Coyote problem. Is a LGD right for me?

[lovemyherd]

For a year and a half I've lived at my new home and from the start I noticed a huge coyote problem. It's gotten much worse in the last four or five months. I've lost two Sebastopol geese over the course of a few weeks. Both were my fault, but were killed very close to the house by coyotes which disturbs me. They were locked up at night, but I came home thirty minutes after dark both times and that's when they were killed. Anyway, that doesn't matter because I sold the last of my geese because I did not feel I was in a situation to protect them adequately right now.

But my main concern is my sheep. I built their pasture nearest to the house so that I could have better watch over them. I also have a thirteen year old Great Pyr mix that lives in the house during the day (mostly sleeps) and goes outside with the sheep at night and is the perfect watch dog. She knows just when to bark and is fantastic. She doesn't wander either and I really couldn't ask for a better dog. However, she's getting too old to be doing this and in the last year she gets up fewer and fewer times. I would really like to 'retire' her and set her out with a new puppy this winter and then her job can be over but I am very nervous about getting a new LGD.

I guess I'm most terrified about the LGD roaming the neighborhood and getting hurt. My entire property is not fenced in with something I'd consider that a dog couldn't get through if he or she wanted to and presently I couldn't afford to do it. My father said he would get me an LGD puppy for Christmas, which I think is amazing, but I was sort of wondering if there's any good alternatives to an LGD.

Maybe something else I could spend the money on? Flood lights, etc.

I both terrified of losing sheep during lambing season and worried that a new dog will just add to my problems. I'm also worried that my 5 acres doesn't warrant enough space for an LGD. Everyone I've talked to says getting a dog is the only way to go, but I'm wondering what everyone's opinions are. If I were to get a dog, I'm interested in an Anatolian Shepherd. Mainly because I live in the desert and my Great pyr mix just gets too hot sometimes.

Thank you.

 

[Alice Acres]

I'm a total dog person - show, do sports, etc. But, for our flock protection, I just love the llamas.

We have a substantial coyote population behind us - the lake/slough is a long, connected waterway with prime habitat for coyotes, and enough small farms were they are able to go up and kill small livestock.
We got our 1st 2 gelded males about 10-15 yrs ago - and our sheep bonded with them right away. They loved the lambs - in fact they climbed on the kushed llamas to snuggle and keep warm (we are in MN). The ewes had to come lay by the llamas to be near their lambs!

Then we went several years without, and I really missed having one, and the extra security. We got an 8 yr old female, retired show llama. She is wonderful. Right away, bonded w/ the sheep, even though she only had lived w/ other llamas previously. She is sweet, but really alert and observant. NOTHING happens without her noticing.
One night I went out in the dark to close the back door of the barn - as we were going to catch sheep for something the next day, and wanted them penned. So I was sneaking around the outside, to the back of the barn so the sheep wouldn't run out. Well, Stef the llama had heard me, and "greeted" me in full alert and head snaked out the door, ready to defend! I was really startled, but thrilled!
Llamas meld in with the sheep, and our 3 have never did anything but look out for our sheep. They stick close, but usually on the side or edge of the sheep. They eat the same as the sheep, so no special feed, or waters. And fencing that holds sheep is fine for llamas.
We lost 1 chicken to coyotes last summer, but it was free range and not in the pasture. The coyote popped out of the soybean field, grabbed the hen on the edge of the lawn, and popped back in the field. My husband saw the whole thing. So I KNOW they are really brave and close.

 

[lovemyherd]

I love llamas! I'm in a weird llama-less void area though. I've had my eye out for one for awhile just because they're so neat and I have yet to find one. I suppose if I really wanted one I might have to take a drive or use UShip.

The main drawback I see with llamas is that they need to be pastured with the sheep and cannot free roam around the property. My animals are very much spread out and for example right now I have a young bull calf that is nowhere near my sheep. I also move and rotate my sheep around. What I like about a dog is that he or she can move about the property more readily than a llama could.

 

[CoffeeCow]

Alice, (I hate to barge in on this thread, but I have similar concerns as the OP)
We have been looking into llamas ad guardians as well, Could you give me any advice as to what type / gender / age / number of llamas to get ?
They will be looking after a herd of goats, and possibly a few cows.

Predators in the area include, Coyote, foxes, skunks, etc.

thanks

 

[Alice Acres]

I love llamas! I'm in a weird llama-less void area though. I've had my eye out for one for awhile just because they're so neat and I have yet to find one. I suppose if I really wanted one I might have to take a drive or use UShip.

The main drawback I see with llamas is that they need to be pastured with the sheep and cannot free roam around the property. My animals are very much spread out and for example right now I have a young bull calf that is nowhere near my sheep. I also move and rotate my sheep around. What I like about a dog is that he or she can move about the property more readily than a llama could.

I suggested a llama because you specified your sheep - and had concerns that a dog would run away as your outer perimeter area isn't fenced. The llama could be moved right along with the sheep or whatever animal it happened to be with, mine do. In, out, different pens, they go w/ the flow really well. But, if they are in one pen, they would not be able to protect something far away or in another pasture. :/
The farm we had our National Specialty herding trial at (for Old English Sheepdogs) in September had lots of sheep, goats and ducks. They had a very impressive guard llama. I think I spent as much time observing him trying to keep his stock in visual range (while they were in another pen, being herded), as I did watching the actual competition!

 

[Alice Acres]

Alice, (I hate to barge in on this thread, but I have similar concerns as the OP)
We have been looking into llamas ad guardians as well, Could you give me any advice as to what type / gender / age / number of llamas to get ?
They will be looking after a herd of goats, and possibly a few cows.

Predators in the area include, Coyote, foxes, skunks, etc.

thanks

We have the same predator animals here too.

Our 1st 2 (we had them together) were adult males, gelded. We didn't know their age when we got them, but they were mature adults. One was very people friendly, the other was shy. They both were friendly temperament wise. I also taught them to lead and pack too We had them until they died from old age. One died about 2 yrs before the other, so we had just the one w/ the stock during that time.

Then we went several yrs with none. We temporarily had a young female at our house - she belonged to a friend, and he didn't want her bred by his male as she was too young. She was at our farm for about 8 months. She was pretty flighty, and I can't say that I thought her a good deterrent from anything. She was good with the stock, but never seemed to bond or really care about them. :/

I started a search a couple years ago to get another llama - and had an agreement to get a young male from a show breeder. But that fell through, as the youth that were training them (they had a club, and taught youth to care for and show them) wanted to keep them and show them again. So, I was offered a bred mature female instead. I was leery, as we didn't have good luck with a female before. But, in the end we did decide to get her. SO happy, as she is wonderful!

Alert Stefany, not long after we got her:

And very loving and curious - snuffling my granddaughter. She had just come out of the pool and Stef had to check her over :

(EDIT - ok, this one won't load, it just duplicates the other photo. I'll try and add it later )

She did have a cria, a male. Unfortunately, this summer we lost him (as a yearling) to meningeal worms He was already bonded with our stock, and taking on a perfect guardian llama role. In fact we were going to send him with our young stock (and wean him) to another farm for summer pasture this summer....but then he got sick, and we ended up losing him. It was heart breaking. We're still grieving. We had imprinted him, he was lead and obstacle trained and gorgeous.

Also, when we got Stef, my friend got Stef's mom. She raises sheep and ducks and geese, and Tiff has been just as awesome with her new family.

So, I can't really say one gender is better than another. It really depends on the animal itself. But we really, really like them.

 

[Alice Acres]

trying again....

 

[catjac1975]

I have used an invisible fence with success to keep my dog from wandering. They are relatively cheap, easy to install. In fact you can just lay the ground wire on the ground instead of burying if is in a place that will not get cut. Many dogs will get trained and never even need the fence to be turned on after a while. They can cover many acres if necessary. I would get 2 pups if possible so the coyotes don't kill your dog. Many hunters would be glad to come and shoot the coyotes.

For a year and a half I've lived at my new home and from the start I noticed a huge coyote problem. It's gotten much worse in the last four or five months. I've lost two Sebastopol geese over the course of a few weeks. Both were my fault, but were killed very close to the house by coyotes which disturbs me. They were locked up at night, but I came home thirty minutes after dark both times and that's when they were killed. Anyway, that doesn't matter because I sold the last of my geese because I did not feel I was in a situation to protect them adequately right now.

But my main concern is my sheep. I built their pasture nearest to the house so that I could have better watch over them. I also have a thirteen year old Great Pyr mix that lives in the house during the day (mostly sleeps) and goes outside with the sheep at night and is the perfect watch dog. She knows just when to bark and is fantastic. She doesn't wander either and I really couldn't ask for a better dog. However, she's getting too old to be doing this and in the last year she gets up fewer and fewer times. I would really like to 'retire' her and set her out with a new puppy this winter and then her job can be over but I am very nervous about getting a new LGD.

I guess I'm most terrified about the LGD roaming the neighborhood and getting hurt. My entire property is not fenced in with something I'd consider that a dog couldn't get through if he or she wanted to and presently I couldn't afford to do it. My father said he would get me an LGD puppy for Christmas, which I think is amazing, but I was sort of wondering if there's any good alternatives to an LGD.

Maybe something else I could spend the money on? Flood lights, etc.

I both terrified of losing sheep during lambing season and worried that a new dog will just add to my problems. I'm also worried that my 5 acres doesn't warrant enough space for an LGD. Everyone I've talked to says getting a dog is the only way to go, but I'm wondering what everyone's opinions are. If I were to get a dog, I'm interested in an Anatolian Shepherd. Mainly because I live in the desert and my Great pyr mix just gets too hot sometimes.

Thank you.

 

[Southern by choice]

Great info on the guard llamas Alice. I've never seen a guard llama in person so this is very helpful. I have only been around 1 llama before and he was so nasty and aggressive it left me with a bad impression and I've been leery of them ever since. Having only that one experience I know does not define llamas in general.

 

[bonbean01]

Have you ever been spit on by a Llama? Smell is just too gross to describe and doesn't wash out of your clothes...have to trash them. Have you ever been chased by a male Llama trying to mate you? Also not a good experience. But then these were my brother's Llamas and he didn't know what he was doing when he got them. Many people have them, swear by them for protecting herds and find them sweet and loveable. Personally after my experiences, I'd get an LGD...but then...I did fall in love with Peaches on the Llama forum