Having witnessed 3 dogs haring round my field, unchecked by their THICK owner, to the point where they chased our hens and then got our pet cockerel against the front door in full view of my 2 year old son I have decided I need a good deterrent.

A pony that will chase any out would be ideal - but I have had to resort to locking up MY animals on MY land because of some owners being inconsiderate and having no control over their dogs.

Am really peed off. Police coming tomorrow to take a statement. I am sick of dog owners thinking they are free to do as they wish with their flaming mutts. And I am a dog owner - but enoughs enough.

You need a horse like my freinds.  When he's in the field no dog is safe

Have you got enough space to have any cows, Carla?  My little Dexters will see off strange dogs.  Can you put up warning signs to the effect that dogs worrying stock can legally be shot?

We are going to fence off the footpath that runs through our land - fortunately it's at the furthest extremity of the farm, but I get annoyed when people don't stay on it and I don't want their dogs worrying my cows, especially when they have calves. 

If you haven't any room for cows - what about a nice couple of goats .....with horns!     They will settle quite happily with horses - but if you get a good big Sanaan goat - with horns - she could threaten any dog nicely :D

Margot

I've not got room for cows unfortunately - but a goat sounds like a good idea :D :D :D

even I am scared to death of goats :D

The Dexters are only little, especially the short legs - they don't take up much room - honest :)

You could always go for a Harness goat (see here http://www.allgoats.com/breeds4.htm#HARNESS)

Ideally though, a horned british alpine or sanaan is quite a big goat, will give you loads of milk (think of how much more of the good life, to go with your chickens :) ) - and they are quite affectionate .....ours used to come inside & try to go upstairs!   Its only the male that smells (or the doe when she's been with the buck) - they're otherwise quite sweet creatures :)

And we could call you Heidi!

Margot

LOL, Margot :D :D :D Now, I've always wanted a goat ........... :D :D :D

Daisy

llama!

I hear Llamas are used to protect livestock from predators, so what about a pet Llama?

Hiya,
Llamas are fab as livestock guardians, but they need company.  ~What you need is a small number of GIANT GEESE!. All of my dogs are petrified of geese (good thing too!), but seriously, a good strong goat wouldn't stand for any nonsense, (If i could i'd have goats and Dexters).

Good luck in your search,

Ali

(ps - go for the Dexters)

Wouldn't the Llhama be happy with the horses for company?

Apparently swans are good dog deterants too....my two ever so brave hounds have just been chased out of the river by one!!  They both shot out of the water like torpedoes and the stood a good distance back on the riverbank growling at the offending bird :rolleyes:

dexters look lovely - but I am scared of cows. Silly when I have 17hh horses - but cows are so inquisitive and scary...

Do they become tame like horses?

Think cattle are only danerous when they have calves ( protective and so will chase) and also if they are in a group and are freaked and stampede :)

I think goats are a good idea ;)

Have you put signs up warning people ?

Lucy
xx

Yes, there are signs, but they are ignored.

Woman today says "how am I supposed to know where he is when he is off the lead"?

:rolleyes:

Geese, is what you need, they will see anything off, just ask my daughter,  never saw her move so fast, when a gaggle of geese chased her out of  her ponies paddock.

You also could have done with my old boy King,  he is dead now, 12hhs  of  pure mischief... as the farriers dog found out one day,    the dog, used to torment King while  he was being shod,    the JR seemed to know King could not chase him as he was tied up,  so would duck under his legs and bite his nose,  on a regular basis, till one day King the little man, had had enough,  when Jake ducked under his legs to bite his nose,  quick as a flash , King picked him up with his teeth and threw him across the yard,  A hard lesson for Jake, but he never tried it again.  Oh do I miss that little man.

i could lend you my ADHD son !!! he would scare off the dogs..cows...goats.....geese....lol !!!! D:

when i went to the lake district a few years ago there was a sign at the beginning of one walk saying how many dogs had been shot that year for worrying sheep.
not suggesting you shoot dogs OBVIOUSLY, but a sign that made people think twice might help.i know i wouldnt let my dog off lead  after seeing something like that.

as the farriers dog found out one day,    the dog, used to torment King while  he was being shod,    the JR seemed to know King could not chase him as he was tied up,  so would duck under his legs and bite his nose,  on a regular basis, till one day King the little man, had had enough,  when Jake ducked under his legs to bite his nose,  quick as a flash , King picked him up with his teeth and threw him across the yard,  A hard lesson for Jake, but he never tried it again.  Oh do I miss that little man.

I am gobsmacked though that the farrier didn't control his dog!

Horses can kill dogs with a well aimed kick - why oh why aren't dogs just controlled (ie put on a lead!!)

Lindsay
x

The Dexters can be really sweet - you are right, they are very inquisitve - and yes, they can be very tame.  Ellie and the bull love a neck rub. 

We've got 31 in total, including the bull and the 10 calves.  Some of the cows are really friendly and will moo when they see me - especially my favourite, Clover.  A few of ours are halter trained and can be led.  Believe it or not, the bull is actually the easiest!  Some of the cows are perfectly happy to have us handle their new born calves but not Rita!!  But even she relaxed after a few days.   None of ours have been milked, but the Dexter is a dual purpose breed (meat and milk) and they make a very good "house cow" and will give a reasonable amount of milk as well as rearing their own calf.  They are a herd animal so you should have at least 2 - but a cow and her calf will be fine.  You could buy one that's got a calf and is used to being handled and hand milked and then you wouldn't have a problem :)  Then, you can put her back in calf, and rear the other youngster to eat!! 

I've just picked up my first agricultural show schedule and am thinking of having a go at showing some of the cows.  That could be very entertaining - for everybody else :)

I'd also go for Llamas because I remember reading this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/northamptonshire/3205803.stmat the time the news came out.

There is a house in a nearby village that about 4 llamas in it's large garden.  You can see them as you drive through the lanes towards the village and they've had them for years.

Hiya Cheryl,

Would that be the house near Walkern? If it is, i always watch for them when i go through the lanes - caught them 'talking' to a herd of deer through the fence last year!! Bless

Ali

Hi Ali, - Yep, that's them :)  They're quite a sight as you approach Walkern aren't they?  They've been there for quite a few years and I think I've seen geese in the same garden/paddock too as well as chickens. 

Deer populations seems to be increasing around here as we seem to be seeing more and more of them.  I saw a herd in Boxwood one day and that is very near to Walkern.

Llamas are indeed good guards, but I'm not sure about alpacas, which seem to be more common around this area. You'd be amazed how many people don't realise the difference!

I can see why people wouldn't realise the difference, but I do :)

I thought that any dog running loose worring cattle or live stock could be shot by the land owner?

Yes, it can, but even if I had a shotgun and license it happens so quickly you can't do much and you'd struggle to get a shot.

I feel sick with it all today - I could barely sleep last night. To watch dogs hunting like that, totally out of control, is awful. Its turning me into a dog hater - and I never, ever thought I'd say that. Th terrier was flushing them out and the bigger one was trying to kill them. Why should I have to put up with it?

Luckily the cockerel seems to be ok - he's lost all his tail feathers, but he's got 9 lives - this is the 3rd time he's been had by a dog

Having witnessed 3 dogs haring round my field, unchecked by their THICK owner, to the point where they chased our hens and then got our pet cockerel against the front door in full view of my 2 year old son I have decided I need a good deterrent.

Sorry to hear your pet cockerel was killed Carla :(

I can't believe the owners comment - how utterly stupid! :rolleyes:

Lindsay
x

What about something like a Ram, friends had 'white-face woodland sheep and their ram would physically remove any dog that ventured into HIS field, nice big set of curly horns!!

geese are extremely protective and make good guards

I have a friend who keeps geese and he says they are excellant guards and very friendly and affectionate towards their owners :)  His geese look cute aswell, especially as babies and youngsters :)

i have a friend with the same problem, she had enough one day and she was unloading her dogs from the back of her car and she turned around to see three very large dogs belting through her flock of 5 sheep , she shooooeedddd her own dogs into the porch and then blasted on the horn of her car, when the owners of the dogs looked she shouted GET OFF MY LAND NOW, and she thought wow, when the owners of the dogs started to run in the oposite direction she thought i must be frightening, then her husband said to her no, you have two guns over your arm, she was about to lock them in the gun case when all this broke out and she was so worried about her sheep she said she forgot, but when she tells the story no one believes her at all, she has a huge sign on fences now saying BULL IN FIELD ENTER AT OWN RISK OF BEING TRAMPLED TO DEATH,
carolann

I would suggest you find out who the person is and issue them with a bill for any damage and a solicitors letter reminding them of the law regarding the control of dogs, I would also remind them of a farmers right to shoot a dog who is worrying livestock , they may not be so lucky on someone elses land:rolleyes:

HOw about a sign saying something like that then "Bull Loose in field enter at own risk" or even a sign up saying somehing like "Dogs worrying my livestock MAY be shot"

This may be a stupid question but why are other people and their dogs on your land anyhow?

Karen

There's a public footpath crossing it, Kazz.

Well then thats even more inconsiderate than I first thought I use  apublic footpath with my my two girls and even though there is no one is sight even off lead they never vere from the track, and I would never ever let them be offlead IF there was any type of livestock. What cretins.

I was running down the edge of a field of crops on a public footpath.
Was shocked to see two women standing talking. There dogs having a whale of a time running around togerther....................All over the farmers crop :( :( :( :(
Am i unusual that when I see that I think of the money the farmers are loosing :( :( :(
Same as dogs mess on nicely cut grass at the local VOSA weigh bridge. Okay its in the middle of nowhere but the grass is cut shortish ever 2 weeks, And people can see it is maintained regularily and people take their dogs there deliberatly to toilet (you cannot get there by path so have to drive animals there!!!!!. I have to mow it every two weeks and mow over dog muck :( :( :( :( Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Soprry rant over :( :(
Lea :)

I was walking my Papillon today and made sure not even he, who is tiny, took as much as a single step onto the farmers' fields (we're totally surrounded by them here) as I am sure they would not appreciate it. It's common sense, isn't it, but seems some people haven't got any...... :(

Is it possible to put a sign up before people go through the field warning about the livestock? I'm wondering if they come across them and by then it's too late for them to control their dogs as the dogs have already got into the predatory chasing. That's no excuse for them, as we should all know where our dogs are all the time, but just trying to think of what might help.

Even then people will still ignore or not see the sign I'd imagine.

It must be so distressing. I can totally understand the anger you must feel.

Other than that is there fencing that can be put up? I know it doesn't seem fair but if it will keep your poultry safe....

Lindsay
xx

We regularly had boys on motorbikes riding on the crops up the fields behind my house :( It took a concerted effort by ourselves, neighbours, local CSO and a young council employee (who turned out to be the son of an old school friend :D ) to get the bikes taken away from these lads :) They had also driven their bikes at people (including myself), riding on public footpaths etc etc etc

Carla, I would try contacting your local council for help :) The trust that owns the field next to my house finally put signs up (after much persuasion from the police/council) advising people that it was illegal to do whatever (in our case, ride motorbikes, quad bikes etc) and for anyone witnessing it to report it to the police and gave the telephone number. Why not put similar signs up quoting the regulations re: footpaths ?? :)

Daisy

Carla - it has just occured to me that what you describe the dogs doing is, in actual fact, hunting with dogs - and therefore the full force of the law should be brought upon these people!    If you had gone out on your horse, with a couple of dogs...........;)

Do you know the identity of the woman supposedly in charge of these dogs?

Its ridiculous to suggest fencing the footpath - apart from the costs involved, how do you and your livestock cross from one side of your property to the other?   

Get a goat or two and a gaggle of geese - and put up signs saying this is a wildlife conservation area and therefore dogs are banned :D

Margot

I would be angry and upset too, as with most on here it is a very common problem, one which has put me completley off many a property with land if a footpath were to run through it, as over half the general public are selfish and none caring of others property and possessions.

The signs are a good idea warning of livestock and perhaps that dogs owners will be prosecuted and dogs shot if their dogs are caught worrying, chasing and killing the stock. But I dare say many would still ignore this.

Geese and even ducks are brilliant deterants but some breeds of dog may still try to chase and kill, the goat is a great assett to have.

If all else fails Carla would it be possible to build an enormous chicken run and house, I know you want free chickens and on an enclosed private farmland that is great but maybe it is just not worth the risk with a public footpath running through your land, perhaps you will need to protect your chickens fully, I know it is not what you have envisaged but maybe it will be the safest idea.

Thanks for all your support - I am feeling much better this morning.

This idiot wasn't even on the footpath. The canal runs alongside one of the fields (and there is a stile at one section to allow access to the footpath) and the dogs had found a way through there - its all fenced with post and rail, but they jump it! The owners were nowhere to be seen whilst her 3 dogs were haring round chasing my chickens

I had to scream for her to come and get them - she was over 100 yards away. Her dogs were trying to kill my cockerel on the front doorstep as she ambled over. I have never wanted to hit someone so much in my life. She then got the dog on the lead and stood there arguing with me whilst the dog was trying to get to the cockerel again who was shaking behind the plant pot with all his tail feathers over the doorstep - the other 2 dogs - who I think were her friends (nowhere to be seen might I add) - were still racing round but the chickens had hidden by then. My farrier saved the cockerel -had he not been there to pull the dog off it would have been curtains. He hit it too - hard and it STILL went back in for more. The terrier didn't even have a collar on

Problem is this woman is not really "all there" from what I gather. My mum came out after I had walked away cos I was SO angry and explained what her dogs had been doing more calmly than me and she started to shake and get upset. Still no excuse

I am going to have to put signs all along a 4 acre field warning people I think. And lock the chickens in the field shelter every day. I can't cope with this stress.

Do geese cope with foxes? Do they need a house to go in at nights too?

Foxes and even Badgers can kill geese.

Hi Carla

I do sympathise with you.  Have you thought of using an electric chicken fence so you can move it around your property?  That would hopefully stop the dogs from getting them.  I've bought one already, but haven't got my chickens yet as I need to sort out some sort of moveable housing.  One of the reasons that I've bought the electric fencing is to keep any birds safe from my dogs, as they haven't been bought up with chickens and I know one of them finds chickens VERY interesting - our neighbours had some before we moved and she used to watch them through the fence.

And foxes will take geese - our neighbours lost one to a fox recently.

Would calling the dog warden to complain be of any use -especially as you say the dog didn't have a collar on? Or even calling the police if she appears again in a similar situation?

You cant put anything in the field that will hurt people, ie a bull.
You cant put anything in the field that you KNOW will chase and/or hurt people, ie a pony or horse known for kicking/biting.

Signs to the effect that people must 'beware' a certain animal, even ifyou have no such animal, ie 'beware the kicking horse'..... those mean you are aware that the animal may injure a person, now even if you really mean a ficticious horse and then one of the ones NOT known for kicking people actually hurts someone.... you are liable.

Check if the animals you keep in the field count as 'livestock', im not sure horses do, or chickens..... however if they do, signs to the effect that loose dogs off the designated path will be shot should do the trick.

I think id actually rather not have any land than have land with a public footpath through it!

Hi Theemx

You can have a bull (other than a dairy breed bull) in a field that has a public footpath running through it as long as he is running with cows.  Our bull (Dexter) is very placid.

I think I'd go for putting up warning signs about dogs worrying stock being liable to be shot.  That would make me very cautious, anyway!

We are fencing in the footpath on our land just to avoid these problems!