So upset

[Doublete]

I’m upset with myself and with my dogs...
I adopted them in July of last year... they are now 3 (feb 28) litterMate German shepherds. The first year of their lives they were left alone in crates and not socialized.
The couple that adopted them had a tragedy (the woman died giving birth and the man just couldn’t handle baby and pups).
They are extremely wonderful with humans... but with animals... I don’t trust them.. they don’t know how to be around large animals... my horse pastures are fenced with no climb wire and the dogs can’t get in. My two goats live with a horse and have wire on the bottom of the cattle panels... but lately the one goat has figured out how to get out to eat grass. She slides under. But she knows to run from the dogs. So today I saw her out, however she was only ten feet from her opening so I held the dogs and yelled her name to warn her and then let the dogs out. Instead of running for her opening she ran around the pen in fear and the dogs packed on her. It was awful. It took me ten minutes to separate the dogs from her because each time I got one dog the other went back. And one would listen to a command but when she saw her sister it was all over for me.
They tore her ear and did make her bleed on her leg but no obvious injuries anywhere else. She has extremely thick coat so I’m hoping it helps her.

I locked the dogs up and then took wound spray and vetwrap and cleaned her up. I wrapped her leg.
She’s
Moving around and eating.

I just feel so bad because she is the sweetest goat in the world and wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Now I have to figure out the dogs... this cannot happen again.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had a German shepherd as a kid. She killed a calf, and a kitten. In my experiences with one example of the breed they aren't good with critters. They need training. They have herding instincts which need to be channeled. They are a high energy dog and are best with experienced owner.

That being said, I've had various dogs when young attack my livestock. It was a mistake on my part trusting them loose. Most dogs need guidance and training for 2-3 years before they are trustworthy. Some never quite get there.

You now know, so hopefully you can prevent it from happening again.

 

[Doublete]

I’ve had many German shepherds over the years... and usually had most issues with them with small critters... not large.
It took me 6 months to get these two girls to be trustworthy with my indoor cats.

I am definitely the alpha... but them being litter mates makes to so challenging. I have to fix the goats pen so Kassie can’t get out again. And continue to work the dogs.
I had thought we were making progress til today though.

I am also going to start Kassie on antibiotics in the am (gentocin- broad spectrum) which should prevent any infection.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's also harder when you have 2 bonded sisters. They will always do things together which makes them a pack. You may need to put electric fencing around your goat. That should keep the goat in and the dogs out.

I'm glad you are experienced with the breed. They can be challenging.

Goats on the other hand can be troublemakers. Glad it's okay.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I’m upset with myself and with my dogs...
I adopted them in July of last year... they are now 3 (feb 28) litterMate German shepherds. The first year of their lives they were left alone in crates and not socialized.
The couple that adopted them had a tragedy (the woman died giving birth and the man just couldn’t handle baby and pups).
They are extremely wonderful with humans... but with animals... I don’t trust them.. they don’t know how to be around large animals... my horse pastures are fenced with no climb wire and the dogs can’t get in. My two goats live with a horse and have wire on the bottom of the cattle panels... but lately the one goat has figured out how to get out to eat grass. She slides under. But she knows to run from the dogs. So today I saw her out, however she was only ten feet from her opening so I held the dogs and yelled her name to warn her and then let the dogs out. Instead of running for her opening she ran around the pen in fear and the dogs packed on her. It was awful. It took me ten minutes to separate the dogs from her because each time I got one dog the other went back. And one would listen to a command but when she saw her sister it was all over for me.
They tore her ear and did make her bleed on her leg but no obvious injuries anywhere else. She has extremely thick coat so I’m hoping it helps her.

I locked the dogs up and then took wound spray and vetwrap and cleaned her up. I wrapped her leg.
She’s
Moving around and eating.

I just feel so bad because she is the sweetest goat in the world and wouldn’t hurt a fly.

Now I have to figure out the dogs... this cannot happen again.

Can you buy an electric collar shock system? I think that will help you work on their training and you should be able to stop them from attacking with the collars. Make sure you hire a dog trainer with experience using the collars, so you know how to properly use them. That’s what I would suggest.

 

[Doublete]

Can you buy an electric collar shock system? I think that will help you work on their training and you should be able to stop them from attacking with the collars. Make sure you hire a dog trainer with experience using the collars, so you know how to properly use them. That’s what I would suggest.

I’ve used one before with an especially tough dog (had aggression issues from the shelter) and I did buy one for these girls but haven’t been able to get it to work on them. I just plugged it in tonight to charge again for use tomorrow.

And I do think I’ll need to put an electric fence up for the goats and dogs... and may get pleasure in seeing the dogs shocked after today...

But yes... bonded sisters are SO hard to train... not for the feint or heart.

The goats are troublemakers but she’s so sweet and means no harm. I just feel awful.

 

[Doublete]

It's also harder when you have 2 bonded sisters. They will always do things together which makes them a pack. You may need to put electric fencing around your goat. That should keep the goat in and the dogs out.

I'm glad you are experienced with the breed. They can be challenging.

Goats on the other hand can be troublemakers. Glad it's okay.

Now that the ground isn’t frozen we are expanding the horse and goats turnout- right now it’s very small but was what we could do with the round pen panels I had.
I have poly “centaur” fencing which is 4 or 5 inches wide and we plan to put 3-4 “boards” of that and no climb wire on the ground so goats can’t get under. And dogs can’t get in. But til then I need to shore up where she has been crawling under...

 

[Fishkeeper]

I would only consider a shock collar as a very last-resort thing, if the electric fence doesn't work. Negative stimulus training should be avoided when at all possible.
Please remember that your dogs aren't being malicious. They're just doing what their instincts tell them to do. They don't understand that they're causing another animal pain. Just set up a fence so they can't get to the goats, and work on attention-diverting training. The thing to do is not to try to make them afraid of going after the goats, it's to make them not interested in the goats.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Now that the ground isn’t frozen we are expanding the horse and goats turnout- right now it’s very small but was what we could do with the round pen panels I had.
I have poly “centaur” fencing which is 4 or 5 inches wide and we plan to put 3-4 “boards” of that and no climb wire on the ground so goats can’t get under. And dogs can’t get in. But til then I need to shore up where she has been crawling under...

Goats can be hard to keep confined. Don't blame yourself too much. My goats stay in because we have an understanding that I keep them happy and fed and they stay in. On occasion one will leap the fence just to show me they can. They know when the electric is plugged in and when it isn't.

Most dogs need one good zap by an electric fence to never go near it again. I have used a shock collar, but they require you watch the dog constantly. With the electric fence you don't need to.

We use a combo of welded wire with electric fence strands. Don't use cattle panels if your goat has horns. They will constantly get stuck.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I’ve used one before with an especially tough dog (had aggression issues from the shelter) and I did buy one for these girls but haven’t been able to get it to work on them. I just plugged it in tonight to charge again for use tomorrow.

And I do think I’ll need to put an electric fence up for the goats and dogs... and may get pleasure in seeing the dogs shocked after today...

But yes... bonded sisters are SO hard to train... not for the feint or heart.

The goats are troublemakers but she’s so sweet and means no harm. I just feel awful.

Well, at least you know what they are capable of now. It sounds like nobody got hurt, so that’s a good thing. Good thing you didn’t get accidentally bitten yourself!