Dexters have retained their thinking, negotiating and instinctual characteristics- which makes an unhandled animal quite a handful.., but a handled and trained animal a pleasure to work around for young and old alike.

Freedom Farms

™

The ability of Dexters to retain training is amazing.  What this means is that if you spend time, while they are young and train them to do things such as lead, tie, stand for grooming and washing, pick up each foot and let you hold the leg, allowing you to handle the udder as well as exposure to strange, new and somewhat scary situations.., and then turn them out with the herd.., you can bring them in a year later and they will remember their training.

Perhaps the most neglected area of training and handling appears in the Dexter Bull population.  If any animal needs the training and handling it is the Bull that you plan on having as a herd sire on your farm.  The same procedures that you use to handle your young heifers applies to handling your young bulls.  Both should absolutely know 3 of what we feel are the most crucial voice commands.  "Stop", "No" and "Back Up".  We do NOT use "Whoa" for "Stop" because it sounds too much like "No".  You cannot expect your animals to know the difference.  In the beginning of training it is smart to use "Stop" and "Back Up" together for quite a while so that as you are leading your animal (or vice versa!) you can say "Stop" and as the pace slows to an "almost stop" use the "Back Up" command.  As the animal ages and becomes more accustomed to commands and physically stronger than you.., you are far more likely to get a complete stop of forward motion if the animal thinks you are going to command them to back up as well. 

Showing mature breeding bulls
is not something you want to do
if your bull is not used to handling
and adjusting to strange situations,
not to mention knowing how to behave around cows in heat and other mature bulls.  Pictured above are 3 of our mature bulls at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2006.  Don't want to show so don't want to train?  What about semen collection for A.I.? What about being able to walk into a pasture and lead you bull out without incident (even if you are taking him from a cow in heat)?  What about non-stressful vaccinations, bull tests and/or hair samples for DNA recording?  What about being able to load him on a trailer without any arguments?  Unhandled cows can sometimes be coaxed and tricked into doing somethings they do not want to do without injury to human or bovine.., bulls sometimes are a different issue.

Learn From Other People's Mistakes! 
And to consider if you really want to keep a bull..,

It is important to remember the following (in our opinion)
;
1. Never show fear of your bull. (like leaving the paddock in a hurry when he arrives)

2. Do NOT back down from your bull. (Always have the last word.  If you are in danger, do back down and make arrangements for his slaughter.)

3.  If you feel that you are being threatened.., you probably are. (Make arrangements for slaughter).

4. Never turn your back on a bull - even the tamest of bulls - can seize an opportunity to move 1 wrung up the ladder into YOUR Alpha position!

Some of these things sound pretty drastic.  We here at Freedom Farms have "0 Tolerance" of bad behavior- ESPECIALLY from the Bulls.  Dexters, historically, are docile family cows.., do not perpetuate bad attitudes and aggression into the breed by breeding that type of bull.  There are plenty of good bulls out there to choose from.., choose wisely!  

 TRAINING IN 3 EASY STEPS:

1.  Start early, go slow and NEVER lose your    temper! Do not expect your animal to learn it all in one day!  Repeat training 1 thing daily until the animal learns what you want and is comfortable to complying with your commands/actions.

2.  Reward by treats, positive attention and physical touch.  Dexters thrive attention and respond FAR better to positive rewards rather than negative attention.  Like a small child- they can come to the conclusion that even negative attention is better than no attention.  Do not negatively reinforce bad behavior.., wait till they get it right and praise, praise, praise.

3.  Repeat and treat. Repeat. Repeat and treat. Dexters are very smart. Once a command is learned.., do not treat every time (except in body and verbal language).., move to every other.., then every third time.., then completely random..,

This Website was designed and is owned by Freedom Farms Dexters, LLC. No Part of it may be copied without the owners permission.