Holding pigs

[Jumpin Boots]

Again this fall we have gotten 3 pigs to raise over the winter for butcher. While they are young they are kept inside only, we will open up their outside pen in the next 4-6 weeks. In past years, the little guys have just pinned themselves into a corner when I'm coming in and out with the wheelbarrow to clean their pen. Typically by the time they are older and more bold, their outside area is open so I can lock them out when I'm cleaning.

 

These three piglets are the pushiest, bravest little guys I've ever met. They are already trying to figure out how to get past the wheelbarrow and I am not confident that they aren't going to sneak past me. Pigs are FAST and the last thing I want to deal with is 3 loose pigs trotting full speed in opposite directions (and yes, I do know from past experience that this is what will end up happening).

 

So, I was thinking about using Timber to hold them off the gate. Does anyone see any issue with this? Would there be any reason this could affect him negatively when on sheep? He has a pretty strong eye, so we typically try to keep him from these types of situations for too long with the sheep b/c he's still learning to release it, but I'm just not sure it this would transfer from species to species.

 

Any advice would be appreciated?

 

Our other dog, who thinks the only good thing about sheep is what they leave behind in the pasture has actually helped with pigs in the past, so I can just use him if it's advised against using Timber. But I never like passing up an opportunity to use Timber on stock, unless it's going to have a negative affect on our progression.

 

Thanks!

[Tea]

I have moved pigs with Taw. It can be done.

[Liz P]

You need a steady dog with a fair grip.

[Pam Wolf]

bite! It took my pigs quite a few strong grips before they learned to move away from the dogs.

 

OTOH, friends who raise hogs have some very nice young dogs that they are just putting on sheep. these dogs have very nice balance and decent eye yet will use enough bite to hold back the hogs at feeding and move them where needed.

[DeltaBluez Tess]

Shiro used to work pig....they will test a dog all the time. They respected her but a lot of dog they ran over. She nipped them a few times to make her point and after that they would watch her.....

[bcnewe2]

I had a dog that was to rough on sheep. Gave her to a pig farmer for a pet. He had no intention of using her on his pigs. She quickly showed him what a wonderful job she could do helping with the pigs.

Way to hard on sheep but hogs were her forte. It did take a good grip to move his pigs.

Best placement of a dog that wasn't working for me that I ever did. He still talks about her. She passed away at the age of 8. His mom was a vet, said she had a heart attack and died at the foot if his bed. Guy loved her so much he hasn't gotten another dog since

[olivehill]

I raise hogs farrow to finish in both pens and on pasture and use my dog to move them, hold them and as backup when I'm working boars and potentially-cussed sows alone. It can be done, but it's a different type of work than sheep and even cattle. (Both of which we also work in different capacities.) I've found that the difference in the way hogs react and the way they need to be pushed and held can be confusing to a dog who is just starting out. Not that they can't figure out more than one type of stock at a time, but simply that it does create an extra layer of confusion and complexity to the early stages of training. I don't know how old Timber is, or how far along in his training -- or what you want to do with him, for that matter -- but, personally, if he's young and you have a trained, older dog who can do it I'd just use the older dog.

 

ETA: I guess I've assumed above that Timber is young yet. If that's erroneous and he's got a handle on his basics, I wouldn't hesitate to use him rather than the older dog.

[Jumpin Boots]

Thank you all for your input. Timber is almost 2.5, but he's my first working dog and we've taken things slow. I think I will try using him next week when I clean their pen and see how it goes. He won't have to move them, just hold them off the gate. I'll give a report afterwards, Thanks again

[5Bordercollies]

Zorro loved to herd, I should say chase, the pigs back into their pens when we still had pigs. Mind these were weanlings, not fully grown pigs. The made a hole in the wall of their enclosure - it was only zinc, so no mean feat- and would escape to go forage. Whenever I went down there, Zorro, back then a little over a year old would escape the yard, come down there, round up a bunch of screaming pigs who made for their hole top speed to go back inside. Noisy critters pigs, but some days I still miss them.

[stockdogranch]

Last time we raised 6 for butcher, Tikkle was great at putting them up at night (they had a pasture to root in during the day). She is calm, but is used to working cattle, so has a nice grip when needed. And the pigs needed it a fair amount. She was so good at it that I didn't even try the other dogs,

A