Sometimes I wish the wife was following around with a video camera...although I suspect she just pretends not to see a lot that happens.....
PLANNED POULTRY GUARDING DOG
- Thread starter centrarchid
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- #32
SCOOB AND FIRST OPPOSSUM
It has been an exceptionally mild winter so far and last couple days have been warmer than usual causing critters to move about more. Scoob got his first oppossum and it was a pretty big one and well fed. Last winter 2010/2011 was harsh with lots of snow and very cold which I think was hard on the local oppossum population. Survivors had minimal competition for food and this is first I have seen alive on property for over a year. It was going after food from my wife's bird feeders. Our cats do not like these critters at all. I dispatch them because unlike racoons, these guys will keep coming back. Racoons at least will steer clear if I or dog get into them.
At time of photograph it was very much alive and likely not damaged much. It was doing the "playing-possum" which seems to confuse dogs (wild and domestic) reducing odds dog will go for kill. In my youth our black and tan coonhounds would occasionally catch a oppossum and by all appearances seriously maul the critter yet they the oppossum would walk away, albeit sore after dog gave up. Some dogs knew what they were doing and finished oppossum quickly. Scoob does not belong to latter group. Scoob even barked-on-tree but does not do so on trail. My brother indicated hunting with folks that use German Short-haired Pointers to go after racoons. There were very good with lining out hot/fresh tracks and pushing racoon into tree before reaching den making take of quarry more likely.
Scoob did good!
It has been an exceptionally mild winter so far and last couple days have been warmer than usual causing critters to move about more. Scoob got his first oppossum and it was a pretty big one and well fed. Last winter 2010/2011 was harsh with lots of snow and very cold which I think was hard on the local oppossum population. Survivors had minimal competition for food and this is first I have seen alive on property for over a year. It was going after food from my wife's bird feeders. Our cats do not like these critters at all. I dispatch them because unlike racoons, these guys will keep coming back. Racoons at least will steer clear if I or dog get into them.
At time of photograph it was very much alive and likely not damaged much. It was doing the "playing-possum" which seems to confuse dogs (wild and domestic) reducing odds dog will go for kill. In my youth our black and tan coonhounds would occasionally catch a oppossum and by all appearances seriously maul the critter yet they the oppossum would walk away, albeit sore after dog gave up. Some dogs knew what they were doing and finished oppossum quickly. Scoob does not belong to latter group. Scoob even barked-on-tree but does not do so on trail. My brother indicated hunting with folks that use German Short-haired Pointers to go after racoons. There were very good with lining out hot/fresh tracks and pushing racoon into tree before reaching den making take of quarry more likely.
Scoob did good!
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- #33
SCOOB AND SECOND OPPOSSUM
This sucker is probably the largest oppossum I have ever seen. It easily the prettiest with no evidence of bites or scarring caused by fighting with other critters. This one did not play oppossum and Scoob simply treed it until I got onto seen. It also had a relatively dark coat of fur. Based on size I when seeing only eyes I thought Scoob had cornered an adult racoon.
Scoob kept coming to back door and whining to get me to follow him to oppossum when I was too slow. First I had to tend to infant son before going outside. After oppossum dispatched Scoob started looking excitedly for another. He seems to enjoy varmint patrols.
This sucker is probably the largest oppossum I have ever seen. It easily the prettiest with no evidence of bites or scarring caused by fighting with other critters. This one did not play oppossum and Scoob simply treed it until I got onto seen. It also had a relatively dark coat of fur. Based on size I when seeing only eyes I thought Scoob had cornered an adult racoon.
Scoob kept coming to back door and whining to get me to follow him to oppossum when I was too slow. First I had to tend to infant son before going outside. After oppossum dispatched Scoob started looking excitedly for another. He seems to enjoy varmint patrols.
Quote:
Father in law has two. Great animals...but he has 40 something acres for them to roam and keep an eye on. Keeps them busy. Although a little independent as he would tell you, it never ceases to amaze me the way they work together. They look at you like your retarded when you tell them something yet the work 200 feet apart with simple looks to each other.
We have a GSD because that is what ive always had I suppose. We really dont have enough property for a GP to stay engaged on.
Father in law has two. Great animals...but he has 40 something acres for them to roam and keep an eye on. Keeps them busy. Although a little independent as he would tell you, it never ceases to amaze me the way they work together. They look at you like your retarded when you tell them something yet the work 200 feet apart with simple looks to each other.
We have a GSD because that is what ive always had I suppose. We really dont have enough property for a GP to stay engaged on.
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- #35
Quote:
Father in law has two. Great animals...but he has 40 something acres for them to roam and keep an eye on. Keeps them busy. Although a little independent as he would tell you, it never ceases to amaze me the way they work together. They look at you like your retarded when you tell them something yet the work 200 feet apart with simple looks to each other.
We have a GSD because that is what ive always had I suppose. We really dont have enough property for a GP to stay engaged on.
I have about 20 acres with centrally located woodlot. Dog has to sometimes respond to out of sight threats and get there fast which German Short-haired pointer well suited for. A second to be acquired as female pup will enable consistant protection against coyotes in the event scent marking which works now does not warn them off.
Father in law has two. Great animals...but he has 40 something acres for them to roam and keep an eye on. Keeps them busy. Although a little independent as he would tell you, it never ceases to amaze me the way they work together. They look at you like your retarded when you tell them something yet the work 200 feet apart with simple looks to each other.
We have a GSD because that is what ive always had I suppose. We really dont have enough property for a GP to stay engaged on.
I have about 20 acres with centrally located woodlot. Dog has to sometimes respond to out of sight threats and get there fast which German Short-haired pointer well suited for. A second to be acquired as female pup will enable consistant protection against coyotes in the event scent marking which works now does not warn them off.
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- #36
SCOOB MATURING INTO MULTIPURPOSE ROLE
Scoob is getting better each day with patrolling property. He now pushes down into woods as part of rounds and can get them done within 5 minutes. Now starting to deal with distraction of females in heat which got Scoob almost into a little shotgun trouble (not marriage kind). Scoob can still be called off female in heat when 14 months old which is new for me when an intact male is involved. Neighbor takes particular issue with Scoob but reality is Scoob is only dog that tries to visit his female that comes to collect his dog. Neighbor also has an intact male I think it actually got to his female making Scoobs daliances a mute point when no pups of any sort are desired.
During the production season (March thru November) Scoob is an outside dog charged with protecting cohorts of free-ranging juvenile dominiques and dominique crosses roosting in my remote roost scattered about pasture. During the balance of year Scoob is inside much of year since all but one flock is confined. The remaining free-range flock roosts on front porch and is made up of red jungle fowl crosses and a cull Amerian game. The front porch flock is very predator savy during day and enjoys Scoobs proximity at night since he is allowed outside whenever he wants plus when I excersize my OCD and walk pens and coops around place each night. Otherwise during off-season Scoob has another charge, namely my infant (carpet maggot) son. Scoob and son are well into process of bonding and will soon as a team be giving predators serious problems. Acquiring female pointer will be delayed until spring 2013 so Scoob will be a little more settled into role before challenged with a pup sure to be loaded with bad habits.
With little Mr. Man, life is not all work. Sometimes you can just be slackers.'
Scoob is getting better each day with patrolling property. He now pushes down into woods as part of rounds and can get them done within 5 minutes. Now starting to deal with distraction of females in heat which got Scoob almost into a little shotgun trouble (not marriage kind). Scoob can still be called off female in heat when 14 months old which is new for me when an intact male is involved. Neighbor takes particular issue with Scoob but reality is Scoob is only dog that tries to visit his female that comes to collect his dog. Neighbor also has an intact male I think it actually got to his female making Scoobs daliances a mute point when no pups of any sort are desired.
During the production season (March thru November) Scoob is an outside dog charged with protecting cohorts of free-ranging juvenile dominiques and dominique crosses roosting in my remote roost scattered about pasture. During the balance of year Scoob is inside much of year since all but one flock is confined. The remaining free-range flock roosts on front porch and is made up of red jungle fowl crosses and a cull Amerian game. The front porch flock is very predator savy during day and enjoys Scoobs proximity at night since he is allowed outside whenever he wants plus when I excersize my OCD and walk pens and coops around place each night. Otherwise during off-season Scoob has another charge, namely my infant (carpet maggot) son. Scoob and son are well into process of bonding and will soon as a team be giving predators serious problems. Acquiring female pointer will be delayed until spring 2013 so Scoob will be a little more settled into role before challenged with a pup sure to be loaded with bad habits.
With little Mr. Man, life is not all work. Sometimes you can just be slackers.'
Awww how sweet!
That is amazing! This is the first story with photos that I have seen with a Poultry Guard Dog! I am trying to train my dog to tolerate my new chickens. He hasn't gotten any of the hens that have gotten out, but I am keeping an eye out on him. He likes to point at the hens through the fencing. This will be an interesting experience!
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- #39
Run search on training dogs for poultry. You will find various methods used and I suspect many are effective. It is best you are about when they interact first few times. Keep everybody calm and do not over react if things do go wrong. I have had many dogs over lifetime and best livestock guarders did kill a bird or too before figuring out that was not best thing to do.
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- #40
Scoob and his pack. Balance of pack owned by neighbor. Includes a doberman pincher and a German shepard pup. Doberman gets along well with chickens and water fowl. Pup will do so eventually and will greatly enhance Scoob's ability to repell coyotes and other dogs. Images depict more action than intended.
Scoob and pup romping.
Pup trying keep pace with Scoob but feet are still to big for speed.
Scoob and pup romping.
Pup trying keep pace with Scoob but feet are still to big for speed.
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