LGD in subdivision?

[My1stChickens]

I've been researching LGD's and am intrigued. It seems like a good alternative to iterative trapping. I don't like trapping, and dread checking the game camera in case there is anything vile that has wandered by. BUT, we live in a housing development. The back property line backs up to a large ranch, and that's probably where the raccoons and bobcat really live, they probably only come over to the houses looking for free meals.

I know some LGDs need quite a bit of room, but others are more "home bodies" and that even within breed norms there is individual variation.

Does anyone have experience to share-- good or bad-- on using LGDs to keep away predators on small acreage? I'm assuming a pair of dogs, and the way the property is set up they would have access to the hay barn for shelter, and an acre or more they could access.

 

[centrarchid]

We have LGD's at work and I know a lot of people with LGD's on tight acreages. Most of the dogs in this area are Great Pyrenees or a cross involving them. At work we have most breed available in US but we have settled on using Akbash. Regardless of breed, it is hit or miss weather they are easy to contain. Going off property is seldom a good thing. The Great Pyrenees are prone to bark a lot and also have a short working life.

I have opted to using smaller dogs for same purpose and have used many dogs representing several breeds around chickens. Most of the dogs I used were either hounds or more recently German Pointers. The last I really liked but they have issue sleeping outside in a field when it gets really cold. What I have settled on is the English Shepherd which is known for livestock guarding attributes. They can handle the cold very well but like the LGD's can have trouble with heat. They are more biddable than LGD's which can be an asset around chickens if dogs have role beyond simply guarding property. My dream team has two English Shepherds guarding outside all the time and a German Pointer based in and around house where it keeps me in loop when shepherds are engaged with problem and the pointer calls me in and readily goes berserker on threat to kill if need be.

Regardless, you have maturation and training issues with dogs acquired as pups to get them past being a bigger problem than predators on chickens. Keep the dog up on shots as they will be getting bit.

 

[My1stChickens]

We have LGD's at work and I know a lot of people with LGD's on tight acreages. Most of the dogs in this area are Great Pyrenees or a cross involving them. At work we have most breed available in US but we have settled on using Akbash. Regardless of breed, it is hit or miss weather they are easy to contain. Going off property is seldom a good thing. The Great Pyrenees are prone to bark a lot and also have a short working life.

I have opted to using smaller dogs for same purpose and have used many dogs representing several breeds around chickens. Most of the dogs I used were either hounds or more recently German Pointers. The last I really liked but they have issue sleeping outside in a field when it gets really cold. What I have settled on is the English Shepherd which is known for livestock guarding attributes. They can handle the cold very well but like the LGD's can have trouble with heat. They are more biddable than LGD's which can be an asset around chickens if dogs have role beyond simply guarding property. My dream team has two English Shepherds guarding outside all the time and a German Pointer based in and around house where it keeps me in loop when shepherds are engaged with problem and the pointer calls me in and readily goes berserker on threat to kill if need be.

Regardless, you have maturation and training issues with dogs acquired as pups to get them past being a bigger problem than predators on chickens. Keep the dog up on shots as they will be getting bit.

Thanks for the info-- very helpful. I would not want puppies, I'd rather get an adult who is already trained/grown up. Plus, since I've seen a large bobcat on my game cam, I would not want a puppy to be hurt. An adult would chase it off without getting hurt. I live in Texas, so while we have a few cold nights, the summer heat it the bigger issue.

My veterinarian has a couple GP's and they are very sweet, actually a little goofy, but she has no losses of her chickens or problems with predators. I've only seen them in daylight, when they just seem to hang out near the barn, but evidently they keep things safe at night. Another friend has adult pair of Anatolian/Akbash females (mother daughter but both adults) that she thinks might work for me. It would be nice to never have to worry about raccoons again, but after 3 bobcat sightings, that's my bigger concern.