Anonymous Poster
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We have two plot hounds that we got as puppies with the express purpose of running them in the pig pasture to a) keep other dogs out, and b) discouarge wild hogs from trying to break in and breed with our sows.
Tuesday morning they were moved to their new house and in with the pigs. Talk about your abrupt awakenings.
These are good sized dogs, at six months they weigh in at about eighty pounds. Solid little girls. Well, they weren't too happy. The first day they spent the entire day in their dog houses. They have been around the pigs and always held their own, but now they seem a little intimidated. Yesterday morning they managed to come outside the houses, halfway. They stuck their heads out and watched as I fed the pigs.
I feed them twice a day and since the move I have always made sure to include a treat of some kind. Yesterday afternoon, they finally got all the way out of the doghouses and Girl, the brindle, 'talked' to me the entire time I was out there tending to business.
I know they are lonely, they used to sleep on the front porch, but we made a point of not spending a whole lot of time with them as we knew they were going to be pasture dogs. Any ideas on how to make this transition any easier? The pasture is roughly one acre with 12 adult hogs running on it. It's almost all grass with trees and palmettos at the back, where their houses are. The pigs seem to pretty much ignore them.
I feel bad for them, but like the rest of us they have a job to do. The pasture is rectangular with goat wire and electric at the perimeter. When I go out to feed I usually spend ten to fifteen minutes with them, talking to them and petting them. That's twice a day.
Saturday, assuming I can get them to leave their houses they start perimeter training. I will be out there five to six times a day walking the perimeter with them 'checking' . During these 'checks' I will loudly and actively chase anything away from the fence. That includes squirrels, birds, frogs, cows, dogs, cats, anything that is on the fenceline. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.
By the way, eventually they will be allowed outside the pasture for short excursions. Once their training is complete.
Tuesday morning they were moved to their new house and in with the pigs. Talk about your abrupt awakenings.
These are good sized dogs, at six months they weigh in at about eighty pounds. Solid little girls. Well, they weren't too happy. The first day they spent the entire day in their dog houses. They have been around the pigs and always held their own, but now they seem a little intimidated. Yesterday morning they managed to come outside the houses, halfway. They stuck their heads out and watched as I fed the pigs.
I feed them twice a day and since the move I have always made sure to include a treat of some kind. Yesterday afternoon, they finally got all the way out of the doghouses and Girl, the brindle, 'talked' to me the entire time I was out there tending to business.
I know they are lonely, they used to sleep on the front porch, but we made a point of not spending a whole lot of time with them as we knew they were going to be pasture dogs. Any ideas on how to make this transition any easier? The pasture is roughly one acre with 12 adult hogs running on it. It's almost all grass with trees and palmettos at the back, where their houses are. The pigs seem to pretty much ignore them.
I feel bad for them, but like the rest of us they have a job to do. The pasture is rectangular with goat wire and electric at the perimeter. When I go out to feed I usually spend ten to fifteen minutes with them, talking to them and petting them. That's twice a day.
Saturday, assuming I can get them to leave their houses they start perimeter training. I will be out there five to six times a day walking the perimeter with them 'checking' . During these 'checks' I will loudly and actively chase anything away from the fence. That includes squirrels, birds, frogs, cows, dogs, cats, anything that is on the fenceline. Any helpful tips would be appreciated.
By the way, eventually they will be allowed outside the pasture for short excursions. Once their training is complete.
