FARM DOGS PART 2 HOW TO TRAIN THEM

Last edition, we looked at farm dogs and how beneficial they can be on the farm. This edition, we meet up with a dog trainer who shared and revealed a few tricks on how you can train farm dogs.

If dogs are left to their own choices, they would chase the farm animals around the farm yard.

In the previous article, we looked at herding dogs and guardian dogs. Both dog types are supposed to be trained young so they can grow up knowing that other farm animals are cared for by the farmer as well. The dog needs to learn that its job is to be vigilant, chasing off any harmful visitors and helping keep the livestock in certain areas.

When you raise the farm animals with the dogs, they will get accustomed to each other such that none of them will remember being without the other. The herd will treat the dog like one of their own in such cases.

However, you have to be cautious if a pup plays too much or is too aggressive. In such cases, you must take corrective measures before the play behaviour changes to rough behaviour. Like human children, puppies learn easily and quickly at an early age.

Youneed to reprimand the puppy by shaking it a little and using the command ‘NO’ and this will act as a deterrent when it engages in uncalled for behaviour.

An excessively playful puppy towards goats for instance can be cured by the introduction of larger goats to the training herd that will not tolerate the puppy’s playful behaviour.

A brief period of isolation, where the puppy is separated from the animals but can still see them, will reinforce efforts to teach the puppy appropriate behaviour. Owners should also use the command "NO" when the dog behaves inappropriately by chasing the farm animals or jumping on people. The dog must come to you on command. If you expect the dog to consistently respond to the command, be sure that the dog has a pleasant experience when it arrives.

The dog should be trained to walk on a leash, since at times it is necessary to lead the dog or tie it temporarily. The basic nature of the guard dog is independence, so additional training may be excessive. Eventually, the guard dog will work without human supervision.

When the dog reaches a certain level of maturity, it will begin to display protective and territorial behaviours towards predators that threaten the flock. There is no standard age at which a guard dog matures. Several signs indicate that a dog is ready to assume the guarding role: male dogs, and often females, use raised leg urination rather than the squatting position.

Dogs are active more frequently and for longer periods of time; patrolling activities increase in frequency and duration; dogs become more interested in sheep than humans. These behavioural characteristics can be useful to gauge maturity, but the guard dog must be large enough to defend itself if confronted by native predators.

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