Post by donnaclyde47 on Aug 2, 2021 15:42:41 GMT -5
I have a 1.5 year-old Anatolian Shepherd named Doc. I got him at a year old from an 89 year-old man that couldn’t handle him anymore. (His wife told me he was a herding dog -haha)
I’ve been tethering him during the day and letting him loose when the chickens go in the coop for the night. We have three sheep in the same pasture that he seems to leave alone.
My friend came Friday to take care of our farm while we go to the beach. We’ve had Airbnb guests and friends come and go in his pasture since we got him in December, and he’s been completely fine, although still tethered. But he’s never growled at anyone.
Recently my 14 year-old son said he started growing at him. He is always outside and around the barn, but doesn’t do all the chores in the chicken pasture (where Doc is). I’ve had Luke bring treats a few times to Doc, with me there, and he still growls.
So when my friend came on Friday, I showed her the chores in the pasture, gave her some really good treats to give Doc as we approached him, and as she handed them to him, he wouldn’t take the first time and growled at her. Then about 30 seconds later he snapped at her! I was shocked!
So…. We decided he needed to be tethered the whole week we were gone. I was really upset about it (felt like animal abuse to me) but my husband wouldn’t let me stay home so my hands were tied. Well, first day she does chores in the morning, she’s leaving the gate and realizes Doc was loose! I had loosened his collar a tad bit, and apparently it was enough to get away from being tethered.
There’s no one in our town that knows Doc to come put the collar back on. My husband called his friend to go over and try to warm up to him, and Doc growled at him from the other side of the fence. Which I expected. He’s doing his job.
But now my friend can’t go into the pasture to do the chores. Thankfully there is plenty of water for the week, but there were still a few things that needed to be done for the real young chickens.
I’ve asked on an LGD board on FB twice, but they haven’t posted or answered my questions. They’re also pretty mean sometimes when we make mistakes. LOL
But my question is, how do you introduce new people to our LGD’s? Do we have to let them just decide who they like and who they don’t? I’m thinking we won’t be vacationing for a good while if this is how he will be. He’s not old enough to be untethered right now, either. I’m waiting for her to text me and tell me a chicken is dead. And of course I feel guilty, because I’m the one that wants all the animals, not my husband.
I’ve been tethering him during the day and letting him loose when the chickens go in the coop for the night. We have three sheep in the same pasture that he seems to leave alone.
My friend came Friday to take care of our farm while we go to the beach. We’ve had Airbnb guests and friends come and go in his pasture since we got him in December, and he’s been completely fine, although still tethered. But he’s never growled at anyone.
Recently my 14 year-old son said he started growing at him. He is always outside and around the barn, but doesn’t do all the chores in the chicken pasture (where Doc is). I’ve had Luke bring treats a few times to Doc, with me there, and he still growls.
So when my friend came on Friday, I showed her the chores in the pasture, gave her some really good treats to give Doc as we approached him, and as she handed them to him, he wouldn’t take the first time and growled at her. Then about 30 seconds later he snapped at her! I was shocked!
So…. We decided he needed to be tethered the whole week we were gone. I was really upset about it (felt like animal abuse to me) but my husband wouldn’t let me stay home so my hands were tied. Well, first day she does chores in the morning, she’s leaving the gate and realizes Doc was loose! I had loosened his collar a tad bit, and apparently it was enough to get away from being tethered.
There’s no one in our town that knows Doc to come put the collar back on. My husband called his friend to go over and try to warm up to him, and Doc growled at him from the other side of the fence. Which I expected. He’s doing his job.
But now my friend can’t go into the pasture to do the chores. Thankfully there is plenty of water for the week, but there were still a few things that needed to be done for the real young chickens.
I’ve asked on an LGD board on FB twice, but they haven’t posted or answered my questions. They’re also pretty mean sometimes when we make mistakes. LOL
But my question is, how do you introduce new people to our LGD’s? Do we have to let them just decide who they like and who they don’t? I’m thinking we won’t be vacationing for a good while if this is how he will be. He’s not old enough to be untethered right now, either. I’m waiting for her to text me and tell me a chicken is dead. And of course I feel guilty, because I’m the one that wants all the animals, not my husband.