I agree, but not sure Camille would want all that training. It's easier to train an LGD if you have an older LGD to help you. Getting a puppy with no older dog's influence was HARD on us. She only killed two birds playing with them, but the running... Camille doesn't have enough of a pasture for one in my opinion. Plus her pasture is kind of close to the road, that is busy enough to worry me with a LGD.
I think a llama would be easier for her lifestyle. Cheaper too.
I think your maremmas thrive with your sheep. If they had just chickens it would be more difficult to train them. Camille does have a few goats and some horses. The goats would be a good tool to train an LGD pup. It may have been easier for me to train Clementine if I had have had the goats when she was 10 weeks rather than 9 months when I got the sheep.
To consider with a couple of your points:
I have two GP pups now. They are in their teen stage, having just turned 4 months old. It is HARD. Doable, but hard. My girl loves to play with chickens. Last night, she sneaked into the coop behind my back to try to catch and lick a hen. She has killed two chicks, loving them to death, but that was my fault. Chicks are now kept locked up. Constant vigilance is required, or I pen or chain the dogs when I can't be home. She loves to catch and lick them.
We have 7 acres. I do know several people with less land who have success with LGDs.
We have no sheep or goats. I would like goats, but we have no plans to get any any time soon. They are meant to guard the poultry. It's hard to bond dogs to poultry. I don't think it can be forced either, but it just grows. If you want a poultry dog, find one that was born with birds around. And supervise.
We have a radio fence. I know several people who say it won't work. OTOH, I know several people who use it and find it exceptional. But my dogs know they can't cross the fence. Period. They don't even try now. It's an excellent adjunct to a fence or perfect for an area where a traditional fence is problematic. It does require training to, and many people think they can just install the fence, put the collar on the dog and done. Nope. It took me three weeks to train the dogs to the fence, before I was sure they would never cross it. I also started as 12 week old puppies, way younger than the fence people suggest, but it worked and worked well. My dogs won't even try to come to me if I cross the fence. They sit and watch me, 6 feet away from the line, so it won't beep at them.
We got the dogs as we wanted protection on our entire property, not just a pasture, so a llama or donkey was out, and I have not seen a predator since the dogs arrived. Our front pasture was covered in blood, and a pile of guts was out there Friday night, after butchering 30 birds, but no coons or foxes dared to come over. The dogs and chickens have been eating it (yuck).
I would not suggest a female as a first LGD. Everyone I have talked to -- many breeders, many owners -- has said the girls are more high strung, more energentic, more willing to go behind your back to do naughty things, take more attention. My boy has been easier to train, and he is way less likely to do things if bored.
LGDs work best in pairs.
