MommaLove Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I've limited Juno's exposure to our sheep & goats as much as I can on the small farm we own. It's tricky, because the goat yard is fairly close to the house & backyard, but I've managed fairly well. However, with our chickens & rabbits, it's just about impossible to keep her away. We use a "chicken tractor" system, which is a portable coop & run that gets moved around the property once per week to allow for fresh pasture. The rabbits are in a similar system, but get moved daily. Juno can't be outside without being near at least one tractor. (You can watch our animal tractor video here - ) As she gets older, Juno's instincts are kicking in hard. She's 16wks old now and has begun giving the chickens "the eye". She crouches and circles the tractors as we're moving them, making sure nobody gets out. A few times when a bunny or two has escaped, Juno has herded them over to me as though she's done it a million times, making it possible for me to scoop the rabbit up in my arms instead of chasing it all around the farm in vain. I don't want Juno to get it into her head that she can harass the chickens or the rabbits, and I'd love any advice or input about her exposure to them. As it is now, when Juno starts circling a tractor, I give her a stern "OFF!" and she immediately backs off. If she is heading in the direction of the rabbits, I recall her and she stops dead in her tracks, turns around and runs to me (and is rewarded with huge enthusiasm, lots of treats, and epic belly rubs!). Sometimes I practice sits & downs with her beside a tractor, so she learns that she must still listen & obey even though she so badly wants to work the hens. I want to make sure I'm not setting myself up for problems, here. I have really high hopes for Juno as a working dog, and don't want to ruin her in any way. I'd love some insight from more experienced folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Is there a dog yard or kennel you can leave her in while you're moving with the chickens or rabbits? You're doing very well with her, and it sounds like she's responding, but ... it's asking a lot of a pup to ignore something that triggers her instincts so strongly when it's Right There and moving so interestingly. My dogs will absolutely fixate on rabbits in a hutch, so when I'm at the home of the one friend who has rabbits, we just cover the hutch or shut the dogs away. ~ Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaLove Posted July 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Yes, I can contain her while we are moving the tractors, no problem there. I guess I'm wondering more about the rest of the time, when Juno is outside with me or the kids. The way our farm is set up, the tractors are in fairly close proximity to the house & yard, and there's not many other places we can put them. How much should I focus on keeping Juno away from them? Is it a problem if she spends 5mins circling the hens a few times per week? Right now I don't allow her to do that at all, but there are times when a child leaves the back door open and Juno pays a little visit to the hens or rabbits. Like I said, she has been highly obedient when I recall her or tell her "off", and she will eagerly practice sits and downs near the tractors, despite the intense distraction. I'm just not sure how much effort I should be putting in to keep her away, or how big a deal it is if she gets close now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoofly Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 It sounds to me like you're doing exactly the right things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynthia P Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 If you can call her off everything is fine. My young pups have discovered how to get in with the sheep and the cows...do they don't get freedom...Bad owner! Sounds like you are doing a good job cynthia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesney's Girl Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 It sounds like you're doing a fine job with her. Like others have said, I think you'll be fine if you can call her off. Chesney will obsesively watch cats, rabbits, chickens... etc but I don't worry about him since I can call him off. If I wasn't in a position to call him off though, he wouldn't have access to get to them, I trust him, but I'm know he only has so much self control and if I couldn't be there to help remind him of that self control, things could get ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Love the tractors. Thanks for the vids. As for Juno, working is working, and when my dogs turn their attention to my horse, for instance, I don't make a fuss about it. I don't do anything to diminish their instincts even when directed inappropriately. I would simply limit or eliminate her access to the tractors, and not worry if she escapes for a visit now and then. Best, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaLove Posted July 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 THANKS! I feel very relieved to hear that I'm not destroying my working dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaLove Posted July 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 This morning I went out at 6am to do my farm chores, with Juno by my side (as she is every morning). We discovered that the door on one of the chicken tractors had come unhinged, and the chickens were out all over the farm. So I braced myself for a day of chasing chickens.... And then Juno sprang into action. She rounded up the entire flock of chickens from all over the place, got them together and moved them toward the tractor. I was amazed! I couldn't believe it! I rushed over to the door and held it wide open just in time for Juno to chase every last chicken inside. With all the chooks safely inside, I shut the door and fastened it well enough to hold until my husband could fix it. Several things astounded me about this - first, Juno is 16.5wks old and has had no training on any animals of any kind. Second, I didn't give her any direction or command and had zero expectation that she would do this. It was a total surprise! Third, Juno had ample opportunity to catch, injure, and/or eat any of those chickens, but she didn't harm a feather on a single one of them. Her focus was entirely on returning them to the tractor where she knew they were meant to be. Holy smokes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amc Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 You've been treated to the incredible and awe-inspiring view of the instinct for which the working Border Collie has been bred for hundreds of years. Congratulations! And good luck with your wonderful Juno - I expect she'll continue to amaze you! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 ^^What she said! That's a fine example of a dog bred for the right things--her insticts kicked in and she did the job you needed done. Good girl, Juno! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Just a quick story, Faye is almost 7 months old. She has her own chickens that she has been watching for a few months when I'm out there messing with them. Well I started letting the chickens out now to free range (young chickens) and one night I decided to use faye to put them up. She did beautifully. So she gets to do that now and then. Sheep are in the pasture behind our house. It is big enough that I could walk all the dogs and we'd be far enough away from the sheep that faye would stay with us. Not anymore! Now that she's gotten a taste of work she thinks she's ready to fetch up those sheep. To see her instinct kick in so beautifully was awesome but we are left with having to walk on a long line when we are in view of sheep at all. So be careful now. If Juno was leaving your stock alone I bet she is going to be a bit more eager now that she's had a real taste to help you with all livestock! Still a beautiful thing! Gotta love these dogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 What they said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted July 16, 2012 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 I'd say you and wee Juno are doing just fine! ~ Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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