How Border Collies Work with Ohio Geese Control

Geese are beautiful birds with fascinating behavioral patterns that are interesting to observe. Their black heads and necks, along with their distinctive white-striped cheeks, make them especially striking to look at. I always stop to watch them up above when I see them in their infamous V-shaped flight pattern. However, they can be a nuisance to communities and businesses when they begin settling in large groups. In particular, the goose droppings are annoying to anyone walking on grass, sidewalks, or parking lots where they have been. Not only do the droppings carry diseases and present walking hazards, they can cause sickness in dogs if ingested. We all know how tempting animal feces are to dogs! Geese can also become aggressive while protecting their nests. They will hiss, pump their heads up and down, and charge at whatever is threatening their territory.

My guest, Marci Hower, joined her husband, Jeff, in managing geese populations, after Jeff came up with the idea of using a resident Border Collie at the golf course where he worked, to scare away the geese that had settled there. Since he had success at the golf course, he started taking the dog other places and inquiring if he and his dog could chase away their resident geese for free. Jeff started exploring whether a business plan of using well trained dogs to chase geese away was a viable way to make a living. After all, this was a new concept in Ohio. It took about three years to establish a fully functional business. Finally, Ohio Geese Control (OGC) was formed in 2004, with the headquarters located in Cleveland.

Initially, Jeff used the dog from the golf course with a binding agreement that the dog would live with Marci and Jeff. It is very important that the dogs used for this type of work live and bond with their handlers. When Jeff was ready to start the business, he purchased the dog, named Nick, from the golf course. Soon after that, they started adding to their pack. They learned that not all dogs are suitable for this type of work. The ones that were, became very effective in managing geese populations.

Marci and Jeff have grown their company to servicing not only Cleveland, but also Akron, Canton, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton. There are currently 100 employees and 30 working dogs. When Ohio Geese Control is awarded with a contract in any of these areas, they search for the right dog in that area that can be accustomed to working with geese and can become a good family dog too. Sometimes, Marci and Jeff find dogs in nearby rescue agencies or farms. If they assess that the dog will fit this criteria, they will temporarily foster the dog until the employee has been trained and is ready to take on the dog.

Ohio Geese Control exclusively uses Border Collies. A Border Collie’s work ethic, instinctual drive to herd but not hurt animals or birds, plus their intelligence, make them an ideal tool to use to effectively and humanely chase geese away. They also are structurally built to intimidate whatever they are herding. They stoop down low and possess a wolf-like glare that no other dog has. Geese instinctively view the dogs as predators causing them to want to fly away.

When Marci and Jeff assess a dog, an important instinct to search for is the right intensity of prey drive. To review a subject I have mentioned in previous podcasts, prey drive is a dog’s instinct to track, chase and capture moving objects or animals. Stalking, herding, and chasing animals (in this case, geese) away are optimal instincts in Border Collies to capitalize on. Sometimes, farmers are willing to relinquish their Border Collies who aren’t intense enough to herd farm animals. These types of dogs can be perfect for geese control. They are more apt to not be aggressive towards the geese. Marci and Jeff do not want the dog to catch, kill, or consume the geese.

A top priority of Ohio Geese Control is to keep the geese, dog, and members of the community they are servicing very safe. This is to be done with the utmost care to uphold their value as a company as a humane, safe and effective way to manage geese populations.

Ohio Geese Control’s mission is to create a healthier, happier environment for everybody who uses the outdoors. They want you to enjoy the outdoors and to embrace nature. All animals, including the geese, have every right to be a part of that experience. OGC employees must respect the animals and birds whose territory they are entering by avoiding actions that threaten or harm them. However, geese can become a nuisance when they are aggressively protecting their nests and when their droppings are in our paths as we are out and about in nature.

One single goose can produce a pound and a half of dropping per day!

OGC may be successful in employing one of their strategies, such as their dogs, to successfully deter the geese from settling and staying in a particular area. They also may use a combination of strategies. Several ways to humanely and effectively chase geese away are:

* using Border Collies

* building fencing around the property where geese have settled

* laying down wire lines over the water source

* placing decoys such as fake coyotes on the property

* using lights and green laser pointers recognized by the geese as a threat - especially useful when working with geese that have settled on rooftops of businesses.

* operating remote controlled boats on the water

* using EPA approved geese repellents made with food grade ingredients

In order to be successful at dissuading geese from settling amongst inconvenient places, it is necessary to know their behavior, reproductive cycle and migration patterns. Some fun facts about Canada geese are:

* They mate for life

* A group of geese is called a gaggle

* They molt, or lose their flight feathers, typically during the month of July and cannot fly during that time

* They migrate to warmer climates in the fall and return to their place of birth in the spring

* Resident geese stay on the property and do not migrate

* Their lifespan is approximately 20 years

* They lay approximately 2-8 eggs over a period of several days each spring with an incubation period of about 26 days

OGC must have safety protocols in place when working with geese. Canada geese like other birds in the wild, can carry diseases through their droppings. Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and the bird flu can be contracted by humans and dogs. According to Marci, the bird flu has become more prevalent in recent years. It is transferred from bird to bird through the droppings or saliva. When a large group of geese are together in an area, there is more chance of spreading the bird flu if the flock is exposed. Therefore, using the dogs to disperse the flock is a very effective way to decrease the likelihood of the bird flu settling and spreading to the other geese.

After the handler and dog have worked an area, they must sanitize their car, the crates used to transport the dogs and their shoes. They also must rinse the dogs’ pads with soap and water. They recommend having a set of shoes specifically for this work that are left at the front door and then enter their house. The handlers are also instructed to not touch or move an injured or dead bird since they may be suffering from any one of the diseases mentioned. Instead, it is advised to call a wildlife center for further instructions such as Lake Erie Nature & Science Center (440-871-2900) or The Ohio Division of Wildlife Customer Service Center at (1-800-WILDLIFE).

An abundance of goose droppings can pollute soccer fields, ponds, and parks. Discourage your dog from eating the feces. If they do ingest enough of the droppings, they can get very sick from the bacteria and parasites in the droppings. If your dog does eat the droppings and starts to become lethargic, vomit and/or has diarrhea, call your veterinarian.

Once geese settle in an area, they will not leave on their own, They must be encouraged to leave. If there is a food and water source and they have been there for a period of time, there is no reason for them to leave. There has to be some tactic to push them along, and most likely a dog will be the best tactic.

OGC can dramatically lower the population within two weeks, sometimes, almost immediately, but they always come back. When a client hires OGC, it is an ongoing service. They can work an area 2-3 times per day to make sure there are no droppings. If they see droppings, but no geese, the handlers will know that the geese have been there. Therefore, they have to change up the time of day they visit the property. They may also change up their entrance to the area. What makes it tricky for the handlers is the geese get to know their cars, their uniforms, even their faces! The geese may leave once they see the handlers and dogs, but Marci prefers that the dogs chase them away instead of the handlers.

Before Ohio Geese Control recently hired a dog trainer, Marci and Jeff worked together to train the dogs and their handlers to teach the dogs the commands they need to follow while working. When working with the dogs, Marci and Jeff discovered that the dogs also train each other. It is instinctual to have the dogs work in pairs as they navigate the movement of the geese.

It is crucial to have very obedient dogs. Their life could depend on it. When the handler tells them “Lie Down”, they must lie down amongst the distractions of not only the geese but also any pedestrians walking by and watching. Sometimes when Marci and Jeff are working with new dogs, they may assess them for up to six months before they deem them appropriate for this type of work. If they don’t fit into their pack, they will send them back a better-trained dog that will be able to adjust to a family life.

Some of the commands include:

* “Come By” - to move around the geese in a clockwise direction

* “Away to Me” - to move around the geese in a counter-clockwise direction

* “Here” - to come back to the handler

* “That’ll do” - to stop working and come back to the handler

* “Lie Down” - to stop immediately and drop to the ground

* “Walk Up” - to move closer or forward directly toward the geese

* “Ch ch ch” - to encourage the geese to walk not fly away when they hear this sound and move in the opposite direction

Another big part of having success at removing a gaggle of geese is to train the handlers. Everyone who is hired by OGC must go through a training period with a mentor. The length of time depends on how well they are adapting to the dog and the dog is adapting to them. During this mentoring period, safety of themselves, the dog, the geese, the goslings and the public are stressed. Sometimes the public is concerned that the geese are getting hurt when the dogs herd them and chase them away. The employees must be proficient in appropriate ways to answer questions like this.

Handlers will shadow a mentor for the first couple of weeks. Then the mentor shadows the employee for two weeks to make sure the handler and the dog are working together efficiently and effectively. When OGC hires mentors for the handlers, one of the first modules of training they go through is cultural training, The managers must lead the handlers in a way that is not condescending or belittling when mistakes are made.

Every OGC dog will work with four different people. The reason for this is everyone has a little different style and different energy. Their everyday handler may be indisposed and have to work with a different handler. Even though the handlers use the same commands listed above, the dogs must be adaptable and obedient with each person’s body language, delivery of commands, and reward methods.

The preferred method of rewarding the dogs can be achieved by verbally praising the dogs through the handlers voice and body language. All dogs need to continue to be motivated. Remember, these dogs are working dogs. Their biggest reward is to herd and chase the geese away. That is more valuable than a treat!

OGC strives to train their employees to be the leader of their dog. Border Collies are the smartest breed of dogs and the handlers need to stay one step ahead of them when communicating with them so as not to be taken advantage of. When dealing with highly intelligent and motivated dogs such as the Border Collie, draining their mental energy is just as important as draining their physical energy. If they are not provided with an outlet to do so, they will create their own jobs (not in a positive way) and even become destructive. Marci says the type of presence that is necessary in each handler is not to dominate the dog, but they must be respected as the dog’s leader and remain obedient to them.

“Our dogs are so smart that if they knew how to drive a car, we wouldn’t need handlers!” - Marci Hower

Ohio Geese Control has consistently been voted by their employees as a top 10 place to work in pest control in the state of Ohio. Marci and Jeff have 100 employees, but they feel like they are all family to them because they have a lot in common: they are easygoing, love nature, love dogs and love their work. OGC has an employee engagement program where they arrange events so the employees can meet each other and share stories about working with their dogs. They plan pizza parties, a Dog Olympics day, where the dogs compete for the best goose chaser, and fundraisers. OGC even has a big goose mascot!

For more information about OGC, please visit their website at: ohiogeesecontrol.com. They also can be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Once again, I have to say that dogs are amazing beings in so many ways. When dogs have jobs to do, such as in this case, chasing geese away, their lives are enriched and fulfilled. This leads to a more balanced dog because their needs of exercise, discipline and affection are being provided for by their handlers. Plus, an added bonus - their cuteness!!

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