Some points to consider when introducing a new adult LGD
into your flock.
Louise Liebenberg
For many people buying a “ready to go” dog, who knows his job is the ideal
situation as it means instant protection, no adolescent hassle, and little to
no time investment required for the owner.
This is absolutely a positive way to start with LGDs, but the reality is
often very different. It is hard to find those good dogs. Most sheep keepers
simply will not part with their best dogs.
Only on rare occasions will great dogs come up for sale. The dogs that are often for sale are mostly
young, adolescent dogs who are being sold for a variety of reasons such as; the
person having too many dogs, in pack fighting, roaming, downsizing, or
retiring. Buyers do need to be very alert that they are not buying the problems
from other people.
Young, immature dogs may be good prospects, however the buyer really needs to
be prepared for a readjustment time for the new dog, where plenty of
supervision is provided.
Introducing a new adolescent or adult LGD into your herd of
flock requires time and guidance on your part. Most LGD hate change. They are
comfortable with routines, and quickly notice things that are out of place. They
know individual animals in the flock and can be very bonded to some. A change
for an adult dog is quite hard as he must adapt to a new area, new owners, new
flock and in some cases even different predators. This transition needs some thought and
facilitation on the part of the new owner to ensure it goes as smoothly as
possible.
Before you bring the dog home, make sure that you have
spoken in depth with the seller. Do ask the following questions, the more you
know about the dog, the easier the transition will be. The more you know about
the dog the better prepared you will be.
The most important question to ask the seller is why he is rehoming/selling the
dog. Listen carefully for red flags; listen for clues about his behaviour,
roaming, rough play with the stock, in pack fighting or health issues. Ask what
type of livestock he is bonded to and how he works. Find out his age, breed,
vaccination schedules, if he is neutered/spayed, or intact. If a female, ask
when she was last in heat and if there is a possibility if she could be bred.
Ask questions about how the dog is around newborn lambs, cats, different stock,
and other dogs. Ask directly what issues the dog might have or any behaviour
you should be aware of.
Ensure the dog you are considering is from the various LGD breeds and from a
working ranch, as a cross of unknown breeds can certainly be risky for your
livestock. Where possible go, and see the dog and the situation he is working
in. Watch how the dog behaves around new people, the stock and if he is in with
the stock or sleeping on the deck. Ask the owner if he will mentor you.
Introducing the new dog is not just an adjustment for you
and the dog, but is also a big change for your livestock. Be aware, if this is
your first LGD, that your stock will probably be very fearful of the new dog,
this can lead to the stock crowding in a corner, panicking, running, hitting
fences, jumping over fences and in some cases the stock can become quite
belligerent towards the dog. Some dogs know how to calm a situation such as
this, but don’t just assume that your new dog will.
So, here are some tips on the introduction of an older dog
to your flock.
Try to collect the new dog during the day, so you can do
some initial introductions, this will make the dog feel more comfortable as he
should be happy to see some livestock. Ensure you have a place ready for him that
is very secure and safe for the night. LGD can become shape shifters if they
feel they need to get out or away, no hole is too small. Consider placing the
new dog in the stock trailer for the night, or if you have a good kennel with a
roof then that is a good place to start. Personally, I like to tether (with a
good chain) the new dog in the sheep barn, ensuring that his collar is snug so
that he cannot slip his head out. I will check all hardware on the chain to
ensure it is functioning well and not showing any signs of wear. I will tether
the dog close to some sheep, so that he can see and smell them. Make sure that
he cannot jump over a panel and get hung up.
Take time for introductions, let the dog get to know you, the pasture, and the
stock. Just sit with the dog if the stock want to come over and sniff him. If
the stock are used to LGD, then the introductions will go quicker and smoothly.
If you have very flighty stock, take extra time for the introductions. Always
keep the new dog for at least 4 to 6 weeks under close supervision. Some
perfect dogs can go rogue with a big change, so make sure he is supervised with
young animals, and does not display any chase, play or rough behaviour towards
the stock. Expect some naughty behaviour, and be prepared to deal with it
directly. Until you get to know the dog, don’t just place him in with newborns,
weak or sick animals, or stock species he does not know.
I like to “re-bond” a new dog. Get a few nice, kind calm
ewes or rams into a smaller safe place and allow the dog to bond to this group,
just as you would a puppy. Let him settle
with this group before being allowed out into the bigger pasture. Make sure
that your new dog will respect your fences and boundaries, before you allow him
access to all the pastures. Some LGD will roam as they are not bonded to your
flock nor the area initially. Make sure
your dog has your contact info on his collar just in case he does slip out and
escape. We microchip all our dogs, but having a phone number on his collar
might make it easier to find him. Take a few photos of the new dog, you never
know if you might need to be able to identify him.
Another good way to introduce your new dog to the stock and pasture is by
placing him on a zip line in the pasture. The zip line allows the dog plenty of
movement and interaction with the stock without the risk of the dog running
away, or getting rough with the stock. The stock can get to know the new dog at
a distance, and in this way the dog cannot get into trouble during these
initial introductions. Make sure he has
a shelter and can access to his food and water.
Some dogs are very food aggressive, so be aware when you
feed the new dog, that he can eat his food alone, and without the stock trying
to bully him away from his food. Feed the new dog in a quite place, away from
kids, other animals and the stock until you know how this dog is around food.
Be aware when introducing a new dog into an existing pack of
LGD, fighting can really set the tone for a very bad experience, and can lead
to injuries and big veterinary bills. Give the new dog a friendly, opposite sex
companion initially. Supervise. Do not
leave a new dog on the zip line or tethered if there is any chance the other
dogs might fight with him.
When preparing for the new dog, you must be willing to facilitate him, to
ensure he will be a positive addition to your farm. By facilitation I mean
having a smaller, pasture available, some nice kind stock to bond to, good
fences, zip line, kennel or tether ready, and most importantly some time to
ensure that his integration into your farm is smooth.
Have your contact info engraved on a plate you can rivet to his collar. Lambing
time is often when you need a new dog the most, but with the added workload of
lambing, this might not be the best time for you to introduce a new dog.
We like to have a new dog updated on vaccinations as you do
not want either your own dogs or the new one to introduce diseases such as parvovirus
or distemper into your group of dogs. Make sure the dog is free of ticks and
fleas and certainly deworm the dog, to ensure he will not pass parasites on to
your dogs and in some cases, the sheep.
Integrating a new dog can be stressful to you, the livestock, and the dog. Some
dogs acclimatise in a day, while others can take months to settle in. Some dogs re-bond to the stock directly and
others may have more difficulty in this process. For the new dog to be
successful take your time, ensure you have the facilities in place to ensure
his and the livestock’s safety.
