Oregon court rules LGDs must be debarked in case against farmers

[Lady of McCamley]

@Farmer Connie


I'm so sorry. What a pain.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Along with the 7 Guide Dog projects (which were returned to GBD at the end of our 18 months of training, per dog), I also raised a Sheltie who "helped" with the chickens (he was better at agility than herding).

Shelties are known for barking, but with proper handling, mental stimulation and positive reinforcement (no heavy handedness with that breed), I had a very sweet and mostly quiet little companion. I taught him to "talk" instead of bark...which was a goofy half sneeze and soft vocalization. It can be done with proper training and effort.

I now have a working Rat Terrier/couch potato/Netflix loving dog. He does not bark incessantly, though the breed could. He also chases rats through chickens without disturbing a feather, another thing that can be trained. (13 rat kills this summer...go Dobby!)

So the "farm" couple who need 6 LGD on 3.4 acres and fenced sheep, without the time to train them properly, are totally irresponsible to their neighbors and those poor, bitterly bored dogs.

Forgive any overly harsh sounding commentary...I'll step off my soap box now.
LofMc

 

[Lazy Farmer]

@Farmer Connie


I'm so sorry. What a pain.

That was a short summary... I don't wish to dwell.. But thank you needless to say

 

[Lazy Farmer]

A good working dog is a joy to have around, indeed.

LofMc

We have 2 dogs.. a chocolate lab and a border collie. Excellent protectors of our investments. Faithful and behaved. Man's best friend from spending countless quality time and compassion.

 

[ChickenMath101]

That's a whole lotta livestock and critters on a rather smallish parcel. 2 medium dogs on 10 acres is just right for my situation. 6 of them would honestly be 4 too many.
I've met quite a few LGD. Not one of them barked like a lunatic. Yes, alert bark when someone comes up the drive. But not constant. This sounds like learned behavior by a dog who's bored out of his mind.
It's a sorry thing when adjoining neighbors have so little respect for each other's mutual peace and enjoyment of property that it comes to this.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Okay...I read the article...and here is my personal opinion on this...as a former paralegal, as a former Guide Dog for the Blind puppy raiser (7 projects), and as a former rural gal who actually grew up in Grants Pass (years ago).

I feel for the neighbors who had to put up with incessantly barking dogs for 10 years and couldn't find a peaceful resolve from a neighborly chat. The farm owners are totally inconsiderate and also apparently have no idea what a good LGD should do.

A well trained LGD does NOT need to bark and bark and bark. It alerts only when there is actual presence of a predator, then briefly to drive off the predator or alert the sheep herder.

I lived in that area for many years (grew up there, visited family over the years) and the area has grown up a lot. My daddy had an 80 acre ranch south of there, and then a 20 acre homestead for his retirement years. Let me just say, were were out in the boonies. Good grief, there aren't THAT many predators lurking around. We kept horses and cattle...and just checked in on them periodically. We saw an occasional bear, maybe a coyote or two. I don't remember ever having a loss, just a garden raided by bear. Even if there are numerous predators now (which I doubt as the area has filled in with a lot of suburbia), they aren't driven away by constant noise. It is the presence of the animal which deters them. Plus, if there were so many predators that the dog has to continually bark, you've got MAJOR problems. You'd have rifles out, some wildlife permits, and some better deterrents like electric fence and traps.

A poorly trained dog left to itself, in boredom, will bark and bark. It is a sign of insecurity not of trusted guardianship. Good working dogs are chill until they need to act.

Working cattle and sheep dogs bark when they herd sheep from one point to the next, however, that is a relatively short part of their day. Most of the day they are simply chilling keeping an eye open for any possible harm that might come. You might get occasional alert barking, occasional herding barking, but not day end and day out constant barking.

That kind of constant, never stop barking, is a bored and insecure dog left alone too much....put that into a pack of insecure dogs, and you've got too much noise.

I'm sure the courts were reluctant to order the de-barking of the animals (Oregon is very pro-animal and green as well). I can see the judge mulling this over as a way to give peace to the neighbors but yet allow the farm owners to keep their beloved pets....which honestly is what these animals are more of than trained working dogs....annoying pets.

My 2 cents.

A good working dog is a joy to have around, indeed.

LofMc

Ah yes...you are right...the article does state:
"Court papers describe the couple's land as a 3.4-acre parcel, populated by sheep, goats and chickens."

Oh my gosh...that is NOT a working farm...that is what we called suburbs in my day...way too many dogs, likely in kennels. On 3.4 acres, you are not seriously working sheep in that tight of quarter...there is no need to drive them any where...and WHAT predators do you have that close in?

We also had 1 acre in town...never saw any wild life in the suburb house other than the occasional skunk or oppossum...which was pretty much farm pasture with various smaller holdings.

There is NO NEED for constantly barking dogs in town or on farm.

Poor neighbors.
LofMc

Agreed, agreed and agreed!

 

[Leighe]

I now have a working Rat Terrier/couch potato/Netflix loving dog. He does not bark incessantly, though the breed could. He also chases rats through chickens without disturbing a feather, another thing that can be trained. (13 rat kills this summer...go Dobby!)

So the "farm" couple who need 6 LGD on 3.4 acres and fenced sheep, without the time to train them properly, are totally irresponsible to their neighbors and those poor, bitterly bored dogs.

Forgive any overly harsh sounding commentary...I'll step off my soap box now.
LofMc

I wish I could have known about trainin my Schnauzer to chase rats and never disturb a feather, lol. He's 11 years old now but somethin to keep in mind. My LGD's are 1/2 Great Pyrenees and 1/2 Komondor....they both have Pyr coats but definitely one has Pyr traits and the other has to be Komondor traits. I'm just thankful they both have Pyr coats (don't write me folks if you have Komondor's)....I barely get my own hair washed, dried and combed...much less the dogs....although both my dogs love to be combed and I love doin it for them....just don't think I'd be good at braidin

As for your soapbox @Lady of McCamley .....you keep right on preachin!

 

[Beer can]

Stupid article. Sorry, but this is not a farm. We live in a few acres also. Rural. And our dogs patrol and keep things safe, deter predators. Sometimes they bark excessively , .... I SHUT THEM UP! Who wants to listen to dogs bark non stop? I just go outside and say 'shut up' not loud, and they do.
Few acres... maybe enough land to have some chickens but not much else.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I wish I could have known about trainin my Schnauzer to chase rats and never disturb a feather, lol. He's 11 years old now but somethin to keep in mind. My LGD's are 1/2 Great Pyrenees and 1/2 Komondor....they both have Pyr coats but definitely one has Pyr traits and the other has to be Komondor traits. I'm just thankful they both have Pyr coats (don't write me folks if you have Komondor's)....I barely get my own hair washed, dried and combed...much less the dogs....although both my dogs love to be combed and I love doin it for them....just don't think I'd be good at braidin

As for your soapbox @Lady of McCamley .....you keep right on preachin!

Oh I LOVE it. Yes those Komondor dreadlocks...oy.

I LOVE Shelties, but I've got a bad shoulder now, and the thought of bathing and then combing, brushing, combing, brushing, that gorgeous Sheltie coat again....after my beloved Scottie passed on...I went to as short a coat as possible...I just run a dampen cloth over the Rattie now ...he's good.

LofMc

 

[Gramma Chick]

Sometimes they bark excessively , .... I SHUT THEM UP! Who wants to listen to dogs bark non stop? I just go outside and say 'shut up' not loud, and they do.

How are your chickens doing ? Do you still pop in on our thread ? havent seen you in a while