So I'm not going to lie, I did have dogs as a kid but I didn't have anything to do with raising or training them and two years ago was the first time I was actually able to get a dog so I'm doing my best to learn as I go with them. My fiancee and I live on ten acres in the country. His family actually owns around 200 acres that has been divided up among the individual members so while we don't personally have cattle, his family does. Two years ago we adopted two Staffordshire terriers from his brother. We've raised them out here their whole lives and they have never had an issue with live stock. They grew up with cats, cows, goats, and horses. They were trained to hunt small predators like moles, possums, coyotes. We did have an issue with one cat because that cat decided he was going to get cranky and start attacking one of my terriers. He wasn't killed and presently lives under our house and they seem to have a mutual understanding. Roughly a year ago we got an Alaskan malamute. I've been working with her the whole time I've had her, however, she's exceptionally stubborn and it's a slow going process.
When it comes to cattle, they used to have no problems with them. For that matter, I used to have pictures and videos of them cuddling and playing with the cows. However, last night we found them attacking a new calf his family brought in.
He wants to put them down or find them a new home but I want to work with them and finally put up the big fence in the backyard for them because they've never done this before and I don't believe that they should be put down for doing what's in their nature until it becomes a necessity. Ie: they start to bow up to humans or they refuse to stay in their fenced in area and keep hunting cattle. And my problem with finding them a new home is the fear someone will use the boys for fighting when they're truly sweet dogs or something will happen and they'll hurt someone or another animal at another's home and I'll feel responsible.
I was hoping you guys could give me some advice as to how to move forward with being stricter on their training to try and get them to understand they can't hunt cattle or leave the fenced in area?
Please and thank you!
