Anatolian Shepherd Dog

It's been a crazy summer around here. After everything that happened with Raven, the training process with some of the dogs getting adapted to the goats was put on hold. I've been playing catch up on everything around here and now have been able to start working with some of the dogs and getting them to be with the goats. Fahrunisa was with them shortly and was ok but wants to be a goofy puppy and chase. Once she gets it out of her system, she calms down. I'm hoping as she matures that she'll get more calm and be able to be trusted with the goats like some of the others are and not chase them. Tayyar and Pasa and absolutely wonderful with them. Atakan has been doing really great too. He's been more calm this year with them and doing fantastic. He's a wonderful guardian and will charge the fenceline putting off a powerful bark to keep whatever he feels is a threat at bay while the older 2 split and serve as a middle defense or back up for Atakan and the other will stay closer to the goats. This was all until Atakan saw Fahrunisa chase and it kicked him into puppy mode again and he wanted to chase. This past weekend I wanted to do a test with them and see how Atakan would react without Fahrunisa around. Did her bad habits wear off of him or does he just do it because she does it? I removed Fahrunisa so there was no way Atakan would see how she would act with them before I even turned the goats out. When they were out, he started to chase and act like an idiot. Out of no where, Pasa went charging after him and started body slamming herself into him and growling. She would not let hhim anywhere near the goats at all if he was going to act like that. She literally knocked some sense into him. I was amazed. Pasa normally keeps her distance from them and acts like she could care less. She stepped up to the plate and showed me that she really is watching over them. After a couple of minutes of Pasa body slamming Atakan, he calmed down and was just like he acted before Fahrunisa's bad habits wore off on him. He was completely trusted to be with them. He didn't dare chase and he quickly calmed down and relaxed and watched over them like a good livestock guard. All it took was Pasa to knock some sense back into him. It was so impressive! I'm very pleased with Tayyar, Pasa and Atakan and how they watch over the goats. Fahrunisa will need a lot more work with them before she's to be trusted. Once she matures, I'm hoping she'll be fine just like the others.

Now for another update! Miss Kazara! The one who pulled me across the ground when I took her on a long lead to see what she would do with the goats. Since that incident she has not been with the goats at all. I couldn't handle being pulled like that again. She's been only able to watch them through the fence and she does love to watch them. The one night after work I decided to put the 4ft lead on her and take her in the goat enclosure to see them up close. She did good! A couple of nights later she was begging to go in and see them when I went in to tend to them. I didn't go get the lead this time. I grabbed her collar and held on to her to take her in. She was doing really good and just checking them out. I took the biggest chance I ever took with her and I left go of the collar. I kept my hand right on her back so she knew I was there. She was wonderful! She knew she better not attempt anything with me right there. She was doing so good and then little Moonshine ran past her really fast and she turned like she was going to chase but I grabbed her quick and she calmed immediately. I removed her after that. I've taken her back in the enclosure several more times off lead and she has done really good. This girl that I thought would never be off lead with the goats was off lead! She still needs a lot of work with them though. The last time I took her in, we had quite a scare. The goats got all excited and Kazara put her eyesight on little Moonshine again and she tore off after him. I was scared to death she was going to grab him by the neck. I'm not sure if she was serious or if she thought it was just fun. Kazara is a bit unpredictable at times. I was yelling at her and trying to catch her. Thank goodness Moonshine is a quick little guy. I was able to grab her and scold her. I removed her from the enclosure immediately and she hasn't been back inside it yet. She needs a lot more work yet to be trusted with them. Once I feel that she'll pass the test of being in the enclosure trusted with them, the big test is outside of the enclosure. That is going to be a ways off yet but we are making some progress with her. Baby steps! Just take one step at a time. I can tell she really wants to go back in the enclosure but we'll have to start all over again from the beginning.

Here are some pictures of her finally off lead with the goats! This was an amazing milestone we hit after what had happened before even though there is still a lot of work and learning ahead. I never thought I would see the day she was off leash with them.