Canada Goose Egg Addling DIY

Mamma Goose Standing Guard

EGG ADDLING STEPS  -  Do It Yourself

   Egg addling is the term used for rendering goose eggs non-viable. This  prevents goslings from hatching. Egg addling has an effect in reducing the resident Canada goose population. Not only are the year’s hatchlings reduced, but when goslings mature they tend to nest in the same area, adding their offspring to the local population. After one to two failed nesting seasons, mother goose is apt to move her nest to a different area next year.  If you have a nesting goose population and have the gumption to take on this task yourself the below information will guide you through the steps.  Before starting, check your individual state's requirements by contacting your Department of Natural Resources' Waterfowl Biologist.
    There are different egg addling methods. These include: Egg Oiling,  Nest and Egg removal, replacement with dummy eggs, shaking or puncturing eggs. RMGC egg addling is performed by oiling eggs, in compliance with The National Wildlife Control Operators Association and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) protocols. 
    The procedures to obtain an Illinois state permit and federal registration to addle resident Canada goose eggs are not complex, nor does it cost money. In Illinois, a permit must be requested through the IDNR with  the property address and anticipated number of nests and eggs to be destroyed.  If you are an ambitious homeowner and familiar with waterfowl, the IDNR may extend a permit to you.

1.) OBTAIN A PERMIT

       ​Contact the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in your state for a permit. This is a must do and absolutely needed. Follow the directions on the permit application. They are pretty easy and self explanatory forms. In Illinois we have to deal directly with the state DNR. Most states use the U.S. Fish and Wild Life Service reporting system. https://epermits.fws.gov/eRCGR/geSI.aspx

2.) LOCATE NESTS

       Geese build nest in a variety of places. Normally they are close to water and on islands. However, we have seen nests built in planters, in parking lots, on roofs and on balconies.  Some of these in crowded shopping malls.  Depending on your area, we will walk along shore lines, paddle kayaks, climb up on roofs to look for nests. Once they are found we will mark them, usually with a small flag, and record them on a site map.  We will do this with two handlers and sometimes a dog due to the aggressiveness of the nesting pair of geese during the spring season. Mamma goose must be chased off the nest. She can be stubborn.

3.)ADDLING THE EGGS
      When nests with eggs are located,  a float test must be performed on the eggs to assess development. If eggs are in the earlier stages and do not float,  they are coated with 100% food grade corn oil to prevent oxygen from reaching the embryo, rendering the eggs non-viable.  They are put back into the nest so the mother goose continues to incubate her clutch. If eggs are developed and can float, they cannot be humanely addled. They are replaced into the nest and left to develop. This is why you must take action as soon as geese start to nest.
   If the oiled eggs are not replaced and the goose is still fertile, she may re-lay her eggs.  Once the incubation period has past, the eggs are removed and buried off site.
The nest is then destroyed and removed.  This sometimes encourages geese to leave the site and not return to nest.


4.) REPORTING AND DOCUMENTING
    For each site visit, RMGC will record the location of nests, number of eggs addled and plot the data on to a site map. This information is then used for annual reporting to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. If you choose to do it yourself the same procedure must be followed. If you are reporting back to the USFWS it has to be done on line and it less complicated.

5.) PRECAUTIONS
      Nesting geese are very aggressive. Keep this in mind when deciding whether to do this yourself or hire a company like ours to do the work.  Always work in teams of two so one person can stand guard.  Often the geese will leave the nest when approached but fly back towards you to protect their nest.  This is where an large open golf umbrella comes in handy. By holding it up the goose will flap its wings on the umbrella versus your head.  Some people will also use a trash can lid. But in my opinion they are too small.


If you decide this task is not something you want to tackle, give us a call and we can do all of the above for you at one low price.



Rescue Me Goose Chasing
We Get Rid of Geese . . . FAST!

Goose Dogs vs. Goosinator

GOOSE CONTROL DOGS VERSUS THE GOOSINATOR

Cosmo, one of our goose dogs, looking over 20 acres of  goose free lake that he works.

    If you are in the market and have a need for goose control you are probably doing what many informed consumers do and that is search the internet for different methods and ideas.  You probably have come across many different goose control companies and many different gimmicks to control geese.  What we feel is the most long lasting and effective method is putting predatory pressure on geese with our professional goose dogs.  Geese feel unsafe, fear for their lives and leave.

    We have had customers ask us about a product called the goosinator.  It is a big orange airplane that runs on  the ground, water and ice to haze geese off of properties.  After asking the question and before we answer they usually say that it is very expensive vs. our service.  I have never seen one in person but I have looked at the product videos on it's webpage.

    It is on that webpage we found some misguiding information when comparing the goosinator to a goose dog.

    The first incorrect comparison is the price point the site presents. The website quotes a price range of $300 to $500 per week for goose dog services!  WOW! That is not realistic, average or even representative of typical costs. I am not sure if anyone is charging that much for their goose dog services, but if they are it would have to be for very very large areas and areas that require a lot of time to service. Not typical.  Perhaps that is the target consumer though. I could tell you that we charge as little as $35 per week for our service.

    One very important comparison that is left out is that the goosinator does not have the  predatory advantage a dog has.  It is big,it is loud and it is orange with a big grin on its effigy.  However, the geese see it as a nuisance and not a threat to their survival.  Much like mylar balloons, dog effigies and blinking yellow lights the goosinator is a nuisance.

    The second item that is left out is who is operating the remote control behind it in the early morning, in the blowing snow, in the cold, in the driving rain, at night and whenever geese are present.  Some one has to be out there in all types of weather when geese are around.  The facility managers I know are paying their staff good money to take care of more important things than the geese.  Who on the Facilities Staff is going to be charged with dropping what they are doing, getting the plane out of storage and walking it out to chase the geese?  How much is the company going to pay that facility guy on their payroll to do that?  We love spending time outdoors with our dogs.  Our dogs love spending time outdoors doing a job. We have a passion for what we do and it is another one of the reasons our service is so successful.  We are relentless. 

    It happens on occasion in the spring where we work in areas densely populated with geese, that  a family with goslings will wander onto a property from a neighbor's.  We use our highly trained dogs to gently herd the growing goose family back to where they came from.  We do not see being able to do this gentle work with this blaze orange device that has a motor and propeller on the end of it.  We can do this work efficiently and quietly in the morning without waking neighbors that are sleeping. Our dogs herd them slowly and gently, encouraging the goslings and parents to retreat to where they nested.

    The biggest advantage I see with the goosinator is that it can go on ice. The only issue with this is that migrating and resident geese look for open unfrozen water in the winter to roost on. They are not looking sit on ice. Maybe this is a bigger issue in Denver.  In any event, this is where we have used the predatory pressure of our dogs and a proprietary technique.  Geese if they are on the land will go to water/ice for safety.  The presence of a dog on the surrounding land is strong enough of a predatory influence to force the geese to look for somewhere else to go.

     In summary, Goose Control dog services, like RMGC, are relatively inexpensive.  Goose Dogs can and do go in water, on grass, on sand, on snow and ice. They also provide a real life predator on your property that threatens the safety of geese. Predatory pressure is something the blaze orange, goosinator airplanes cannot and do not replace. The goosinator does need a full time operator to haze geese.  What you will need to decide is if hiring a service is better, cheaper and more effective than spending thousands on the goosinator and hours of your own time or your employee's time in all kinds of weather operating the device until geese leave.

Rescue Me Goose Chasing.... We Get Rid of Geese Fast!

Our dogs work on:

WATER

GRASS:

Snow and Ice:

  

 and even the sandy beaches!

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How to Get Rid of Canada Geese From Your Property, DIY

Sparky staring the geese down in a small pond

    How to get rid of Canada geese and Do it yourself ?  If you are willing to put in the time, effort and planning is more complicated. There are a few ways you can Do It Yourself. If you are an "on the go" type family, the best answer is to hire us and we will take care of things for you while you tend to your busy life. 

    Our previous blogs have talked about establishing a predator on your property with our highly trained Australian Shepherd goose dogs.  If you are a dog owner you have a leg up on those who are not.  However, you will only be as successful as the effort you put into it.  The most important thing you must remember is that you and your dog cannot harm the geese and you cannot haze geese with goslings in the spring.  Geese are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty act of 1918.  You will want to read up on this act before you begin also.

    Any dog with a decent amount of prey drive and good obedience could probably do the job.  The best breeds are herding breeds based on their instincts.  That is why we use Australian Shepherds.  We know several goose control companies that do not use herding breeds that do quite well because they took a lot of time to train their dogs properly. That leads to the question "What do I need to train my dog to do?"

    First your dog needs to be obedient. He or she should respect you and your commands when given. Your goose dog should know the basic sit, stay, down, and come when called with distractions. By that we mean, your dog will obey you regardless of the squirrel in the tree, the rabbit on the ground or the neighbor's dog barking at him from next yard.  If your dog has these commands on him or her you are another step ahead.  Next, your dog should have a desire to chase or herd geese when he or she sees them.  If it does, you are ready to start to have some fun keeping geese off your lawn and out of your pond. If your dog has no desire to chase, you will need another dog. I am a firm believer in the saying, "You cannot put in what God left out."

   Let's use the premise that you own a two acre property. One acre of that is a pond that geese frequent, walk out of and poop on your lawn creating a mess of your shoes and your kids shoes and lawn mower.  All of you track it into the house where your significant other starts to complain about all the poop and bacteria being dragged into the home.

    To start your DIY goose control program with your dog, ensure he will stop if you need him to before he touches a goose should he get too close.  When the geese land on your lawn have your dog heel next to you as you walk out to the yard.  Let the geese see him. They will start to bob their heads and honk.  Give your dog the command you have chosen that tells him it's OK to herd or chase the geese.  We use herding directional commands. Let's assume you just say "Go boy!"  The geese that are on your lawn will more than likely run straight into your pond for safety.  This is where the fun begins.  Geese are not accustomed to a predator swimming after them. Have your dog sit at the bank and look at the geese. Sometimes this is enough to intimidate them to leave. If they stay, they will go the the side opposite your dog. Give your dog the "Go Boy!" command again. If he has the prey drive and the ability to swim he will get in the water and start swimming after the geese.
    It is important that you do not leave the geese to safely roost in the pond.  If you do, by the time you get back in the house they will be back on your lawn munching on your grass.  You must get the flock out of the pond each and every time.
   If you do this, each time the geese return there will be less of them.  The last remaining geese will be the most stubborn. Realize that each time they arrive you need to drop what you are doing, get your goose dog, and haze the geese until they leave.
    This is where most people and companies fail.  Either they chase the geese in the pond and leave them there or they do not continue the effort each time the geese show up because they are watching a movie, a football game or cutting the grass. The geese are smart and will change the times they arrive on your property so be prepared to expect the unexpected. They will stay out in the rain, the cold and even the snow if they are resident geese.  You must be as stubborn and willful as they are.  You must brave the elements with your goose dog no matter the day of week, the time of day or holiday.
    
    If you cannot meet the challenges above, the geese will win and you will not reclaim the beauty of your property.  This is what makes us so successful. We never let our dogs lose.  We direct our dogs each and every time no matter the day, the weather or holiday to chase the geese until they leave.  If you have the time, energy and persistence you will be successful.  If you do not, well, we Get Rid of Geese . . . FAST!  
    


Click below for more information on our goose control techniques and why they work.

    

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What will Canada Geese Remember Next Year About Your Property?

  It is that time of year when the morning sunrises and evening sunsets are met with flying flocks of Canada Geese honking overhead.  Ah the sights and sounds of autumn. These flocks often head to familiar places where they safely stopped the year before to graze, rest and roost for days before gaining enough energy and fuel to fly on further south.  The sight of a flock of geese on a soccer field, golf course fairway or backyard is a signal to other migrating flocks that it is safe here to land.  This is why hunters use decoys to great success.  It is a calling card to others.

   A well planned fall goose control program can stop this cycle of migrating geese landing on your property.   Our Certified Goose Management programs put predatory pressure on migrating geese.  They will learn that your property has a very live and active predator on it.  This intimidates the migrating geese to move on and find somewhere else this year and next to rest, roost and eat.  It is very effective because we do not let our dogs stop until the geese are gone.  If the geese run to the pond or lake on your property we will continue our efforts there.  Our dogs will swim after them.  
   
    Our swimming goose chasing dogs are a game changer!  Geese see water as a safe place to go. Typically, a fox, coyote or even a wolf will not swim after geese.  This is why they always fly to the nearest body of water for safety.  But when our dogs get in the water and start swimming after them, the heads start bobbing and they start their distress honks.  It does not take long before they are gone.  Migrating geese are also much more sensitive to a dog's pressure. 
   
 Local or resident geese see people walking their dogs quite often.  Most of the time on a leash.  This gives the resident geese a false sense of security.  Our dogs usually can get much closer to resident geese than migratory geese for this reason.  Most geese coming down from the Canadian tundra see predators often that have dinner on their minds.  These geese do not take chances and give predators and our dogs a wide berth.  

We can stop the cycle of migratory geese in the fall visiting your property with our Certified Techniques, our highly trained dogs (that swim), and a few proprietary methods.  We can put an end to the droppings and the mess the geese make.  If you would like to reclaim your property and improve your lawn, school yard, soccer field etc.  Give us a call.  We would be glad to help.  

Next fall, what will the geese remember about your property? Is it a safe place or not for them to stop?

    

 Click here to learn more about Rescue Me Goose Chasing:

http://www.rmgoosechasing.com/Services.html

Canine Goose Control - How does it work?

       Our goose control business puts us in a position where we are often working where other people are out enjoying their day.  Like us, they are enjoying the outdoors. They are often walking their dog, riding their bikes, fishing or just out for a stroll with their kids.  Being able to enjoy the outdoors with our Aussies is something we love to do and why we enjoy doing our jobs so much.  Often, we are asked what we are doing and why we are doing it.  Then, without hesitation, most people will offer up a reason why canine goose control works.  Most of the time they are wrong.

    Some of those reasons are funny, others do not make sense. These are some of the more amusing ones:

1.) By walking around with our dogs we leave a scent for the geese that makes them leave.
2.) Once your dog catches a goose no more come back.
3.) So once your dog poops, the geese do not like the smell and leave.
4.) Geese do not like dog urine.
5.) S the geese know when you are coming.


   Most people are amused and a bit confused when I tell them why it works. Usually their eyes squint, their head tilts and they look a little sideways at me.  Then I explain.

    For Canada geese, it is all about survival.   Geese see our dogs as a natural predator like the fox or coyote that has hunted them for decades.  The presence of a predator in their neighborhood makes it unsafe for them to stay.  That's what our canine service does. We use our highly trained dogs to put predatory pressure on the geese so they feel unsafe and leave.  
    Geese are very family oriented. They choose a partner and mate for life. Often if one dies, the other will die shortly after. If a mate is shot down or injured the other will stay on the ground with it.  If goslings are orphaned, another family will gladly accept them into their flock and raise them all.  We have all seen pictures of the protective geese in the spring attacking people when they get too close to a nest.

    So when a predator finds its way onto a property that is inhabited by these very protective, family oriented waterfowl the geese have to choose between fight or flight.  Geese have wings so they choose to fly somewhere they have not seen a predator.  It is a pretty simple principle. But when you stop to think about it, who wants to raise their family in a threatening and dangerous neighborhood?  Nobody, if they have a choice.  Geese have a lot of choices in today's urban environment.

    In fact, it is well known that geese will visit up to 5 different properties a day. Maybe they are keeping their options open.  But more than likely they are probably enjoying areas that are predator free that offer them nicely mowed and fertilized green grass and water.

   Some people ask why we use Australian Shepherds and not some other breed.  Any dog can be trained to chase geese. We network with companies across the U.S that use Weimaraners, Labradors, Terriers, Cockers and Border Collies.  The breeds in the herding group have a natural instinct to herd and protect their stock.  This makes them ideal for goose control.  Other breeds can be trained to chase geese and return to their handler but it may not be as easy. But people use them, because, as dog owners, we all love a certain breed.

    To us, Australian shepherds are more than a dog and suit our life style, our way of training and what we want to do with our dogs perfectly.  Aussies are loyal companions and have the stamina to work all day.  We love their medium size and their coloring that offers a wide variety and individuality. They are very attentive to their handlers, a bit animated and very agile.

   So it is, with these medium sized, athletic and colorful dogs that we put predatory pressure on geese.  The very family oriented, protective Canada geese feel threatened, unsafe and decide to leave to roost, eat and swim elsewhere.  Now if I can only get that out of my mouth before someone says, the geese leave because your dogs stink, right?

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Certified Goose Control is a War of Attrition

      

    Back a number of years ago when I became interested in starting a goose control company I had the pleasure of being introduced to Pete Rizzo of Hudson Valley Wild Goose Chasers out of New Jersey.   Pete was very generous with his time and spent a lot of time explaining the business side of things to me.  When it came time to discuss the goose control side of things he talked to me about work ethic and effort.

    This seemed like common sense to me. However, Pete drove this thought home with both passion and warning. The phrase that stood out the most to me was "Goose Control is a war of attrition, and I always win".   Not until I secured my first account did I actually know what he meant.  Our initial account had a large goose problem. Geese droppings surrounded this upscale retirement/assisted living complex. The property is about 10 acres with a pond, several buildings and next to a high school soccer and baseball field.  

    Putting predatory pressure on geese with a dog is relatively easy. We give our dogs a command, they run out to the geese and return when they fly off.  However, geese are not dumb. They are actually very smart. It is not easy to predict what they will do. They will test a dog to see how far he will run and how persistent he is. Sometimes geese will only fly about 25 yards away and wait to see if the dog continues the chase.  In large open areas I have seen geese do this 3 to 4 times before they finally get the message and leave the area completely.  Geese will also fly, or if close, run to the nearest body of water for safety. Depending on the size of the body of water, we can employ several different tactics.  Our options are swim dogs, RC Boats, John boats, Bird Bangers and high powered lasers.  Geese will then fly or move from one side of a lake to the other and back again.  Hence the chasing part of the business.

    It is up to the handler to properly direct the dog and use his or her other goose control methods to convince the geese they should go elsewhere.  This quite frequently takes 5 minutes or in some cases 50 minutes.  This is where the "war of attrition" comes in to play.  This is where we have set ourselves apart from other goose control companies.  

    This year we were hired to take over an account from a large goose control chain.  The reason the Park District decided to look elsewhere was because there were 20 geese this company could not get rid of even though they had addled 6 to 8 nests every year and hazed geese every day. This is a 15 acre lake with 40 homes around it.

Surveying the area for bidding purposes, we found a lot of goose droppings, ALL OVER! In yards, on the beach, on piers, on a basketball court and on paths.  It looked like they had no goose control. Yet they were paying a very reputable company good money for a service and not getting a whole lot in return. 

These geese were making themselves at home.( pictured below)

  After sharing our references with the Park District and our pricing, they took a chance on us because and I quote " Things are getting pretty stale with this other company and we are not seeing the results."   

    It took us about a week to get rid of most of the geese. Then, another week to convince the others it was time to go.  It took a lot of effort and work in those two weeks. We chased geese from bank to bank, from beach to yard and back again. We chased in the morning we chased in the afternoon and we chased them at night.  We chased these stubborn geese with RC boats, with our dogs swimming after them, with dogs running after them and staring them down.  It was a "war of attrition" we did not and would not lose. (Thanks Pete!) 

    Through the spring we were complimented on our work by many residents. We heard comments like, "Best ever", "What did you do with the Geese?", " You are doing a good job".  We would occasionally even get the Thumbs Up by passersby.

    Not long after servicing the account, I saw an ad for one of these high volume goose control companies for help. The ad requested people who had good driving records and loved working with animals.  Really?  Both are necessary but how about employees who have a good work ethic, are self driven, know how to work a dog, have a desire to reduce human and wildlife conflicts,  and do not like to lose.  I think this is where we shine. We work and work hard with our dogs.  Higher volume goose control companies set up people that have good driving records with a dog and instruct them to visit a lot of accounts every day. This is why we won this account and will continue to win more. It is a war of attrition, we will not lose! We take the time to service accounts properly because we are not on a time schedule and take it personally when geese show up on one of our accounts. Our hard work, CERTIFIED Goose Management training at the National Wildlife Control Operators Association and our love of what we do with our Australian Shepherds sets us apart.

    One other thing, our goose control methods were so effective we did not have to addle any eggs or destroy any nests. The geese found out that our handlers and dogs would not quit until they left for good. For 6 to 8 pairs of geese to nest there year after year previously, they had to feel pretty comfortable that the lake they chose was  a nice safe place to  raise their young. Not any more. This community will be enjoying a goose free summer thanks to the efforts of Rescue Me Goose Chasing, Canine Goose Control. We Get Rid of Geese .  .  .  FAST!

Rescue Me Goose Chasing Company Video

This is our first white board type video.  We used a free 7 day trial of VideoScribe to produce it. It is fairly intuitive and easy to navigate around. Importing pictures is easy. It took a couple tries to produce it in a way that it flowed nice from screen to screen but we managed.

I like the way we were able to use it to explain what we do and how it works.

Please give it a watch and tell us what you think.

Thanks,

Your RMGC Team!

Goose Control White Board

    To us, and our dogs, the goose control business seems second nature.  But it only seems that way because we put in a lot of hard work, training and education.  How it works is not always easy to explain.  It is probably the number one question we get when we first visit a client's property and meet them.

    Usually their second question is, "How do you make it look so easy?! We have been trying to get rid of them for years."

    This is where I usually launch into my hyper information overload mode and try to explain everything under the sun about goose control, herding dogs, ducks and sheep :-) .   About 30 seconds in, I can see the glazed look in the listeners eyes telling me I have gone too far.

    Well no more!

Follow the link below to our new RMGC Explainer video!

Watch and leave us your comments.

Thanks!

The RMGC Team


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW0ySi_V33I

Goose Control Product Reviews.

  Through the course of our client dealings, we have found that people try to get rid of geese on their properties on their own.  Clients say that they have tried this or that and it did not work to get rid of the geese.  Sometimes the reason what they tried did not work was a result of not using 'it' properly or using something that boasts false or unsubstantiated claims.

  So we will be reviewing some goose control products that are on the market.  We will let you know how to properly use them, what to expect and how well they work.

Stay tuned for our Product reviews.

Our first review is regarding dog cut outs, 3D fake coyotes and cardboard coyotes as pictured below.
We get calls from people who have tried these fakes to no avail.  They have mean looks, glaring stares or in some cases, just a black shadow with an id tag.

The reason they do not work is because they are stationary. Geese are smart and are not fooled by imitations of a real working dog.  Initially geese may be wary. But eventually they learn that the figure on the lawn does not move when they land or react when they fly above.



Here a gosling is not old enough to realize what a threat is. So when it walks up to an effigy and the effigy does not move, it tells the adult geese it is safe.  There's no fear plastic dog is here!
Another good example is of very protective adult geese with their goslings feeding next to these effigies. We see these driving around our route all the time.

Left:  This customer called and had a pair of aggressive geese chasing employees going to and from work.  Unfortunately the cardboard coyote could not chase the geese! These geese even nested on the roof above.  The male goose is shown here attacking his reflection in the window. He was more concerned about his reflection as a threat to his survival than the cardboard coyote.

Right:  Here is picture from Maverick Detection Services. This is a black cut out of a German Shepherd. It has a very scary ID tag on it.  The many geese surrounding him are wondering why he is there and why his owner has not claimed him. Hopefully he has a chip implanted so he can go back into storage.

There are countless images like this we could post from our experience and others.  Most people spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on various products that do not work prior to calling us to get the geese out.  Once our customers see our goose control dogs in action they say, "Well that was easy!"  Well it is easy because the geese fear for their safety and lives. It is a natural instinct to survive and stay where it is safe.  Once geese realize their on unsafe grounds, they will move somewhere else. We call this putting predatory pressure on the geese.

Our methods are safe, proven and quickly effective. Nothing beats the look and fear of a real predator on your property to get rid of geese.  Our methods are PeTA and HSUS approved and endorsed.  We are Certified Goose Management Professionals and members of the Wildlife Control Operators Association.  We use highly trained Australian Shepherds to put pressure on geese to leave.

CLICK here to read more about us!

The Start of RMGC

  My experience with Comet over the year I had him was educational, frustrating and sad.  I learned an enormous amount about training a fearful dog. I learned a lot about a dog's body language and the different signals a dog will give before he or she lashes out.  Over the years I think quite a bit about him and the relationship we had. He was devoted to me but only me in our home and out. He was a one person dog. The rescue felt he would do better in a single person home with no kids.   We spent an enormous amount of time together on walks, running errands in the car and at training lessons.  He loved the Walky Dog.  It is a snap on attachment to a bike with a spring loaded leash on it. Actually a neat idea. It keeps your dog a good distance from your bike and he can run along side you.  Comet would just run as fast as he could for about 3/4 of a mile.  He had such a strong prey instinct he would pull me as fast as he legs could go when cars past by trying to catch them.

    On occasional walks we would come across a flock of geese around a small pond near our home.  It is a half completed subdivision so there were times there were geese and no people.  Comet had a good recall so I could let him go and he would run out chase the geese away and return.  At the time I though nothing more of it than a way for him to expend some of his Aussie energy.  It was a game he seemed to enjoy and I got a rush watching him do it.  Upon the return of Comet to the Aussie Rescue, they felt that I had done so much for him that they would allow me to adopt another dog, should I desire, in the future at no cost.

Cosmo

   I guess it was the following January that I got the Aussie bug again. Cosmo was a cute Red tri Aussie we discovered and decided to adopt. After a year of obedience training and Comso's excellent recall, we began the game again of chasing geese off a local property for fun.  People would routinely ask us to chase geese from their yards when they saw us walking by as they had seen Cosmo do his thing for fun.

  It was by chance I had mentioned this to a friend of mine who replied that his brother in law uses dogs to  get rid of nuisance Canada geese on the east coast.  His name is Pete Rizzo and his company Hudson Valley Wild Goose Chasers  was doing quite well. After a few informative phone calls with Pete I felt Cosmo was a good fit to be a goose chasing dog.  So it was often that we would visit this neighborhood property to test and hone our goose chasing techniques.  We could not do it too often because the geese would leave and not come back.  So Cosmo and I would set up a routine where we could visit enough to practice but not enough to lose our training geese.  We took sheep herding lessons to fine tune our skills and commands. Soon the geese caught on to us and left. That is when we started looking for other areas to practice that had geese.

    It was in the fall of 2011 that I decided to make the leap and start a goose control company. We chose the name Rescue Me Goose Chasing.  It has a couple meanings. The firs is that we are using Cosmo, a rescue dog, to start with. Second, we are rescuing people and places from the nuisance geese that are ruining their grass, curb appeal and outdoor experience.

Getting started

    Today we are starting our blog.

    We intend to post stories about our dogs, their training, our adventures goose chasing, and encounters with geese and nature.  We will post miscellaneous information about how we care for our dogs and what products we use to keep them in good condition.
 
    I started Rescue Me Goose Chasing because of a rescue dog I adopted years ago. I was interested in adopting a dog that was capable of running with me on my training runs.  I had been training for marathons with our German Shepherd but age was catching up with him and long miles were no longer possible. Actually and sadly running was no longer possible for him.  Zander was a long hair Shepherd.  During his prime he was able to run 15 miles with me.

Zander

   I researched breeds and their different attributes. I decided an Australian Shepherd was the ideal candidate for me as a canine training partner.  I had contacted a local Aussie rescue. They told me I had to pass a three stage process. The first step was filling out an application complete with references. Second was getting approved by a home visit from one of their volunteers and then finally approval to adopt the dog I would request by the foster parents. The application was sent and a date was set for the in home approval meeting.
   When the Aussie Rescue volunteer came to our home she was also in possession of a young Aussie, Comet, she was transporting to Wisconsin.  I told her to let him out so he could stretch his legs and relieve himself. Out popped this nice looking red bi pup. He was mostly a deep reddish brown with some white on his collar and feet.  We took him into our yard where he ran about while my daughter and Stephanie's son got acquainted and played in the yard.  After watching this guy for about 15 minutes I had started thinking this could be the the right dog.  The volunteer asked me several questions about how we care for our current dog, who would be home and how often and several other questions regarding what our intentions were with an additional dog.   Within an hour of arriving they were loaded up and on the road to bring Comet to a foster home in Wisconsin.
    There was something about this pup that struck me. He was about 6 months old, had personality and seemed well adjusted.  He weighed on my mind heavily for the next hour.  I decided I needed to call the rescue and find out what it would take for me to adopt Comet.  She explained that he needed to spend a couple weeks with a foster family so they could get to know him and decide if he was a good fit.  Talk about a nerve wracking time.

Comet

Well two weeks later we were told by the rescue that Comet would be ours if we still wanted him!  He was being fostered about 4 hours away from us in Wisconsin so this meant a family road trip was in order.  My wife Lisa and daughters Christina and  Brianna accompanied us on the trip.  I remember it being a nice summer day, not too hot and not to humid.  It was an easy trip and the 4 hours went by fast.   An older couple that had 2 Aussies were fostering him and they were kind enough to send me almost daily updates about Comet; his personality, habits and attitude. Everything, seemingly, was great with him.
    Upon arrival at the foster home we were greeted and welcomed in. Comet was in the yard playing. Actually he was chasing flying insects and not paying any attention to us.  The other two Aussies greeted us kindly and allowed us to pet them.  We called Comet to greet him but he seemed intent on catching whatever was flying around the yard.  Brianna, our youngest daughter, who was six at the time tried catching him but he did not show any interest in her.  We discussed Comet with the foster parents trying to gain as much information as possible.   After being reassured that he was OK with kids based on their experience, we proceeded back into the home to finish up the rescue paper work, pay the rescue and get his veterinary records.  It was about this point that Bri bent to give  him a treat and he lunged at her.  It startled us all!  The fosters said they had never seen this out of him before and were surprised since he was so good with their grandchildren.
    After quite a bit of thought and discussion with Lisa we decided to adopt Comet based on the assurances of his foster parents that his actions were out of the ordinary.  Possibly due to us being new to him.
    Well needless to say things did not work out well.  It took a few weeks but after getting Comet evaluated by a trained professional dog trainer, he was diagnosed with having fear aggression.  If you have never had a dog with fear aggression I can tell you it is a very nerve racking situation.  You feel out of control and always on the look out for an outburst.  After several training sessions with our dog trainer, I was taught the signs of a nervous and fearful dog and what he looks like prior to an outburst.  Comet and I went to a dog trainer for the better part of a year. ( As a side note and in hindsight I should have done my due diligence on the rescue. After confronting the rescue with Comet's fear aggression issue, they confessed that the fosters were new and he was not properly evaluated.)
   Comet would not allow strangers to approach him at first.  But after about 6 months he accepted treats from strangers.  We were buddies though. He only trusted me. No one else could sit by me when he did.  If Bri would come to sit by me he would growl at her.  Kids could not run in Comet's presence. He would go crazy and try to bite them.  He had some talent. He could run down a frisbee and jump and catch it from almost any angle. He could stand at the base of our 4' deck to our pool and jump up on it in a flash. He would do it to try and catch Bri before she jumped in.  She would tease him in this manner and it was only a matter of time before he caught her in the butt with a nip.
   Comet had come along way.  However, we never felt comfortable ever leaving him alone with Brianna or other children.  It did create tension in our home.  If guests came over I would have to keep him leashed and lead him around the house for fear of an attack.  My brother-in-law is an animated guy. He is friendly and outgoing.  This bothered Comet and he would often lash out at him and others with barking. lunging and gritted teeth.
     Lisa and I discussed at length our ability to keep Comet and decided we had to return him to the rescue.  He was not a good fit and may do better in a home without kids.  It was tough. I had spent the better part of a year training him, learning his fears, behaviors and tendencies.  I knew though that there had to be somewhere or someone better that could handle him.
   The next day I made the call to the rescue.  I explained the situation and the outcome.  I had been keeping the rescue up to date on all our training and his progress.  They were willing to take him back and said they had someone in mind.  So it was with a heavy heart we returned Comet.  In a kind gesture the rescue said they would allow me to adopt another dog based on my experience and training.   I told them thanks but it may take some time.
    Well time heals all wounds and it would be the following January we would adopt our second Aussie, Cosmo.