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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2015 18:11:05 GMT
After 6 Great Pyrs and 5 losses due to deaths on the range, I'm looking for an LSG breed that will stay close to home. We live on a 520 acre ranch and only have barbed wire fences for the most part. We raise cattle primarily. Don't get me wrong, we LOVED each and every one of our GPs and I missed each and every one of them. They are absolutely wonderful! But they just won't stay home. We lost 2 to cars, 1 to a confirmed animal fight, 2 MIA ( suspect human cause of death), 1 old age death. We live over a quarter mile from the road so if they will stay close to home, they should be safe from that. Most of our immediate neighbors know our dogs and understand LSG dogs so they are not a threat either, here again, if they will stay home, they will have no problems. (We also live a half mile from our nearest neighbors)
I want an LSG that will be good with guarding the chickens most of all. We raise longhorns cattle so they are dang good at protecting their own.
So let me have it, What LSG breed will STAY HOME!?
Belle
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Post by Bear Foot Farm on Jul 19, 2015 9:21:31 GMT
They all need to be contained just like the livestock they guard.
It's really not usually worth the effort to get one for chickens, since they won't "bond" to birds, and will be most active at night when the birds are roosting anyway, meaning they will sleep during the day.
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Post by Maura on Jul 19, 2015 15:11:15 GMT
Not all LGD’s roam. Do some research. I believe a kanga will stay home as will a karakachan. Since you aren’t really worried about the cattle, what might work best for you is a regular dog. The dog will protect his property rather than the chickens, so if a raccoon comes near the house he will chase it off of HIS territory. Actually, geese might work well for you. They run off people as well as smaller critters.
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Post by shellymay on Jul 19, 2015 15:40:23 GMT
JMO, LGD's NEED to bond to their charges, sheep/goats if they bond from the beginning then most breeds will stay with the livestock, because yours are protecting cows or livestock that don't really need protecting your LGD's are not bonding and have no reason to stay in pastures..... I have 6 Great Pyrenees, 3 are at one farm and 2 are at another one of our farms and 1 here at home, they all stay on our property and stay with the livestock, because as babies they bonded with the animals and not people, they love and can't wait to see my husband and me when we show up but they love their charges MORE.... When you see 150 ewes all grouped together laying around or grazing in a group and most people can't tell there are three LGD's out with the livestock, WHY because they are smack dab right in the middle of the group of sheep, ALWAYS right in the middle because they have bonded so well as pups they think sheep are their people  and what dog doesn't want to be with its people! Cows are so big its hard to train a puppy to learn to love them and stay with them, Have you tried donkey's ?? they are good at protecting cows, no experience this is just what I see and here.. PS, my GP's love their chickens as well  |
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and what dog doesn't want to be with its people!