Livestock guardian dogs

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: That still doesn't make them well suited to "guarding" birds
LGD's are more active at might when the birds are asleep, and SHOULD be confined, while most birds free range.

Plus most of the breeds named on this thread are not even remotely "LGD's"
Yard dogs that don't kill birds are not really "guarding" them, and are NOT LGD's

 

[centrarchid]

That still doesn't make them well suited to "guarding" birds
LGD's are more active at might when the birds are asleep, and SHOULD be confined, while most birds free range.

Plus most of the breeds named on this thread are not even remotely "LGD's"
Yard dogs that don't kill birds are not really "guarding" them, and are NOT LGD's

Bear Foot, one of these days you are going to have to open your mind to new possibilities. Until then suck it up and realize there are folks with functioning PDG's (poultry guarding dogs), regardless of rules you recognize with respect to pedigree.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Pretending those dogs are truly "guarding" the birds won't make it so,nor will calling them LGD's magically change their breeding

The term "LGD" has a specific meaning and all the yard dogs in the world won't change that.

Why not just admit they are exhibiting TERRITORIAL behavior, and "guarding" has nothing to do with it at all.

I know you know it true

http://www.lgd.org/

 

[centrarchid]

Pretending those dogs are truly "guarding" the birds won't make it so,nor will calling them LGD's magically change their breeding

The term "LGD" has a specific meaning and all the yard dogs in the world won't change that.

Why not just admit they are exhibiting TERRITORIAL behavior, and "guarding" has nothing to do with it at all.

I know you know it true

http://www.lgd.org/

I for one and many others are just as qualified as any vested interest dog club at ascertaining whether a given dog is actually guarding or not. You are simply lucky enough to be witnessing the initial stages of understanding what ideal characteristics of a poultry guardian dog are and may prove instrumental in developing the working definition.

It is time you sit back and consider how the LGD's you recognize were developed. They did not just pop up into being. Early on the shepherds (humans) likely were not all in agreement about how the dogs should do the job, Biggest arguments, like now, probably came from people without first hand experience with a given system of behaviors and dog characteristics.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I for one and many others are just as qualified as any vested interest dog club at ascertaining whether a given dog is actually guarding or not. You are simply lucky enough to be witnessing the initial stages of understanding what ideal characteristics of a poultry guardian dog are and may prove instrumental in developing the working definition.

It is time you sit back and consider how the LGD's you recognize were developed.

They did not just pop up into being. Early on the shepherds (humans) likely were not all in agreement about how the dogs should do the job, Biggest arguments, like now, probably came from people without first hand experience with a given system of behaviors and dog characteristics.

All that rhetoric doesn't change the REALITY that the term "LGD" refers to SPECIFIC BREEDS of dogs.

Guardian breeds were developed by hundreds if not thousands of years of selective breeding, and NOT ONE of those breeds were developed for POULTRY

Pointers and Border Collies are NOT "guardian" dogs.
One is a hunting breed and one is a herding breed.
Neither has the INSTINCT to "guard" in the true sense of the word.

I realize many want to THINK their Peke- a- Poo or Labradoodle is "guarding" their chickens, but they are merely fooling themselves

Calling them "LGD's" is both inaccurate and intellectually dishonest

 

[zazouse]

That still doesn't make them well suited to "guarding" birds
LGD's are more active at might when the birds are asleep, and SHOULD be confined, while most birds free range.

Plus most of the breeds named on this thread are not even remotely "LGD's"
Yard dogs that don't kill birds are not really "guarding" them, and are NOT LGD's

That girl is on watch, she can smell the yote that has been lurking around, she is a true poultry guardian , I wished you were here to see her at work, mabe then you would understand that they can work well for guarding birds.

 

[Michael Apple]

Pretending those dogs are truly "guarding" the birds won't make it so,nor will calling them LGD's magically change their breeding

The term "LGD" has a specific meaning and all the yard dogs in the world won't change that.

Why not just admit they are exhibiting TERRITORIAL behavior, and "guarding" has nothing to do with it at all.

I know you know it true

http://www.lgd.org/

The territorial nature of dogs is an advantage for the trainer who teaches the dog obedient guarding behavior. So territorial instincts and guard dog training have everything to do with it. Stop perpetuating arguments for no other reason than flaming threads and drawing negative attention to yourself.

 

[centrarchid]

Behavior shown below can be not be distinguished from a Great Pyrenees standing a with a herd of sheep.



Dog below (standard LGD from outside my office) does exactly same thing by dogs do to visitors be they human or potential threat. It approaches and barks and in doing so makes an effective alarm. Dog's charges in this case bunch up and moved behind building. I am the perceived threat. My dogs treat UPS man in exactly the same manner. My dogs will tackle a coyote or fox just as readily as a this brute.



Notice the landscape type I employ which represents only about 1/4 of area my flocks operate in. If area where grazed like done with sheep or cattle then approximately 50, mostly juvenile, birds would be visible. This does not include adults in pens.



Those birds do not operate as a single flock with sub-flocks moving about a lot and ofter getting near perimeter were fencing keeps other peoples dogs out but not wildlife. My dogs have to patrol area and must rely upon one-way communication with birds (birds to dogs) to facilitate detection and locating threats. The dogs do this periodically throughout day and night especially when birds are disturbed. The habitat is complex with paddocks, some electrified, that dogs must be able to navigate quickly to counter predators trying snatch and run which can be done with chickens but not with sheep or goats.



It is not possible to protect whole area at once so dogs need to be able to position themselves to be able to "hawk" threats as they come up. This means being in a centrally located area, usually not with chickens as reference point, from which to observe and launch sorties against threats.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The territorial nature of dogs is an advantage for the trainer who teaches the dog obedient guarding behavior. So territorial instincts and guard dog training have everything to do with it.

You don't have to "teach" a true LGD guarding behavior.
That's the whole point of those years of selective breeding for thatspecific behavior

It's just like the way you don't have to teach a HUNTING dog to "point" or a HERDING dog to "herd"

Quote: Let's just stick to discussing this TOPIC
If you want to talk about ME, start a new thread

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Its a HUNTING dog standing in a field.
It's NOT an ":LGD" just because it chases off other animals, and doesn't kill the chickens

Shoveling dirt into the back of a Yugo won't make it a DUMP TRUCK
Calling a dog an "LGD" doesn't mean it IS.

The term has a MEANING

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestock_guardian_dog