Protective Geese

[junebug1389]

Hello!
I will be having my first goose this Spring and I wanted to get your opinion on the Toulouse. I have heard they are like guard dogs for any animal trying to get near the flock, however they will be nice to the person that raised them.

Are males more aggressive than females?

What are your experiences with this breed?

 

[JulieNKC]

In my experience geese make good watch dogs, horrible guard dogs. They will hang around the ducks occasionally, rarely the chickens, but are just as likely to go their own way and not be around when trouble arrives. And they are more likely to be taken by a predator than a chicken, waterfowl tastes better. Haven't lost a chicken to a predator in years, but lost a goose to a fox one afternoon last year. They will honk and let you know if something is up, and are great at discouraging unwelcome 2 legged visitors. My turkeys did a better job "guarding" the flock. If something unusual was in the yard they'd surround it, usually a cat or groundhog, lol.
They are fairly friendly, but in springtime can have an attitude, even to their owners. Its mostly bluff, my 4 and 5 year old have grown up around them and handle them easily. And the first year will be the worst for attitudes, after their teenage phase they settle a bit. Ganders have a little more attitude, but the geese will also be protective of their nesting area.They aren't for everyone, but I absolutely love them. They have lots of personality, are fun to watch, easy to take care of. I have Sebastopol geese now, but have had embden and Toulouse mixes in the past, personalities are pretty similar for the most part.