Livestock Guardian Dogs

[benevolent_leonela]

Howdy!

Recently, the topic of getting a puppy came into conversation between my S/O and I! I was so shocked that he brought it up. I've been expressing the thought of having a livestock gaurdian breed. I want a big outside dog that will be a protector of my flock and potential scare off any trespassers, as that is a frequent occurance!

Anybody on here have experience in owning LGDs? What is your favorite breed and why?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I've been expressing the thought of having a livestock guardian breed. I want a big outside dog that will be a protector of my flock and potential scare off any trespassers, as that is a frequent occurance!

Anybody on here have experience in owning LGDs? What is your favorite breed and why?

Some of my favorite LGB breeds are Great Pyrenees, Aussies, and Blue Heelers. If you are thinking about getting a LGB, it would be a much better idea to get a young pup instead of a full grown dog. It would be a more secure way of making sure your dog doesn't attack any of you livestock. Full grown dogs have already grown up and aren't very likely to change their habits.
***I like Great Pyrenees because they generally have no problem staying outside and tend to have that gentle giant nature towards kids and other animals. Then again, no one dog is the same.***

 

[589205]

Howdy!

Recently, the topic of getting a puppy came into conversation between my S/O and I! I was so shocked that he brought it up. I've been expressing the thought of having a livestock gaurdian breed. I want a big outside dog that will be a protector of my flock and potential scare off any trespassers, as that is a frequent occurance!

Anybody on here have experience in owning LGDs? What is your favorite breed and why?

Some of my favorite LGB breeds are Great Pyrenees, Aussies, and Blue Heelers. If you are thinking about getting a LGB, it would be a much better idea to get a young pup instead of a full grown dog. It would be a more secure way of making sure your dog doesn't attack any of you livestock. Full grown dogs have already grown up and aren't very likely to change their habits.

@JustAChickenLoverOverHere , has given you an excellent choice of livestock guardian breeds.

 

[benevolent_leonela]

Yes, I have my eye on a couple of upcoming litters from some folks I know. A friend is having a litter of purebred Anatolian Shepard's, I am not too familiar with this breed.

My aunt is having a second litter of Pyrenees x Akbash x Ovcharka puppies. I am very familiar with the parents and I was SO in love with their first litter. Mom is Akbash x Pyrenees and has such a kind and gentle disposition, she is overly nice. Dad is Ovcharka x Pyrenees and his extremely protective but can be a gentle giant once he gets familiar. That's the kind of balance I would want in a pup I would raise. I've been around many Pyrenees and always found them to be such sweet hearts!

I have done some reading on Maremmas too and that seems to be a very good breed also.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Yes, I have my eye on a couple of upcoming litters from some folks I know. A friend is having a litter of purebred Anatolian Shepard's, I am not too familiar with this breed.

My aunt is having a second litter of Pyrenees x Akbash x Ovcharka puppies. I am very familiar with the parents and I was SO in love with their first litter. Mom is Akbash x Pyrenees and has such a kind and gentle disposition, she is overly nice. Dad is Ovcharka x Pyrenees and his extremely protective but can be a gentle giant once he gets familiar. That's the kind of balance I would want in a pup I would raise. I've been around many Pyrenees and always found them to be such sweet hearts!

I have done some reading on Maremmas too and that seems to be a very good breed also.

I think you should keep an eye on that Pyrenees litter

 

[Timmy59]

Yes and if it's for a flock of birds I would strongly recommend the Great pyrenees. They are quieter than the anitolians..

 

[cassie]

Some of my favorite LGB breeds are Great Pyrenees, Aussies, and Blue Heelers. If you are thinking about getting a LGB, it would be a much better idea to get a young pup instead of a full grown dog. It would be a more secure way of making sure your dog doesn't attack any of you livestock. Full grown dogs have already grown up and aren't very likely to change their habits.
***I like Great Pyrenees because they generally have no problem staying outside and tend to have that gentle giant nature towards kids and other animals. Then again, no one dog is the same.***

Blue Heelers and Aussies are not livestock guardian dogs. They are herders. While they may protect the herd, they may end up harassing the animals by herding them. That is what they do. That said, I have has experience with Komondors and Great Pyrenees. Sometimes you can get an adult LGD that is bonded to livestock because a sheep or goat man has gone out of business. Go on the website for Boers or meat goats. Sometimes you will find dogs there or be able to contact someone who knows where you can get one.

 

[David61]

whats your property like, what kind of live stock, how are they pinned and what kind of critters is the dog to be facing. Great Pyrenees will kill any animals that are not his/your farm animals. End of story. A suburban back yard with fenced chickens? Most any dog will do. Free range? A dog that knows his job is not chickens and you will have to teach that. I have seen springer spaniels , welsh corgis on farms with free range. Other dogs, big cats, coyotes ,bear, two leg... a black mouth cur or great Pyrenees .

 

[Callender Girl]

My only experience is with a Great Pyrenees, which I wanted as a LGD. Although her previous owners said they had goats and chickens, I mistakenly believed that meant she had worked with livestock. At 7 months old, she had not. She chased the goats endlessly until the dowager goat decided to gore Pearl a couple of times.

At that point, Pearl became to house dog. So, make sure if you don't get a puppy, that your dog has worked with animals. I don't think Pearl would have killed anything, ever, except a good meal.

Still, she proved her worth as an LGD from the living room one night when she alerted me to a mink attacking chickens in one of the coops. Thanks to her, I saved one of the four hens and ran off the mink with a three-tined cultivator.

 

[Misfits Farm 92]

Yes and if it's for a flock of birds I would strongly recommend the Great pyrenees. They are quieter than the anitolians..

Yes, but with an LGD you generally wouldn't want them to be quiet. Barking is what they do. Their loud bark is what scares off most predators (including humans) without a fight.