LGD-where to kennel/sleep?

[Beekissed]

Was wondering about your progress?

 

[Megs501]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you-

Huck is doing great! (knock on wood) He is freeranging with his chickens now, and does pretty well. He stays close to their coop, and in the back around the pond, where they and the cows like to go. He is doing really well with his manners, and waits patiently for his food, MOST of the time

However, the guy sold the female puppy out from under me, so I dont have another puppy lined up.

2 things: I am worried about introducing a puppy, and it being less chicken friendly. I know i need to find the right puppy, not just the first one that comes along, so my 2nd question is-

Will it be a problem if the next puppy is 4-6 months younger than Huck?
Someone has puppies due in 4 weeks, (they will be raised with chickens and livestock, alongside parents) then of course 8 weeks after that to wean, by then Huck will be .... almost 7 months old and the puppy will be 8 weeks. Is that a recipe for disaster?

 

[Beekissed]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you-

Huck is doing great! (knock on wood) He is freeranging with his chickens now, and does pretty well. He stays close to their coop, and in the back around the pond, where they and the cows like to go. He is doing really well with his manners, and waits patiently for his food, MOST of the time

However, the guy sold the female puppy out from under me, so I dont have another puppy lined up.

2 things: I am worried about introducing a puppy, and it being less chicken friendly. I know i need to find the right puppy, not just the first one that comes along, so my 2nd question is-

Will it be a problem if the next puppy is 4-6 months younger than Huck?
Someone has puppies due in 4 weeks, (they will be raised with chickens and livestock, alongside parents) then of course 8 weeks after that to wean, by then Huck will be .... almost 7 months old and the puppy will be 8 weeks. Is that a recipe for disaster?

I don't think so. Just do the regular training and don't let their combined puppy-ness play off one another during training. They can be all the puppy they need to be with one another...but never towards the livestock. Make that clear from the beginning...there's work mode and play mode and even dogs that old can understand that to some degree. That's why pups that are combined with other working dogs tend to do better around livestock from a young age than do those that are being trained by humans alone....the older dog that is not its own mother will come down on puppy antics directed towards lesser animals.

My old dog, Lucy, a GP/Lab mix dog would school Jake, my then Lab/BC pup on being too rough with the kittens, even. And she wasn't easy about it either....a lunge, huge growl/bark and a bite when he'd get too rough in playing with the youngsters. One time of that was all it took and, after that, he was the soul of gentleness with the smaller animals. Later on, when we got lambs, he was just as polite. Still a pup, but still being very certain to maintain correct behavior towards the livestock.

In this case, you will play the part of the older dog.

When you say he does "pretty well" on free range with the chickens, does that mean he has times when he doesn't do so well?

ETA: LOVE the name you gave him, BTW!

 

[Megs501]

So far he hasn't had any problem times. He has pawed/pranced towards a chicken once or twice and was immediately corrected. He really doesnt pay them much attention, but gets very upset if I let the chickens out without him. he doesnt mind being in his pen or run, as long as there are 5-8 chickens with him.

he has found the pond and likes it, he comes to the swing to see the kids, then goes back to his spot.

I just dont want to jinx it haha

 

[Beekissed]

So far he hasn't had any problem times. He has pawed/pranced towards a chicken once or twice and was immediately corrected. He really doesnt pay them much attention, but gets very upset if I let the chickens out without him. he doesnt mind being in his pen or run, as long as there are 5-8 chickens with him.

he has found the pond and likes it, he comes to the swing to see the kids, then goes back to his spot.

I just dont want to jinx it haha

Sounds like you have him on track! I hope it continues to go well for you and with the new pup as well. These LGDs are amazing dogs, very intuitive and~in my limited experience~easy to train. They have great instincts towards guarding and nurturing other animals, while also seem to love pleasing their owners. Can't beat that combination.

Can't wait to see pics of the two working together at your place! How's the kids doing with Huck?

 

[Megs501]

Thank you!

They are doing great with him! They know he isn't a pet, but that he may check on them. They are allowed to pet and say "good boy" when he sits. Otherwise, they don't give him attention, and I told them no running around him, especially near chickens, so that he doesnt think they want to play. They help me keep an eye on him through the windows.

So far, they are all doing well together.

now, if I could just find a dang female- everyone has "crosses" that aren't LGD breeds, and are trying to sell them as such. Grrr

 

[Beekissed]

I bet it's hard for them not to want to hug and pet him all the time...these breeds are so very cute! My grown sons have a hard time not wanting to do the same, no matter how much I would get onto them....they just had to play and wrestle with the puppy!

Now he's so big they aren't as tempted to wrestle with him.

 

[Megs501]

We got pup #2. Anne joined us friday.
We did the chicken training like you suggested, this morning. I held a chicken in front of her and she pawed it. I immediately corrected her.
Repeated it and she looked away. So we will continue. I think she had a lot more people exposure (mostly to kids) than huck did so shes more interested in us. Huck is happy w us or his chickens. She prefers us. So we have some work to do.

I let the two pups play sometimes but never around the chickens. And never playing chase/prey hunting w each other

Can you tell me what should be allowed between the two of them? Huck does try to dominate some and has started some humping ... he isnt old enough to be mating so iim assuming this is dominance behavior?

I really dont know a lot about pups especially having a m and f together and the internet and facebook groups just all give conflicting info. What are tour thoughts?

Also I am keeping them separate unless supervised w leads. Huck does so well w chickens i dont want anne influencing him otherwise. Haha. Do you think that is ok?

**edited for typos. Dang phone

 

[Beekissed]

We got pup #2. Anne joined us friday.
We did the chicken training like you suggested, this morning. I held a chicken in front of her and she pawed it. I immediately corrected her.
Repeated it and she looked away. So we will continue. I think she had a lot more people exposure (mostly to kids) than huck did so shes more interested in us. Huck is happy w us or his chickens. She prefers us. So we have some work to do.

I let the two pups play sometimes but never around the chickens. And never playing chase/prey hunting w each other

Can you tell me what should be allowed between the two of them? Huck does try to dominate some and has started some humping ... he isnt old enough to be mating so iim assuming this is dominance behavior?

I really dont know a lot about pups especially having a m and f together and the internet and facebook groups just all give conflicting info. What are tour thoughts?

Also I am keeping them separate unless supervised w leads. Huck does so well w chickens i dont want anne influencing him otherwise. Haha. Do you think that is ok?

**edited for typos. Dang phone

I think you'll need to do your training on the chickens and other things with her before you can let them work together, but if they have play time together, just let them establish their own pack order. One will take the lead and one will be their right hand man, so to speak. Sounds like Huck is trying to let her know he wants to take the lead already...I like that.

Once you've got her responding to come, leave it, have walked on the lead around the boundary, etc., and feel comfortable about her knowing what you want from her around the chickens, I'd let them work together....could be he will teach her and they will learn together about the feeding rituals, the lack of play behavior around the chickens, etc. You are taking on a huge chore training two pups together, so don't get too discouraged if you have setbacks....these dogs are amazing and learn quickly, so just redirect and try again if you find yourself getting overwhelmed by the sheer puppyness of it all.

I'm so glad he has a partner now...they are the nth degree of cuteness!!!!

So, Huck is doing good around the chickens thus far?

 

[Megs501]

Thank you so much! I expect we will have some set backs, but I think with the right help we will get through them all.

Huck si doing GREAT! He is like an old man, just really laid back, less puppy, more serious. He is still playful, but not what I would expect from a 4 month old pup. He went with my kids t the woods this morning to walk the trail, then escorted them back, promptly walked around the yard checking things out, and laid down next to the largest group of chickens free ranging. He's a really good boy!

Hopefully we can get Anne trained well; not sure if it is just because she is so young that she is just all puppy right now? =/