The goal with a new puppy is to channel its natural instincts to produce a mature guardian dog with the desired characteristics.
This can best be accomplished by early and continued association with goats to produce a bond between the dog and the herd. If this bond is not developed, the dog may not stay with the goats.
The optimum age to bring the pup home is between 7 and 8 weeks of age. Place the pup immediately in the pen you have prepared as described below. The following discussion describes rearing one pup with goats. Some people report success rearing two pups together with goats.
The ideal place to rear a pup is in a small pen or corral from which it cannot escape. A pup that has been removed recently from littermates and the frequent association of humans may not want to remain in a pen with goats. If the pup is able to leave its designated area, the inclination of the pup to escape and return to the kennel, home and people becomes progressively stronger. If the pup is unable to escape, the bond with goats may develop more easily. Later, as the dog is placed in larger pastures where it can leave, the tendency to return to the farm house is minimized.
The pup's den need not be much larger than about 150 feet square, although a bigger area is more desirable as the pup grows. The pen should contain three to six goats, preferably kids (orphans are ideal). If kids are not available, pick goats that will not be aggressive to the young pup, for example, replacement does. The goats can be rotated through the pup pen, thereby exposing a number of goats to the dog that will eventually be living among them.
The pup should have a small area in the pen to which it can retreat to be away from the goats. This area should contain the dog's food and shelter (if the pen is outside) and can be partitioned from the rest of the pen by wooden panels such that the dog can crawl through but not the goats. It is desirable to have the water in an area common to both the pup and goats so that some mingling is forced.
The pup should be checked several times a day for the first few days and then at least daily thereafter to ensure that it can find food and water easily and that the goats and the dog are interacting properly. If a particular goat is overly aggressive to the pup, it should be removed and replaced with another goat.
During these daily checks it is permissible to pat the dog, but excessive handling should be avoided. During this socialization process, the emphasis is on the dog-to-goat association. The dog-to-human association should be minimized.
Socialization in dogs is a developmental phase during which permanent emotional attachments are easily and rapidly formed. Data from one study suggest that the process begins at 3 weeks, peaks at 6 to 8 weeks, and levels off by 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, socialization may never be satisfactorily achieved. A dog left in kennels beyond this time may be permanently shy and may have difficulty adjusting to later changes in its environment (a syndrome often termed kennelosis).
Some breeders allow 4-week-old litters to be in the company of young kids with good results. Body contact between dog and goats enhances the formation of a strong bond. Separating littermates soon after 7 weeks is desirable. The long pup seeks companionship from the goats, and it is also removed from the intralitter hierarchy.
For pups that have been continually dominated by littermates, this solitary experience, which, in effect, places them at the top of the social ladder, can encourage the development of confidence.
Some pups exhibit "pack" behavior in groups of three or more. A pack will often include goats in its play and torn ears or even more serious injuries can result. Rough play is detrimental to the goats, and it promotes highly undesirable pup behavior. It is a potentially serious problem and must be closely monitored. However, some gentle play behavior with goats can be tolerated and may even enhance the bond of the dogs to goats.
If a pup plays too much or becomes too aggressive with the goats, several corrective measures should be taken. Pups learn rapidly at an early age and a brief shaking by the scruff of the neck and the command "NO" can be an effective reprimand. Excessive playfulness can sometimes be controlled by using larger goats that will not tolerate as much playful puppy behavior.
If a pup can't be trusted alone with goats, another alternative is to separate the pup from the goats in a nearby pen. This should be viewed as a temporary measure lasting from several days to several weeks. During this period, the pup can be released with goats under supervision.
After the initial socialization period (pup should be at least 16 weeks old), the pup and the goats it was raised with can be put into a larger area or with the rest of the flock in a pasture operation. Again, monitor this change to ensure that the other nonsocialized goats don't injure the dog.
The dog will respond to this new freedom with enthusiasm and will "check out" the new territory. Most likely, the fencing in the larger pasture will not hold a small dog, and the dog will probably go through the fence here and there as it explores. The dog should always return to the goats within a reasonable time. If it doesn't, the dog should be taken back and encouraged to remain. Repeat this process as often as necessary.
If the early socialization was done properly, the dog should prefer to be in the area where the goats are. It is important that the dog not be allowed to hang around the house, the children, or any area where the goats aren't. If the dog persists in staying away from where it is supposed to be, return it to its small escape-proof area with goats for the night and try again the next day.
Once the dog has a strong bond to goats and remains with them routinely, it may include peripheral areas around the pasture in its scouting. Under some circumstances, a dog that can negotiate fences and protect a buffer area around the pasture will be a more effective guardian that one that is completely contained within the pasture.
In some situations a dog must stay within the fenced area. This is a critical factor in more urbanized settings.
As a dog matures, there will likely be changes in its behavior with respect to staying with goats. Some pups that do not stay in one pasture may readily stay in another. Other dogs have difficulty in adjusting to frequent moves to different pastures. Some dogs gain interest in goats and guarding suddenly in the course of maturation. Some pups display a greater sense of responsibility when they are removed from a small barn or pen to a large pasture with goats.
Training and obedience
Teaching some obedience to dogs is important. A dog should understand what "NO" means and should cease whatever it is doing when the command is given. Use this command (or one similar to it) whenever the dog does something that is definitely wrong (e.g., chewing on a goat, chasing a goat or vehicle, and jumping on a person). You want the command to be heeded promptly so don't use it carelessly.
A dog should be taught to come when it is called or at least remain where it is so you can catch it. There are few things more annoying to you and potentially more dangerous for the dog that being unable to catch the dog when you need to. Maintaining proper health (i.e., vaccinations) and properly managing the goats depends on being able to get your hands on the dog when necessary.
If you expect the dog to consistently respond to "Come," make sure the dog receives a pleasant experience when it obeys. Don't use the command to call the dog to you so you can reprimand it for some other misbehavior. If you need to reprimand the dog, go to it and give the correction.
We recommend that a dog be taught to walk on a leash. "There are times when you need to tie a dog, usually temporarily, while goats are moved or loaded, or to take the dog to a different location. A dog should always be restrained when it is riding in the back of a truck.
Some owners teach their dogs additional commands. However, it is important to remember that by nature guarding dogs are independent and are without human supervision during most of this working life. Although they can obedience trained, we question the value of teaching commands that my have little utility for the working dog. Excessive or unnecessary obedience training may tend to strengthen the dog-to-human bond and disrupt the dog-to-goat bond. Some owners teach their dogs no commands. We feel this is a mistake. You should at least e able to catch your dog.
Various methods of teaching obedience may provide satisfactory results. Several points are noteworthy. Owners should be consistent and decisive when giving commands and expect a consistent response from the dog. Dogs are praised for correct behavior and, rather than verbally or physically reprimanding a puppy for an incorrect response, praise is withheld. This positive approach will often achieve the desired results and will avoid the possibility of causing the pup to become shy or fearful of people. Some dogs do not take harsh punishment well. Proper corrections will not cause even the most subordinate pup to become shy as long as the pup is praised more than it is reprimanded.
In some instances a verbal reprimand is not sufficient to get the dog's attention. A light swat with a rolled-up newspaper may be in order. The intent is to get the dog's attention, not hurt it.
If punishment is to be effective, it must be given within seconds of the undesired behavior. Reprimands given hours or even minutes after a misdeed has occurred are meaningless to the dog. Also, punishment must be given at a high enough level to immediately stop the offensive behavior. Training should continue as the dog matures, but formal training need only persist as long as it is necessary.
Guarding behavior is largely instinctive. It would be difficult to train a dog without the guarding instinct to perform some to the necessary functions, such as patrolling, barking and scent marking.
The guarding dog is a working animal and should be treated as such. It is not a pet, and making this distinction at the out-set is important. How much human affection should you give the guarding dog? If a dog recognizes as praise a pat on the head and words "Good dog," it will work to receive that praise. Dogs become confused when they have been allowed to stay at the house as a pet and then are suddenly placed in a pasture with goats and expected to remain there.
Dog-goat interactions
Most pups are submissive toward kids, particularly during their first encounters. Later, as the pups and kids become accustomed to each other, some pups solicit play from the kids. The kids respond either by moving away or by briefly butting or romping with the pups.
Some dogs show a great deal of interest in grooming kids and may spend several minutes licking them, especially around the face, ears and urogenital region. This grooming behavior of the dog may strengthen the dog-to-goat bond.
There are several criteria that may indicate a dog's readiness to assume the guarding role. The following behaviors tend to increase in frequency as guarding maturity is reached: (1) male dogs (and sometimes females) use raised-leg urinations rather than squat urinations to scent-mark, (2) scent marking (urination and defecation) becomes more deliberate and marks are concentrated near the periphery of a pasture, (3) barking at novel stimuli becomes more predictable and direction oriented, (4) dogs are active more frequently and for longer periods, (5) dogs become more interested in the goats than the handler, and (6) deliberate patrolling activities increase in frequency and duration.
Dogs exhibit much of this behavior as young as 4 1/2 months of age.
(The above article is adapted from USDA Information Bulletin No. 588, Livestock Guarding Dogs: Protecting Sheep from Predators)
