When good dogs go bad (Part 2)

 

When good dogs go bad (Part 2)
©Louise Liebenberg(2023)

Written for The Shepherds Magazine

In the previous article, I discussed some ideas and considerations for when you have a predation event and you suspect that the LGD might be involved.

The first step to take is to ensure that the livestock is in a safe area and a place where you can manage and supervise any interactions the LGD has with the stock. In every predatation event, you do want to try and ensure that the sheep are moved from that area and in a safe place closer to you to be able to monitor them. If that is not an option, then you may want to consider placing some electric nets in the pasture to make the area where the sheep graze a bit smaller and where you have a better overview on them. You do not want any pattern of predation (wild or domestic) to continue. To rule out your own LGD, it is advisable to remove the dog from the stock. This will serve two purposes; if you have another predator attack while the LGD is tethered or kenneled then you can probably rule out that your dog might have caused the death of the sheep. Kennelling or tethering the dog for a few days will do the dog no harm, while you try to figure out what animal did predate on the sheep.  Secondly, if your dog was involved, you certainly do not want him to continue this behaviour and you want to remove any possibility that the dog can do more damage to the livestock. Tethering or kenneling buys you a little time to figure out what your option is.

The next step would be to only allow your LGD back in with the livestock if you can supervise and watch his interactions. You could set up a remote camera system, or simply spy on the dog. It might be hard to “catch him in the act” but you can certainly watch for warning signs. If you have no time, then kennel or tether him until you can supervise. If you are concerned that wildlife killed the sheep, you may want to consider placing the dog on a zipline in the pasture. This allows the dog still to be present with the sheep, he can bark and be a deterrent, but he can not fully engage with the sheep as the sheep can move away from him. Do be aware, that the limited movement your dog has on a zipline, could make him vulnerable to predators. I like to use a combination of deterrents, dog on zipline, electric fences, close to home and possibly additional fox lights.

Behaviour or warning signs can include things like jumping and barking at the livestock, nipping, chewing ears, standing over them, excessive and aggressive resource guarding, over-interest, stalking and staring, moving the sheep, disruptive behaviour, stress and tension in the dog around the livestock, dragging them around by the legs and neck, wool pulling, chasing, over excitement or triggered behaviour ( so when livestock do normal livestock behaviour, the dog gets overly stimulated by this) and of course any outward aggression toward the stock. If the dog is not experienced around newborn lambs, that in itself can be trigger to the dog, the newness, smells of blood and afterbirths, bleating and ewes who become more aggressive toward the dog than usual.

If after a few weeks of supervision, you see no concerning behaviour you can try the dog for longer periods alone with the stock. Ensure the livestock he is in with, is not weak, sickly, or very young. Often a dog will “pick” on a specific animal over and over. Remove any of these animals. I would not trust a “suspect” dog overnight alone with the sheep at this point. 

Your dog might only show concerning behaviour under very specific circumstances. For example, the dog could be fine with newborn lambs with a ewe around, but could be predatory to lambs who are “lost”, such as a triplet lamb left behind or lagging behind. The dog might be reactive to a lamb that is calling all the time, or a chicken who is flapping a lot. Sometimes, eating and licking afterbirths can lead to predatory behaviour. I do not mind a dog eating an afterbirth but will not tolerate a dog licking and pulling on it while the ewe is still birthing or if a dog is over involving himself with the birthing. Some dogs may never be reliable with newborns but are solid with larger lambs.  Some dogs become aggressive towards rams during breeding season, it could be the “new” animals, or the smell or the higher hormone levels. Some dogs become obsessive with cycling ewes.  Some dogs do turn bad from what starts off as scavenging behaviour, so they did not cause the death of the sheep, but did start to eat it, this can lead to an escalation and in some cases to predation (this is often how wild animals start to predate on the sheep, it starts as scavenging behaviour and later becomes predatory). This is not always the case as I do know many dogs who can eat dead stock and never harm a live one. It is hard to isolate what changes in the dog to go from reliable to predatory.

Another trigger can be the bad behaviour of another dog. Some LGD will not guard the livestock from other dogs. If those dogs, for example, other farm dogs or pets, chase a sheep, the LGD might participate with those dogs. A mother dog might not correct her own adolescent pups when they rough play with the sheep or even kill them.

LGD walk a very fine line between living with the sheep and not becoming predatory towards them. It is logical that not everyone will “work out”. Some just have a higher prey drive than others, and some are easily stimulated into bad behaviour. Some of the “harder” breeds can have a higher failure rate than the more placid breeds simply because they tend to have a higher aggression level. Think of a ewe butting a dog and the dog retaliates, in a harder breed this is a little more common.

The problem with predatory behaviour is that once it is stimulated, it is very hard to stop. It is a self rewarding behaviour.  I like to think that the predatory behaviour is dormant in most LGD, and hopefully is remains that way, however if stimulated, it certainly awakens something in the dog.  It is like a little border collie pup getting turned on to sheep, it goes from nothing to turned on in an instant and once this pup is zoned in on the sheep it is virtually impossible to turn off. It is only through training and control that the pup can learn to switch off its work mode when not needed, but it is never gone. 

With the LGD, I feel it is very important to make sure that the predatory instinct does not get stimulated or awakened, because you cannot put that “genie” back once it is out. The old saying of prevention is better than a cure, is applicable here. Try to ensure the young dog is not placed into situations that could illicit a predatory response. Here are some examples for this:

•  By raising a pup with the livestock from a young age you take the excitement of being around the livestock away. The pup will learn that livestock belong in his world. A pup raised in the house or away from stock will often meet the stock in a very elevated and excited way, this can lead to wanting to run, chase and overzealous reactions by the dog, which causes the sheep to run, this in turn excites the dog to chase. Once it starts to chase, the first step to predatory behaviour could be awakened.
  
  
• Allowing a young dog to be too involved with the birthing process, particularly if it is licking lambs, pushing the ewes away, eating afterbirths while ewe is still lambing. The smell of the blood and fluids can excite the dog. Some dogs end up attacking the ewe while she is trying to protect her lamb from an overzealous dog. Teach the dog to back off and not interfere.
  
  
• Remove weak, sick, and gimpy animals.
  
  
• Watch the dog if you restrain a sheep, if it gets really excited because of the struggling of the sheep, a reprimand and backing it off is what the dog needs.
  
  
• A dog that is “playing” with the sheep is honing his predatory skills. Stop that immediately.
  
  
• Excessive and aggressive resource guarding is another behaviour to pay attention to.
  
  
• Dogs generally do not grow out of bad behaviour. They do learn how to avoid being caught or how to do it when no one is around. They must be taught it is unacceptable. 

The chances of a LGD being rehabilitated from predatory behaviour towards the livestock is low. Particularly, if the dog has been allowed to repeat this behaviour multiple times. It is so important, even if you are not sure if the dog is responsible for the death of the sheep, to ensure it does not have the opportunity to repeat that behaviour. If a dog kills a lamb the first time it might have happened accidently, the second time the dog learns and the third time it is a pattern.

You can still have a chance to modifying the behaviour if it is at the accident stage, but once it learns and forms a pattern, making a reliable LGD of this dog, becomes nearly impossible. It is also always easier to modify the behaviour of a young dog than that of an older, mature dog who has learned a specific self rewarding behaviour.

Some people can make a work around. with a dog that has proven to not be totally reliable. Some will only have the dog in with non-breeding stock, or just adult livestock, or only in with larger livestock like cattle, some even have the dog work in a moat situation where the LGD is on the outside of a livestock fence. All these work arounds are okay as the dog can still be somewhat functional.  In many cases these are good solutions for the dog who may not be reliable in all situations but is still useful in specific situations.

The key take away is that not all LGD are perfect. Some show troublesome behaviour early and others can develop issues when mature. It is hard to know exactly what causes the dog to change. If a predation even happens while the LGD is in the field with the sheep, I will always first suspect the dog and take measures to control and supervise his interactions with the sheep. If you can rule out the dog, then you might want to question why the dog did nothing to stop the predation while he was in the field. Either way, it is not a good situation. If you want to have a chance of trying to rehabilitate a dog, then you must ensure it can never repeat that behaviour and it is never placed in a situation where it can be triggered into bad behaviour.

When good dogs go bad (Part 1)

 

Laurie McLaren photo

When good dogs go bad (Part 1)
©Louise Liebenberg (2023)
Written for The Shepherds Magazine

When a predation incident occurs in the pasture while the livestock guardian dog (LGD) is in the field with the sheep, can be very confusing to sort out what occurred. The scene can be baffling as one does not normally expect predation in the field where the LGD are, and yet there are either dead or injured livestock in the field. It is human nature to want to understand what happened; how did the predator get in, why did the dog not “do anything”, what predator was it and what to do now? One needs to be a bit like a crime scene investigator and try to piece the puzzle together. This article is going to look at some myths surrounding the killing and harming of livestock by an LGD.

Just as in a murder or disappearance, the police always take a closer look at those people closest to the victim. They look at spouse or family first and who was last seen with the victim. It is always a good place to start, even when it comes to dead or injured livestock in the pasture with the LGD.
Unless there is a pattern of regular predation taking place, then the first place to look is at the ranch’s own dogs, these could be pets, herding or even the LGD. All dogs are predators and considering that our LGD live with the livestock, this is the first place to look when sheep are injured or killed in a pasture. It is always better to rule out our own dogs first and take preventative measures to ensure no further injury or killing of the sheep takes place.

It is often very hard for people to wrap their head around that their LGD, who was acquired to protect the flock, could now be suspected of harming the animals. It is easier to blame a random predator for causing havoc amongst the flock than it is to believe the trusted dog could do this. Sadly, it is more common than one wants to believe. Younger adolescent dogs can be prone to rough housing or showing some more worrisome behaviour, things like wool pulling, chewing ears, chasing the sheep, and nipping them. These signs are usually an indication that the owner needs to take control and work with the dog to ensure he stops this behaviour.  Not stopping this behaviour will result in escalation and that never ends well for either the sheep or the dog. It is a lot harder to believe that an older, previously reliable LGD changes and starts to harm the livestock, but this can happen when certain events trigger the predatory behaviour in the dog.

Younger LGD tend to harm the livestock due to too much energy, not enough work, playfulness, ganging up on the livestock together with other younger dogs, naughtiness and a multitude of other reasons.  When an older dog suddenly changes and starts to harm the livestock, the triggers for this change might be harder to identify. I have heard of a female who had a litter of pups, change and starting to kill lambs to “feed” the pups, or when a new dog is introduced to the older, reliable LGD that together, they two start to kill the livestock. Another incident I have seen is when a goat got its head stuck in a feeder and the goat was screaming and bouncing around and this “wounded prey” behaviour of the goat triggered the dog to harm the goat.  Dogs that have shown high prey drive as younger dogs, can easily be triggered to revert to that behaviour. Some dogs are reliable when alone with the livestock, but when partnered with another dog, they “hunt” the livestock.  Certain triggers can sometimes elicit a predatory response in an LGD, this can include birthing events, injured livestock, new livestock, gimpy and weak animals, scavenging on carcasses, new LGD added to the pack, new home, hormones, excessive resource guarding or dogs who stay in a very juvenile mindset for a long time.

When trying to figure out if this was indeed a wild predator that injured the stock or your own dogs, there may be some clues.
The dog might have shown a pattern of problematic behaviour before or at least shown some warning signs before. Typical signs of a dog harassing the sheep include chasing, nipping, wool pulling, chewed ears, bite marks on legs, missing tails, scratch marks on the hide. Often there will be lots of pieces of wool laying in the pasture, the sheep will be nervous and jumpy, or the sheep will be standing tightly bunched in a corner of the pasture while breathing heavily. If sheep have been killed you will often see a hind leg chewed off, the belly opened and scratch marks on the hide or just the wool plucked off depending on when you come into the pasture and disrupt whatever was going on.
Most dogs, unless they have killed before, do not really know how to kill quickly and cleanly.  Sometimes, the dog might kill a sheep by running it to death and then the dog will not really know what to do further and may end up simply just laying beside the sheep, giving the illusion that it is guarding the dead sheep or that it has chased off the predators after the sheep had been killed. Although plausible, it is still better to be 100% certain that the dog did not cause the demise of the sheep.

With lambs, it is not unusual for a dog to carry the lamb around and try and bury it, sometimes the dog will consume half the lamb or simply just eating the head of the lamb.  Some people will see the LGD with the lamb and assume the dog is guarding the lamb or protecting it from predators. The dog can chew a head or leg off a lamb so cleanly, that it looks like a surgical incision.  I have read some people’s posts on social media where they describe a lamb kill where just the head is missing, or the hide is peeled back, or scratch marks on the lamb.

Another myth that is often perpetuated is that if a LGD kills or injures a sheep it “will be covered in blood”. This is not necessarily true, and it is often very hard to find blood on the fur. Most LGD have fur that self cleans quickly. Years ago, we had two huskies that got into our sheep and killed 24 ewes, injured dozens more and there was not a speck of blood on either dog. We had caught both dogs in the act and had leashed them so we could track down the owner. It was only possible to “prove” these dogs did the killing by the veterinarian inducing the dogs to vomit and finding wool fibers in their stomach contents. Although the sheep were massacred, there was no blood to be found on either dog.

There are some signs to look for when trying to distinguish between a predator kill and that of a dog. Most dogs are sloppy killers, predators tend to be more efficient and specialized. If one looks closely at the neck of a dead ewe, one can usually see the small puncture marks on the bottom side of the neck if a coyote killed the sheep. One can measure the distance between the two canine teeth to help distinguish between the bite of a wolf or coyote. Most coyotes kill the sheep by strangulation as opposed to ripping the throat open. The bite area is clean, small, and rarely will have more than a small drop of blood around the wound.  Wolf kills, the puncture marks are also relatively small and deep, however if you skin the sheep or calf, it will show massive bruising under the skin. With wild predators you will also often find drag marks as they do try to move the carcass, one can usually see a kill spot, drag marks and the eating area.

Coyote attacks are usually very quick while dog attacks can be quite prolonged, flocks that experience a coyote attack may seem calmer and quieter than after a dog attack, due to the efficiency of the kill.  Coyotes seldom inflict injuries to other parts of the adult animal or carcass, dogs typically do. Dogs will often attack from the side or rear inflicting non-fatal wounds on various parts of the body. Frequently the skin and muscles in the flank, hindquarters and head will be ripped. Neck wounds will typically show rips and slashes rather than the neat puncture wounds left by the teeth of a coyote. Dog attacks results often in multiple injured animals, the scene will be messy. Dogs might start to chew on the live animal, where most coyotes will kill first before feeding.  If the sheep is eaten, a coyote will normally open the stomach cavity and feed from the inside out. Dogs will often chew on various parts of the carcass and will usually eat from the outside in, generally starting around the anus area, hind leg or shoulder.

In the event of a kill in your pasture, particularly if there has not been a recent history of predation, I would always suspect the ranch dogs first, whether it is the LGD, pets or herding dogs.  In next months article I will continue with this topic and how to further manage this situation.

How to find your next guardian dog pup.

 

How to find your next guardian dog pup.
©Louise Liebenberg (2022)
Written for The Shepherd's Magazine

Once the decision is made to add a livestock guardian dog (LGD) to the ranch, the search begins to find a suitable pup or adult dog that can be added to your flock. In many cases people are a bit unsure how to go about finding a “good” breeder. In this article I am going to offer some suggestions on how to find a breeder or pup.
It can be a challenge to find the right dog for your operation and many people are a little stumped where to look and what to look for. Since Facebook does not allow animal sales posts and Craig’s list might not be the best place to find your future guardian dog, finding that pup or breeder can be a little daunting, particularly when new to LGD or even livestock raising.

I think the first step is to look at your operation and decide what you are really looking for, each operation is different and that means the needs are also different. If you have a large, grazed range type flock, in an area with many predators your requirements are very different than a small homestead type of operation.  Writing down a list of wants and needs is a good place to start.

The next step is doing your research, read books, read breed websites, join some LGD pages and learn as much as you can before you purchase a pup. Spending a few days doing research is a good investment of time. A LGD should not be purchased on a whim, as it is a 10 plus year commitment and the lives of your livestock and, potentially your livelihood will depend on the LGD doing a good job.

You could include contacting breed clubs to help narrow down the type of dog you are wanting. Some breed clubs focus more on pet and companion dogs and others value and uphold working dogs. Either way, it is still a good starting point for general information and potential leads on litters. It is good to learn more about the traits, character, size, coat, temperament, of each specific breed. There are well over 40 different LGD breeds, each with their own ingrained characteristics. Some breeds have milder natures while others are higher drive dogs.

Personally, I think the actual breed is a little less important than finding the right breeder. For example, you need a truck, it can be a Dodge, Ford or GMC, all similar vehicles but each is slightly different. It might be more important to find the right dealership that will provide you with quality service, terms and who will provide support and help when and if you need it. Similarly, most LGD share a lot of similar traits but finding the right breeder who can mentor and guide you might be more important than the breed itself.   Some breeders offer a lifetime guarantee for support, while others offer support to the end of their driveway.

I think the best route to finding the right breed or even breeder is to speak to the folks who already use LGD. This could be through sheep organizations, producer forums, and neighbors. Find producers who raise livestock in a similar area and manner as you do. Ask them about their dogs, where they got their dogs or even any issues or recommendations they may have. We raise livestock in a very high predator area but also in an extremely harsh cold climate. Finding dogs who have been raised and worked in similar circumstances will ensure a high probability of success.  I think we need to move away from solely searching for dogs just through the internet and we need to go back and pick up the phone and speak to other producers. Having these conversations will be both educational and will most likely lead to more contacts and references on who might have pups available and who to avoid.

Then the process starts on contacting various breeders and talking to them about their breeding program, how the pups are raised, what the parents of the pups are like and how they work, veterinary information, price, and any other things you might need to know. Some breeders make require you to sign a purchase agreement, breeding restrictions may apply, others might require proof of spay/ neuter or even things like hip dysplasia testing. It is good to know ahead of time what the expectations are on both sides.  Some buyers prefer a “no strings attached” approach and others value the input and contact with a breeder. If possible, ask to meet the breeder and the parents of the pups. Be aware that some breeders might have a waiting list and so getting a good pup might mean you have to wait for it.

Questions that could be important to ask include things like:
What type of support do you offer?
Should my life circumstances change, are you willing to take the pup back or help with rehoming?
What program would you recommend for the initial raising of the pup?
Do you offer any guarantee’s and if so, what?
What age can the pup leave the litter? (Should be at least 8 weeks and older)
How experienced or knowledgeable is the breeder?

There are also lots of reg flags when puppy shopping. 
Here are some to be aware of:

• Breeders selling crosses with non LGD breeds.
• If the breeder cannot spell their own breed name correctly then that would be a warning sign regarding how well they know their own breed.
• Pups that have colours, size, ear set or other distinguishing features that make you question the parentage of the pups.
• Selling pups too young.
• Breeders who have multiple litters all at the same time, are they a puppy mill? Are they in the business of dog breeding or breeding a litter for the livestock operation?
• Beware of fancy terms; Holistically raised (does this mean no veterinary care?), or breeders who create a “new breed”, along with a new fancy made up name?
• Breeders who own no livestock.
• Show breeders toting their ribbons and claiming that instincts do not get lost even after multiple generations of no work or selection.
• If you are needing a full time working dog, beware of folks saying pups need to be raised in the house and are not ready to work until over 2 years old.

In a nutshell, the old fashion “word of mouth” is still often the best way to find the dog you are needing and wanting. Utilise the internet to learn as much as you can and be very aware of all the conflicting information. Try and figure out if the person commenting or advertising on the internet has valid experience or not. Do some reading; books, websites of LGD breed clubs (it will soon be apparent who focuses on pets or working traits) subscribe to industry magazines as many have an advertising section and often in sheep related magazines you can find advertisements for herding and guardian dogs, speak to breeders directly, be clear on what you are wanting or needing.

Impulse buying is never a good strategy, neither is emotional buying. I think purchasing your next flock protector should be a business decision; is it a good investment, do I have time, are there other or better ways to protect my livestock, how much do I need a dog compared with how much do I want a dog, is a LGD what I want, or do I want a general farm dog? Do I have the space, number of livestock and work for an LGD? Is good fencing a better option? What is my plan if the dog does not work out? Can I manage the dog in a suitable way to avoid unwanted litters? What do I need to facilitate to ensure the pup has the highest chance of success? What is the long-term plan with the dog, how many other LGD do I need? When should I add a second one? Can I manage things such as in-pack fighting, roaming and other possible behavioural problems? Do I need to consider neighbors and the impact of having a large breed dog barking a lot will have on them?
There are multiple things to consider before acquiring the pup and being systematic in your approach in researching and speaking to people will ensure a thorough decision-making process. Not all situations warrant an LGD, and recognising this might be the most important decision you make!