3 dogs, 3 different behaviors

[Bruce Lanthier]

we walked out the house this morning for the 1st A.M. walk and there were two adult geese in the yard about 20 yards away. When we leave the porch towards the woods Buster is usually on the right, off leash, about 5 yards away. Betti is on leash/prong. Holly is on Leash. Now to the geese.

We immediately spotted the geese:

Buster got up, ears forward, stopped walking and looked. Hackles up. He was caught a little off guard and unsure.
Betti immediately was banging the prong. She wanted them badly.
Holly didn't even register what was going on LOL. I just don't think she cared.

Buster started edging their way. I called him back.
I corrected (verbal/leash) Betti once, then again real hard. she was now able to contain herself but they still had her full atttention.
We had walked forward about ten yards so Holly decided she had to pee, still ignoring the geese.
As distance increased, interest decreased and by the time we rounded past the barn no one cared although Buster was his usual lagging self (looking for rabbit crap to eat )

We go through the woods, come out on the road, head towards the house. The geese are still in the yard and there is the neighbors cat moving towards them from across the way.
The cat now has the FULL attention of Betti AND Holly. They want a piece of Brewski in the worst way but are behaving on the leash. Buster ignores the cat but now he feels braver about these geese so he is heading towards them with a little more courage. The geese feel cat pressure, dog pressure and human pressure. They wise up and fly away. we go in the house.

Was Buster being protective initially when he was between us and the geese. LOL not at all he just got caught in a bad position and was kind of stuck although he felt much better with all of us out there.

Was Betti being protective in trying to attack the geese. Nope, they were prey and she wanted a piece.

Holly is to old/experienced to care one way or the other, unless of course, you are a cat .

[Tank's Grandma]

It's part of what I love (and I admit, also have my frustrations with...) about having two dogs....the differences in their reaction to the same situation. They are soooo very different. But fortunately, so were my kids, not that I'm comparing raising dogs, to kids, but just that I'm used to the fact that you can't compare one to the other, or even what worked for one with the other....and that every day is an adventure!
Tank would have gone nuts over the geese, Jake would have asked them if they had any food, and if not, laid down for a nap

[SonnyRott]

We were walking in the woods recently where there is a spring fed pond. It is good to see the geese back with their babies. They are hungry and edge close to the banks in hopes of getting some bread.

From a distance, Sonny saw the geese and started whimpering with excitement. I let him off leash and said, "Have at it!" He ran, jumped in the pond and started swimming towards the geese for a closer look. The geese were not the least bit bothered as they knew they could fly away. After awhile, the geese began to follow the dog with the little babies being the most brave.

One by one, I ended up throwing all my dog treats in the water for the dog AND the geese. Just wish I had my camera!

[Puppy Love]

Sonny,
Watch your dog when you let them with geese w/babies *LOL* We had geese that had babies. The one day I looked out the window and the momma goose wa chasing down the dog flapping and hissing . She wanted to eat her ! Geese can be mean nasty birds

[JeanT]

Geese can be nasty and brazen. And their pinching bite can really hurt.

One of my dogs liked to wade belly deep and slap at the water. He was aware of the geese but wasn't going to try to swim. A whole gaggle started slowly closing in in a 3/4 circle, with land being the last quarter. When they got within 8-10 feet and were still closing I got his attention and called him out. I don't know if they would have attacked but it sure looked like it. He would have been no match against a whole group. And I wasn't a deterrent either.

[dmoniz]

My father has been chased back to his pick up by geese and they proceeded to attack the truck! They are not very shy usually.