My new Pack Goat Protectors...(long & picture heavy)

[TOU]

How are your dogs working out, TOU? Also, how are your new goats working out?

Hey Nanno & All,

Started a new job last month & haven't found much time to post. Thought I'd post a link of a short video I took a couple of days ago of my 6.5 month old LGD's and my full grown 18 month old Springer. They were irritating & double teaming her and she was getting pretty annoyed with them. No harm but she let them know who was in charge but also went home totally slimed by these two big fur balls. See what you think.

My dogs...

BTW, they are 27" at the shoulder (not including fur which makes them seem even taller. When I weighed them at the vet the week after my last post, they were 65 & 70 pounds. I am pretty sure they have put on another 10-15 since then which is putting them in the 80-85 lb range I suspect. I have no doubt that they will likely be in the 110-125 range when fully grown & who knows how tall?! Amazing that they are only a confirmed 6.5 months old!

On my goats, all is good; all get along fine with the dogs. (4 almost 5yr old Alpine/Saanens & 3 nearly 3 yr old Saanen/Alpine/Boers)Buddy my original Lamancha, seems to miss Chester a bit in the sense that he isn't nearly as tight with any of the rest of the newly added herd members as he was to Chester...but they had been raised together since kids. In all fairness, the four 4.5 yr olds have been raised together since kids and so had the three 2.5 yr olds. Seems to be a tough dynamic to break into. Don't get me wrong he is happy and content but prefers to sleep with the dogs as much as anyone since Chester passed away. It has definitely been interesting introducing SEVEN new goats to one and watching the dynamics change on a daily basis. However, it took a while of bribing and working with some more than others to get them to come around to being "my goats". I have taken them on several small hikes including the entire herd of 8 through the neighborhood & down to my house recently. All now come running to my voice or whistle even when on a trail. That was handy when another hiker had two big dogs...they just gathered around me off the trail until they passed.

My biggest goat appears to be between 38"-39" (Big Gus) and I suspect is well over 220 lbs. I have 3 others that aren't far behind in height including my soon to be 3 year old Lamancha Buddy. The latter isn't early as big as Gus yet but has really come into his own and is nearly 37" IIRC. (3 more I suspect are over 200 lbs but need to confirm.) I also suspect he will be 200+ eventually and may still gain some more height. (Vet confirmed yesterday, via X-ray, that his growth plates are not closed yet. Anyway, still having fun, looking forward to spring and getting them out even more. (And finishing the fencing too. )

Cheers,

TOU

P.S. No more escapees either.