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?

CLICK Here to read more about us!

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.