Does anyone have a livestock guardian dog?

[Zoofee]

We are going to look at some great pyranees puppies and hoping that they may help with our hawk/fox/mink/coyote problem.

 

[limaro]

Not exactly a guard, but my shepherd mix is always on patrol when the girls are outside. She has a very strong herding instinct and makes sure nobody strays too far. I feel like the dog is at least a deterrent to any potential predators.. She would probably be no threat at all if anything actually attacked - not an aggressive bone in her body. But they don't need to know that.

 

[SavageDestiny]

Are you wanting a dog to live with your flock, or just patrol the property? A LGD will do great for the foxes and coyotes, but will probably be ineffective against mink. If the dog doesn't need to live with the chickens, a good terrier will take care of your mink problem.

 

[centrarchid]

We are going to look at some great pyranees puppies and hoping that they may help with our hawk/fox/mink/coyote problem.

Dog you are considering will be effective against the mammals. It is possible a little training will be needed to get dog interested in hawk. Make certain you have enough space. If started from pup allow for two years before trustworthy and fully effective. You location may have the larger wolf crossed coyotes where two large dogs required. Think about fencing to confine dog. After doing this for a while and seeing numerous configurations, based on economic considerations, dog is most expensive rout to follow when flock small unless also valued fr something besides guarding chickens. Do not base decision on this one thread.

 

[DiNoff]

Just read your post...I have 2 Great Pyrenese puppies that are now 10 months old...it takes work to teach them not to chase the chickens but they are learning to stay attentive when my free range chickens are about. They also tend to lay near or around the chickens resting areas...I also have a very large cat that has assigned itself as chicken body guard...He keeps the coops clean of mice and scares the hawks away. He has never touched a chick and scares the "bad" cats out.

Two notes about Great Pyrenese...they love to roam and I have had to build a "fortress" fence around the property to keep them from exploring past their realm...they are night creatures and tend to nap during the day and bark all night...from what I have read these are traits of this breed.