Mystery Tracks!
Taking a cue from Walter at Sugar Mountain Farm, I thought I'd post some mystery tracks. He does a great job of photographing intriguing tracks in the snow and having folks guess what the tracks are. Well, we've had very little snow this year and until this week I've only seen one set of tracks worth photographing, and of course I didn't have my camera with me.But THIS week, I saw Mystery Tracks on my front porch in the snow! What could it be??? I ran inside and got my camera.
Here is a closeup (you can also click these photos for a larger version). Note the huge pads, the vicious claws. What fearsome creature could have left these ominous prints right on my front porch?? I don't have a large readership, so I don't really anticipate many guesses, if any. Still, I think I'll wait until tomorrow to spill the beans.
Labels: nature
posted by Leslie @ 3:55 PM
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Leslie I have a guess but it is a bit of cheating since you told me something that leads me to believe it is a GH (on the left) and B. :) Hope I'm right! -Walter
On my blog you asked can your house dogs be trained to be guardians or herders? Maybe. I don't know what a Briard is like. The German Shepherd has the gene memory from generations of selective breeding for the job so it may have the aptitude sleeping in its mind. Perhaps you can awaken it. It is worth a try.
Ideally you start with a puppy before it is born. The parents are already working dogs and have the right aptitudes. Note I do not say they are pure breds. Rather they are doing the work you want. The pup is born in a den near the target species of livestock that it will eventually learn to guard. As it gains its senses of smell, hearing and sight it is stimulate to the sensations of those animals so they are familiar and part of its in-group.
For guardian dogs the dog should grow up with the target animal species. Adult dogs and humans should be around to teach correct it so that it learns the proper behaviors. At just a few months of age they are already doing duty although by no means trained. With continued exposure, if they have the right temperment, then they'll be ready to work independently by a year or two of age.
Herding is different than guarding and takes much more training. Some dogs will show the aptitude but you want to mold the predator behavior that is the basis of herding into something that protects the livestock. Some people say to wait to start training until the dog is 18 months old for herding. We start much earlier.
For herding you must already have the dog's attention. Begin with getting down basic commands like come, good, bad, no, sit, stay, heel, etc. Lots of short sessions are far better than long training sessions. Ideally you'll have an older dog who knows the ropes and can model the behaviors. Even without that with patience you can mold the dog's natural instincts into herding behavior.
I learned by doing what worked. I use behavioral mod training, emphisis on the positive as much as possible and learning how the animals think and react. I use food rewards, considered a no-no by some trainers. I also use a lot of praise as well as negative when needed.
I have not yet read a book on training herd dogs. I say not yet because I just started one I borrowed from a neighbor. Bob Hinds is the author. Much of what he has talked about so far is like what I do. It will be interesting to learn what additional ideas he has. Ironically, he uses dogs to herd pigs - same as us.
Note: if a dog kills a chicken or sheep, do not destroy the dog. It can probably be trained. Contrary to what some people tell you the taste of blood does not turn the dog into a killer and even killers can be trained. Just ask Kita who was once my problem child when she returned after nine months of being chained in someones yard. Talk about ADHD! Now she is a free roaming guardian. Someday I'll tell her story.
It looks like a dog track. I hope you have a dog. I would hope it's not a wolf on your front porch. It's a always a little hard when there's no frame of reference for size on tracks.
*ding ding ding!!!*
We have a couple of winners, folks!!
The tracks were made by Rolf, my German Shepherd Dog.
Not as exciting as the tracks that Walter posts (but better than the egg :P )
I saw rabbit tracks in the snow once, but no camera. We just haven't had much snow at all here this year. I don't know if that's normal or not.
Walter, thanks for the info on guardian dogs. It sounds like right now, with our dogs and schedule, we need to continue with letting them be pets and we need to keep them inside the invisible fence so they don't terrorize the neighbor's cat.
When one of us is homesteading full time it will be time to get guardian dogs and train them. Both our guys know sit, down, stay, leave it, take it... but we're their pack and I don't think they'd adjust well to such a big change. The Briard, in particular, would probably grieve himself into illness - no kidding!
Oh, good point about not having any scale. Next time I'll put down a quarter or something for perspective.
I was kind of hoping it was wolf. That would have made a really interesting post!
What animals are you planning on that will need guarding?
A wolf *would* have been interesting! We have coyotes around here too. The dogs chase them out of the yard but the coyotes come back. They are brave.
We are planning on chickens and rabbits in the spring, and pigs within two years. The hold-up on pigs is being able to afford a land survey and fencing.
dire wolf!
Oh, HEAVENS, Pablo! Now I'll have trouble sleeping...
I enjoyed reading your blog and have a lot of respect for the lifestyle you have chosen. We too once lived in Atlanta but now live on Charlotte Harbor in Florida. Being close to nature is wonderful.
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