Individual dogs vary, regardless of breed, and some work better than others. If you talk to 10 different LGD owners you'll hear 10 different ways to raise a LGD. In this article, I cover why livestock guardian dogs need additional training to guard chickens, how to do this training, and the problems you might encounter. “There is a big difference between livestock guardian dogs and guard or protective breeds. A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a type of pastoral dog bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators. 2. Training a livestock guardian dog: Maremmas do not need 'training' to do their work as guardian. Your dairy goats go out to graze with their kids, and come home later without your daughter’s best show prospect. I’m a fellow (multiple) dog owner and enthusiast, and I raise livestock in rural Idaho. Livestock Guardian Dogs are amazing. You may decide that you want a livestock guardian dog if you live on a large amount of acreage. I've read conflicting reports as to how much land is ‘enough' land, but I would guesstimate the minimum should be around an acre. Obviously, I cannot … These dogs were developed to protect against wolves and bears in Bulgaria. . If you start with a puppy, put it with the flock when it’s about 2 months old, so it can start bonding with the animals it is supposed to protect. The urge to roam is strong. When you have goats, or for that matter any other type of livestock, you should also plan to have at least one dog trained to protect them from strangers and many other forms of predators. And it’s not that they can’t make a good guardian dog for somebody, maybe, that has just a real small operation, because those dogs tend to be more of a small-property guardian than an actual livestock guardian. They bond with and protect our pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, horses and children. They are intelligent, loving, wonderful PARTNERS – who risk their lives for you, your family and your stock – each and every day. Livestock guardian dogs are uniquely wired and must be treated and handled differently than pet dogs. The national breed rescue group was just asked to place three dogs under a year old - WHO HAVE HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH CHICKENS AND GOATS. Our dogs make what we do possible, we couldn’t operate without them. Livestock guardian dogs are notoriously large dogs. Illustrations from the 13th century BC and writing from the Roman Empire, 2,100 years ago, reveal guardian dogs among flocks. Livestock Guardian Dogs are bred to be self reliant about the question of whether to attack or not. Livestock Guardian Animals: Protecting the Flock Photo: Courtesy Lewis Fox, Fox Farms You walk out to check your sheep, and find the best lamb is missing. One day you come home to find a dog has ravaged your animals, and the carnage is sickening. Livestock Guardian Dogs are an important part to any farm. When I arrived, the ground was littered with dead lambs. Forums ... while at the same time ignoring the fact that the words "Livestock Guardian Dogs" have a SPECIFIC meaning in terms of the breeds. Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) are the predominant species in the first bucket. Two of my dogs are rescued Anatolian Shepherds. Yes, most livestock guardian dogs from working lines can protect chickens and other poultry. These dogs must live with your livestock, not with you, in order to be guardian animals. Many people prefer to raise a pair of livestock guardian dogs. As Paula would say, "There are very few failed livestock guardian dogs but many failed livestock guardian dog owners". Please see the pages about our dogs and how we raise our dogs for more information. Livestock guard dog (LGD) breeds are generally large (over 100 pounds), and while they may be devoted and friendly with their human owners, they are often unfriendly with other dogs. In this episode, NCAT livestock specialist Linda Coffey talks with Janet Vorwald Dohner, a farmer and noted expert on livestock guardian animals. Several sheep had bitemarks. Freya is just over a year old and Ragnarok is 11 months old. Photo by evergrowingfarm.com. The following list are the golden rules of livestock guardian training, and are therefore very useful to remember when raising a Maremma pup as a Livestock Guardian. Unlike the often smaller herding dogs that control the Both can make fine family and farm guardians, but they operate and behave differently.” Livestock guarding breeds (including Anatolian Shepherds, Akbash Dogs, Great Pyrenees, Kuvasz or Central Asian Shepherds) were developed specifically by sheep and goat cultures, Dohner notes. And they have—those dogs have a place. These dogs are particularly agile and fast and tend to work further from the flock than some other livestock guardian dogs. It was spring, and the lambs were already born. There’s a reason we call them “mankind’s best friend.” All the qualities that make us love dogs (except for you crazy cat people out there), like being loyal, protective, attentive and loving, make them exceptional guardian animals. Keep these important points in mind when making the decision to purchase a livestock guardian dog. Livestock guardian dogs can be used to protect virtually all kinds of livestock, including sheep, goats, and chickens. We have put considerable time and effort into correctly breeding and raising our dogs. Anywhere that you find humans raising livestock, you’re likely to discover a specialized breed of LGD dutifully living and working alongside their masters. Anatolians are a livestock guardian breed. In other words, they're often hard to call off. They are bred for one purpose and one purpose only: guarding livestock. Our AKC registered Great Pyrenees are wonderful livestock guardian dogs and family pets. Running a farm can be challenging enough, even if it is just a small hobby farm with a few goats on it. Bulgarian Shepherd Dog or Karakachan . This film shows to the tourists how to react on the mountain pastures in front of the guardian dogs. See more ideas about livestock guardian dog, livestock guardian, livestock. Jan 13, 2021 - Everything you've ever wanted to know about livestock guardian dogs, including breed information, care, and training. We sit on a 10 acres. Livestock Guardian Dogs and Chickens: A Not So Natural Match. The earliest records of shepherd dogs date back to nomadic Sumerians around 3585 BC. Many young Pyrenees dogs are trained to guard sheep by association with other mature livestock dogs. Or visit our Learning Center for articles on How To Raise Chickens. “Livestock guardian dogs require a lot more work upfront than say a donkey or a llama. However, these dogs will need additional training to achieve this goal. This may not always be the case when you go the route of bringing home a livestock guardian dog (LGD). In addition, check out the ATTRA podcast on this topic, Episode 169: Livestock Guardian Dogs. In fact, LGDs make lousy attack dogs because they, not you make the decision to attack; and they, not you make the decision to stop attacking. Tags: livestock guardian dogs, predator control, dogs, dog breeds, farm dogs, Jan Dohner, Michigan, I read this question almost every day on the various online livestock guardian dog forums. It is best to train a Pyrenees with another Pyrenees, as their guarding behavior and bonding instincts are different from most other dog breeds, and an appropriate model for behavior is another Pyrenees that has already become established in a flock. This is day 1 on my journey towards training my livestock guardian dogs to guard chickens. My advice, read as much as you can and select what works best for your farm. One more time, CALLING your GSP a "LGD" doesn't mean its so. Over the last 6 months I have lost 2 chickens, 1 duck and 1 turkey to either foxes or weasels. If you raise goats, sheep, cattle, or even chickens, an LGD will protect them for you. If you buy a donkey or a llama and raise them with your animals, it is their instinct to protect those animals; end of story. Raising Guardian Dogs. ” – Chelsea Van Roekel . LGDs were first used in the United States in the 1970s, but they have been used to protect flocks and livestock for centuries. Livestock guardian dogs have been bred and used in nomadic herding life for centuries. Take kraal manure and rub it into the new livestock and keep them amongst some of the herd for a few days before allowing the dog access. We can even enjoy outings without racing against sunset to get home and lock the chicken coops (we actually don’t lock the coops at so the chickens can forage as early and late as they chose to). Livestock guardian dogs have been used for thousands of years in Asia and Central Europe to protect livestock from wolves, bears, and wild cats. Guardian Dogs for Sheep O ne morning in the mid-1990s I drove my usual two miles to my flock, which grazed on rented land owned by the state of New Jersey. They are also a great benefit because they stay with your livestock 24 … Livestock guardian dogs stay with the group of animals they protect as a full-time member of the group. Different from herding dogs. Herding dogs are motivated to move animals and keep them in formation. Because of this, they're constantly on the prowl for invaders. Livestock guardian dogs are a must if you need to protect your sheep, goats and poultry from predators. However, you need to invest in highly specific training in order to get them bonded to and caring for your livestock. They also operate differently than livestock herding dogs. If you find yourself unsuccessful, try again. See more ideas about livestock guardian dog, farm animals, chickens backyard. Tags: livestock guardian dogs, LGD, Jan Dohner, Michigan, It is common to receive conflicting advice on how to raise a full time working LGD. Having our livestock guardian dogs has completed our farm and given us the freedom to raise a variety of poultry without fear of constant predator loss. Dogs. Some dogs, the Anatolian Shepherd being no exception, will recognise strange livestock as not being part of their "family" and they may try and chase them away, causing injury. Their ability to guard their livestock is mainly instinctive, as the dog is bonded to the livestock from an early age. While they can be trained to respond to commands, they will override them if they feel a need to protect or defend. Livestock Guardian Dogs (or LGD's), have a long and fascinating history with mankind, spanning thousands of years, and hailing from nearly every corner of the globe. (A good canine guardian will also keep stray dogs – not to mention your neighbor’s mischievous cockadoodle – at bay.) My mission is to provide livestock guardian dog owners (or wanna-be owners) with everything they need to know about livestock guardian dog care. They need room to roam, baby. They have a heavy white coat. They bond with and protect all forms of livestock. Males and females in this category are equally good at guarding. Dec 10, 2020 - Explore Deborah Piper-Slaughter's board "animal raising tips", followed by 908 people on Pinterest. They are great for protecting a large variety of livestock. It’s an impressive—and natural—way to make grazing a feasible way to raise animals. I’m here to help you train your farm dogs through positive methods.