Advice please...Slicker's days may be numbered

Ok as you all know i have posted about Slicker and his slowly but surely unwillingness to work the cattle all the time. In the first place my husband wanted anouther Cane Corso to work the cattle knowing that they are awsome working dogs but I had been reading up on Dutch Shepherds and found a reputable breeder and talked my husband into one (slicker). At first he worked fine seemed really driven but has been getting bored with the work in the pasture. So with all the talk of the two new Cane puppies coming in to learn to work cattle for a friend my husband mentioned that Slicker would no longer be needed in the field since he wasent really working it anyway. He then brought up what i have been dreading.... Finding Slicker a new home :cry: . Im a strong beleiver to making a comitment to a dog and sticking to it in other words you buy a dog the dog lives with you until then end of its days. My husband on the other hand goes by if it doesent earn its keep we can't keep it especially a dog the size of Slicker...... Now Slicker does work wonderfully in the pens when loading the cattle for auction he infact if probley the best at this point. But we're not constantly taking cattle to auction so he works very rarely.

I asked my husband to just give me a couple weeks to find Slicker something he can do on the farm and enjoys because i hate to get rid of him. My husband though brought up a good point that with the size herd we have it is too much for Ginger and Ember and that we would in the future have to seriousely consider getting anouther dog to work the cattle in the future. And so Slicker would still be the less needed dog on the farm and not fair to him........ I hate this and don't know what to do I love Slicker but on a farm i guess love is'nt enough. Any advice or ideas would be great.

 

Boy that's a tough one. I think what Slicker really needs to do is prove himself. Maybe she can guard the chickens? Or possibly newborns? I don't know. I hope that maybe an idea will spring off my suggestions. Good luck!

 

That's TOUGH! I hope you can find something for Slicker to do!!! Not sure about the chicken idea but... I think that if you keep him around a bit longer he'll tell you sooner or later what he should be doing... he MIGHT just be a companion type fellow and in that case would maybe be happier somewhere he wouldn't need to do much other than that... Not to be negative by any means...but it's possible. I hope he figures it out though... It's always hard when the have to work and not enough room for them if they don't...

 

re cattle dog

I have info that may help your dog. It has helped others in the same situation.Too long for this site so.....?

 

this may be the solution ...

Case: "an aging hunting dog, havingtrouble keeping up with the pack. The back is weakening. The hand quarters are starting to sway. The master no longer takes him on the hunting trips he has been making since the age of six months. The dog hears the engine start on the pickup truck and hears the excited barking of the younger dogs. But there are no more trips for him. There is humiliation along with physical deterioration. the dog feels unwanted, worthless, left out."
What one vet gave: " I was using only vitamin C at the time(Note: Ester C is an excellent form of vitamin C and is more potent but if you can't get it the sodium ascorbate form of vitamin C will work)and had the man start giving the dog 2,000 milligrams daily with the food. In a few weeks the dog showed tremendous improvement. His back problem seemingly vanished. He had new zip and could keep up with the rest of the dogs. The last I heard the animal was still running with the pack. The man, after this experience, put all his dogs on a vitamin C program."

Note: giving 2,000 mg of vitamin C at one dose could lead to loose bowels- Start with 250 mg and work up to 2,000 mg.