The Education of Ben

[babsbag]

Don't the chickens lay the eggs for the dogs?? I thought that that was how it works Sorry about the eggs, it has been solved around here...moved the chickens and the coop...but I remember that oh so well.

 

[Beekissed]

Where are the nest boxes?
Yep... every LGD owner goes through this. We all go .

What deworming schedule do you have him on?

Are you feeding chicken necks?

Nest boxes at dog height inside the coop...right at his head level. They are built ins, so I can't raise them out of his reach. He's still small enough to worm his way into that pop door and he goes at will when I'm inside the house or away from home.

I don't much do a deworming schedule for my dogs. They get wormed in the spring and again in the fall, but that's it...don't know if you can call that a schedule. I use something fairly mild, I don't like to give or use too much medicines on them.

After what I've learned about the topical flea meds the other day, I think I'll stop giving those as well and try a more natural alternative/preventative for that. We usually don't have a big flea problem here and I've never seen one on Jake, though I know he has a few at certain times of the year.

He'll only be getting chicken necks after we are through with them. Usually they get their daily ration~be that dog food or deer scraps~and any other meat/bone type scraps from our kitchen leavings, apples and any past fresh buttermilk. When I butcher chickens they get the feet and heads right then and any other bits that we don't use, but I usually don't give them the guts...Jake wouldn't touch them... but this pup would gulp them whole. I should have given him those, now that I think of it.

They also eat whatever they can kill or scavenge~rabbits, mice, squirrel, fruit, garden leavings such as corn, lettuce and maters, and eggs they have found out in the woods~a rarity, but it happens~and eggs and fermented chicken feed that they steal from the coop, like right now(Ben only), deer parts~livers, kidneys, lungs, hooves, heads, bones(though that is going to stop now that Jake's teeth are getting too worn down to chew them effectively). All in all they get a pretty varied diet that keeps my dogs very healthy and active, glossy and bright.

 

[Beekissed]

Don't the chickens lay the eggs for the dogs?? I thought that that was how it works Sorry about the eggs, it has been solved around here...moved the chickens and the coop...but I remember that oh so well.

I do feel that any they find out in the bush or any that I find that are too poopy or damaged are a fair reward for the job they do. I don't begrudge those at all. They deserve them!

 

[Southern by choice]

LGD breeds given their nature and where they come from as well as their size do need a different deworming program. Not sure if you have seen this or not. I have written many times about the subject. I can pm you a schedule if you like. It is just for pups not a permanent schedule.
LGD's rarely get fleas. I don't use anything either unless there is a reason. In our region ticks are horrible. We don't have that much of an issue in most parts due to the chickens and Turkeys but other sections especially where we move goats through the woods it is a big deal. We have had one human and 2 dogs contracted Erlichiosis. Fortunately I know the early onset signs (working with canines for a long time has it's advantages) Was able to get my son in immediately and the dogs as well. Our friend almost lost one of her dogs (one of our pups) to it this past summer. If we see tick issues they do get treatment (preventative) unfortunately ticks are becoming resistant to just about everything ... at least here. The natural products can actually do more harm than good, unless one is well versed or has an herbalist it can be risky. We have tried a few things however the dogs will roll in the manure or mud or whatever to get it off. Can't blame them... some things just smell so powerful to me so I can only imagine what it is like for them.

Not sure if I mentioned this here or in another "place" but you may want to be keeping those necks away from Ben. The thyroid is located in the neck region of the chicken up by the head. Studies for raw feeding do warn of the fact that ingesting necks (because of the thyroid) can disrupt thyroid in the dog.

What is his weekly gain right now?

 

[Beekissed]

No thyroid tissue in any necks he may consume, so no worries. By the time he gets them they have small meat fragments, bone and spinal cord only and any glandular tissue is nowhere to be found. Could be he'd ingest some when he eats the head, but that only happens a few times a year, so I'm not going to get too worked up about that. Not that I would anyway. Been feeding the same things to my dogs for years upon years and never saw any ill effects from it.

I've never weighed him. Don't know what he weighed originally and may never know unless I take him to the vet for something. Jake has only seen the vet twice in his life and both times were when he was around 6 mo., for rabies and neutering...he's 9 yrs old now. I don't vet a dog unless he's sick or injured or so old and arthritic that he/she needs the mercy of euthanasia.

I wouldn't mind reading your article about the deworming if you have a link.

 

[Beekissed]

Each day I'm more and more impressed with this pup's willingness to learn and perform what he's learned...he's one of those intuitive dogs that can anticipate what you want, which I love! It's nice to not even have to wait on a dog to go into position as he's already there.

This morning I was in a hurry when I fed, so just scooped, turned and gave Jake his food, turned back to scoop some for Ben...and turned around to find him already lying down as I've been teaching him to do, waiting calmly. I just about burst buttons from pride of him and gave him much lovin' for going that next step...Jake hasn't even figured that one out yet! He still has to be told or waited upon to get into a calm position...but then, Jake is a different temperament than Ben, with all that Border Collie side showing jittery energy pulsing through his body. Ben is much more laid back and able to hold a calm demeanor.

He's also pooping where he's supposed to poop after I finally learned to give him positive reinforcement when I dumped his scooped up loads there...only had to do that twice and he got it. Hasn't pooped in the yard since. Wish I learned as quickly as he does! Would have saved me the daily scooping of the poop and the grumbling while doing so.

The other night some people beat on our door around midnight, wanting to use the phone. Jake didn't bark once, which was odd until I realized he has slipped into sidekick mode with this pup, like he always did with Lucy, my GP mix. The pup barked a couple of times, so Jake didn't need to.

Love that about Jake...he's a very quiet dog and only barks when necessary. When Lucy was alive, I rarely ever heard Jake's voice and only when we had a bear or coyote pack visit the land or strange man walking by the house. I'm hoping Ben will follow suit and bark only when he perceives a threat~strangers on the land or strange vehicle arriving, predators in the area, hawk overhead and flying too low.

Ben's collar is showing a great fit now and he no longer even attempts to challenge the boundary. He has stopped putting his paw up on any of us entirely, even when excited, but approaches with tail wagging and nose outstretched for our greeting which is more desired. He only needed a couple of corrections for that, so I'm duly impressed.

Overall I'm impressed with what this pup has learned in only one month: He's learned the electric fence boundary, to come each time he's called, to lie down and wait calmly for food, appropriate greeting(no paws), no jumping up, to walk on a leash on either side, sit, stay(still working on that one but he's got the concept now), lie down(all these basic commands he also knows the hand signal for), no chasing chickens(VERY important and among one of the first things taught and learned), where to poop and not poop, how to stay out of the way when we are walking past, and to stand or sit calmly while I take off and put on his collar/leash/harness, where to sleep, how to act when humans are touching or around his food while he's eating and, last but certainly not the least in importance~who buys the food around here.

What he hasn't learned just yet and I've not had time to do training on is raiding the coop for chicken feed and eggs. Usually that gets taken care of in time due to continued body growth but I'll take some time to work on it also.

Might load me up a few eggs with some super hot sauce I have and see if that won't discourage his egg suckin' activities...never tried that before but it might just work. Might also lace up the chicken feed with some really hot peppers I have canned up...the chickens won't care and it may even improve laying, but he's bound to have a hot mouth if he should take a taste. It just might work.

Things I want to teach yet: Loading up and unloading from the truck or car, stay out of the coop, and keep back from Aliza's face when he greets her...go in low and slow and let her reach out first.

All training of everything he's learned and will yet learn will be ongoing for the entirety of our lives together, with every day showing opportunities for him to grow in skills and understanding of our lives here together. I'd venture to say this dog will be so versatile and intuitive in his capabilities that we'll never stop learning from one another and our partnership will be incredible.

He's learned so many important things from Jake that I could never teach him~what animal poses a threat and is worthy of barking, how long to bark for strangers(just a couple notes to get attention in the house or much more if we are not home), when to pay attention to the chickens and when to ignore them.

I thank God for sending him our way...God always knows what we need and when we need it and this pup was a direct answer to prayer.

Tomorrow will be his first time left alone on the homestead while we travel for two days. Well, he's not alone but first time totally without human supervision. I feel he knows and heeds the fence boundary enough that he won't be wandering off~ only to be shot by the neighbors. He also is trustworthy around the chickens enough to be left alone with them. I'll entrust him to God's hands while we are gone, like I do with the rest of the animals and property, and will not worry one bit while I'm away.

 

[Beekissed]

Ben's first unsupervised period went very well, though he raided the coop in my absence once again. I think I'll be baiting an egg and the chicken's feed this week to see how quickly he learns to leave such things alone.

He's growing quickly and is just a joy to have around...right now he's all curled up in that black rocking chair~wish I could get a good pic of that, as the white dog with black nose in the black chair is a very pretty composition.

I'll be adding to his system before spring so that both dogs will have a bigger area in which to patrol/run. This well help them patrol the area around the garden more completely so that they can kill the resident rabbits that chew holes in my garden fencing.

Will be getting some more hay bales this week to build him a hay house for winter sleeping...that should be warm as toast this winter. The hay house will be inside my spare chicken pen where he's currently sleeping curled up next to a couple of bales I have at present...on his cedar bed and in a corner protected on three sides, filled with fresh hay. It's out of the wind and wet, while still having easy access to the area he is guarding, for a swift response to threats that may occur while he is sleeping.

With the new bales I'll give him a top and thicker sides, as well as a thick flap to drape across the front to keep his warmth in. He'll be good and snug there. On the coldest subzero weather he can bunk in with Jake or Jake with him for added body warmth if they are so inclined, as both areas~the hay house and Jake's house~ are big enough for two dogs if they want to curl up together.

They really get on well together and I'm so pleased Jake has a nice dog companion once again. It means the world for him to have companionship of his own kind once again.

 

[Beekissed]

Had given Ben a one gallon apple juice jug to chew on and he loves it! It's too hard and tough for his little puppy teeth to chew off bits, so no worries there. He carries it, throws it, fetches it, pounces on it and chews it. CHEAP and great chew toy.

 

[Baymule]

Today we did a big burn pile, the burn ban is finally off. Our dogs, Parker, Polly and Trip enjoyed themselves immensely. Trip will be a year old next month. My hammer disappeared. I looked all over then finally concluded Trip took off with it. I saw him grab the garden rake and run off with it. I fussed a loud AAHHHHNNNT! He dropped the rake and I went and got it. I had a "poking" stick for the fire and of course he got that too. Anything I touch and it has my scent on it, he will claim it for his own. Later on, I did find the hammer and the nice rubber handle bore teeth marks.

 

[Beekissed]

He sounds like a real trip! Hee, hee! That "aaaaaannnnhhhtttt!" word is my preferred no-no sound too...it works better than anything else I've ever tried and for kids and all kinds of animals, it works.