We've been busy, but are having a good time. It's still too hot here, with temps "down" into the high 90's, so the first thing to do when getting into the car is turn on the AC. At home the highs are upper 70's to low 80's. Yes please.
Pam and I had dinner last night at In-n-Out after having watched Jason at his swimming class. We agreed that our four kids are each very good at parenting and are doing that difficult task with skills appropriate to each of our four grandchildren's unique personality.
In between activities and outings I've been using the internet to learn about goats, goat barns, and LGDs. That's the standard abbreviation for Livestock Guard Dogs, a group of breeds mostly from Eastern Europe bred to protect flocks and herds from predators. Think familiar breeds like Great Pyreneese, and others I've only learned about since exploring this area: Anatolian Shepherds, Maremmas, and Kangals. Probably a good half dozen breeds overall, each dating back centuries, and each willing to go up against any and all threats to their charges. They're now using them in Africa to guard against lions!
< Kangal
They're all big dogs, running 100 lbs. and more, with the standard for a Kangal in the 140 lb. range and 32" at the shoulder.
They typically have thick coats to protect them in bad weather and are, IMO, adorable as pups and beautiful as adults.
Maremma pup >
Several people on the goat forum I joined say having a LGD is almost necessary if you have livestock and predators (we have coyotes). Others point out that because they're bred for a specific purpose there can be behavioral challenges. One guy wrote, "For an LGD the command 'Come' is a suggestion." Strong, determined personalities and independent thinkers. They're not adults until 2 yrs, with a sometimes challenging adolescence that includes "playing" with the animals they're supposed to protect. As you can imagine, a 100+ lb. dog playing with a goat kid can lead to trouble.
Maybe that's why there are rescue LGDs available.
An LGD should live with - in our case - the goats, spending the day in their pen (unless there's open pasture) and the night in the barn with them. Yes, they can be up to the house for a visit, but once bonded to the herd they'll be uneasy away from them.
I've done lots of looking, including on the site for LGDs in the PNW and found some options. But at this point I think I'll install an electric fence as the first line of defense and wait until the goats are a little bigger before making a decision on an LGD. I found a recommended book on training them, so that's something else that would precede getting one.
And I'm learning more about Boer goats and raising bottle babies.
Isn't the internet wonderful!
This afternoon (it's early morning as I type this) we're going out to Sheila's place in Waddell. She was a key part of our Pathway family and a VIF originally from Roseburg, OR who raises dairy goats. I want to see her setup and ask more questions. Plus, it's always good to visit Pathway peeps.
It's now normal morning. Late morning if you've been awake since 2:30. Steve has long since gone off to work and Michelle just left with the kids for their day at pre-school and her work. Pam's fixing us some b'fast and then our day will begin.
Or, I might take a nap while she gets ready.
Uff-dah.
No comments:
Post a Comment