Meet Our Geese Chasing Dogs
Why use dogs for goose control?
Unruly Canada geese can cause big headaches for your property. Get your goose problem under control with the help of our herding dogs!
It’s common to see geese at residential and commercial properties, or wherever a pond has been installed. That’s because zoning laws require new construction to have a water runoff area, prompting builders to create man-made ponds. These park-like areas become “goose heavens” with plenty of food, water, and nesting space for geese – without predators.
Unfortunately, these geese can wreak havoc on your property and put your employees and tenants at risk. Geese rip out and eat grassy areas, then leave messy droppings all over your lawns and walkways. These droppings may contain bacteria like e-coli, salmonella, listeria, and more.
Geese are also aggressive during warmer months and can harass the people on your property, also putting property managers at risk of being held liable for injury.
Help keep geese at bay with Go Geese Go and our herding dogs – it’s one of the most humane goose control methods available. Our border collies visit twice per day to chase away “resident” and “transient” geese without touching or hurting them. Our goose dogs are trained, skilled, and love what they do.
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About Our Highly Trained Border Collies
Border collies have a “herding eye” – an intense stare that’s used when herding. Rather than simply chase the geese, these dogs drop their heads and stalk the geese, waiting for the perfect time to make their move. Quick thinkers, the goose dogs are able to herd the flock while keeping an eye on stragglers.
While the geese may believe they’re being hunted, the dogs want to herd them to their handler. Geese are not touched or harmed during our process.
Our border collies come from one of the top trainers in the country. Before coming to us, the dogs receive basic obedience training, then go through about two years of herding training.
Once they’re officially on the Go Geese Go team, our trained dogs enjoy the comforts of a heated and air-conditioned building with five acres of fenced-in land for playing, exercising, and herding goats.
The dog’s instinct is to herd animals to its handler. When the geese take off, the dog may feel a lack of confidence due to its inability to bring the geese to its handler. Once back at home, the dog is able to successfully herd the goats to restore its confidence.
Among the various lessons each trained goose dog learns in training are the universal herding voice commands, which are different from typical sit/stay commands for pets. While working, the handler acts as the dog’s eyes and helps direct the dog in where to go and to avoid potential dangers. There are different commands for telling the dog to go left, right, lie down, and the rewarding “that’ll do” when they’ve done a great job and can call it a day. The more “in-tune” dogs can even tell by the handler’s tone of voice how urgent the command is.
When at work on your property, a Go Geese Go handler will bring one or two dogs. As the dogs herd the geese, the geese believe they are being hunted by a predator and move away from your property. Should the geese seek safety on the pond, we use various scare tactics, including swimming the dogs, remote-controlled boats and noisemakers. Once the geese determine that the dogs “own” the property, they’ll choose to live somewhere else and learn to stay away. While we can’t guarantee that you’ll never see another goose, we certainly make that our goal.
Do you love border collies as much as we do? Check out our friends at Kuykendall’s Border Collies!
Want to learn more about controlling your goose population with visits from our herding dogs? Give us a call at (614) 841-GONE. We serve the Central Ohio area as far north as Polaris, east to Pataskala, south to Groveport, west to Hilliard, and northwest to Marysville.
Smoke
Smoke is 3 years old and Go Geese Go owner Pat’s favorite (shh, don’t tell the others). Also on the team are Smoke’s mother, Rogue, and Smoke’s brother, Scout.
Allie
Allie is a rescue.
Leia
Allie also has a daughter, 2-year-old Leia. Leia works with Mack, a strong swimmer and excellent herder, and Cash, another strong swimmer who will soon celebrate retirement.
Luke & Palin
Palin is a very methodical herder and smooth in her movements. She’s retired from herding and helps train the younger dogs.
Luke
Allie has a son, Luke, who is not interested in the family business. As he has no desire to herd, he’ll make a very nice pet instead.
Sid
Completing the group is Sid, who is retired.
While the retired dogs don’t work every day, they’re welcome to do so when they want.