there wasn't another explanation but this one is the simplest since I actually witnessed a previous attempt to mount.