Silver Cloud Shep

Ok having a hard time, Shep our farm collie has taken up leaving and goes to the house accost from ours at the bottom of our driveway! He started this 1 week ago when our kids started school their kids are 6 and 4 so there is still a kid home there to play with. He stays long enough to do chores and eat and if not watched close will then try to make his getaway. We have tried all sorts of things and are down to him being tied, or penned with the goats or in the truck going with us. But if we are not outside or it is not feeding time ect, he has to be tied to stay home. Is there any way to break him of this? The whinny barking is driving us crazy lol just kidding we love him but can not understand this sudden change in his behavior?

Quick comment (sorry, no advice!) --

Would you all say this is typical farm dog behavior? I would... I know English Shepherds tend to be territorial, and not wanderers, *however*...

One of the classic tales people share from their childhood is the beloved neighborhood farm collie that would walk the kids to school, then hang out, and walk them home. Or the farmdog that trailed around after the kids, when they went exploring, keeping an eye on things. It sounds like Shep is showing that same sort of child-orientation. He's not wandering like a hound would, following game, lacking any sense of boundaries, he's going over to the children.

Yes he loves kids but the reason we wanted a farm collie was they were known to stay home. I had not known about them being so kid oriented I wanted a dog for me and the goats more but love that he is a good companion for the kids, just needs to learn what kids LOL

Yes Shep has a very diff. style then "buddy" our dog we had when I was a kid. He was 1/2 ausie 1/2 heeler and he acted like the cows were pray, he actually stalked them then bit them on the heels to move them. Was a good cow dog but he bit almost every stranger that came to our place! Shep likes to run up bark then he gets down on just his front feet and watches if they do nothing he moves forward and try's again (he also runs along side them and bumps them with his shoulder to turn them) they almost always go now they know the routine.

But Henry being a little buck in training has to put it to the test and run away from the rest of the goats. Shep never lets him get away with it, and is not happy until he is back with the rest of the goats. Almost as good as watching T.V. maybe better!

Shep by the way has been staying home fine if I pen him while the kids are getting ready for school and untill the bus has made it past our house! He seems to know the little boy has now started Kindergarden and is not home! Boy these dogs are smart! He play fights with Samsom alot in the cool am and pm this is helping them bond, also I have noticed when I let Shep out Samson lays in the middle of the drive and does not let Shep go out into the horse field? Any thoughts on this?

Our little Shep loves to play and will spend time trowing his "baby" in the air and fetching it for him self but will also bring it to me to throw.

Our Shep likes to work along side also! Using his sholder to bump and move them where he wants.

We have a pet rabbit that is lose and always has been. She follows us around at feeding time and sits beside Shep and waits when ever the wheelbarrow stops. Shep is def smart cause she is just one of the farm charges to him, but a stray rabbit or squirrel ends up on our porch step dead. He knows the difference and this just throws me, we love him so much, he is just great! And I love his longer face he is sweet looking and so full of expressions.

He is great with my preemie goat, she was born with her heart too small so she gets tired very easily as her heart does not pump enough blood and she has to stop and pant get enough oxygenated blood to her lungs to breath properly. She has had a few scary episodes that we noticed due to Shep coming to get us and running to her then back to us. We hope she will live but some outgrow their hearts before the heart can catch up. We are hopeful but prepared for the worst if we have to. She has made some wonderful strides and is a happy little goat, playful and all but slower developmentally then the others her age.