Farm guard dog

[GeeseRCool]

Border collies are the best! They work and that is what they want to do and they are great at it!

 

[Beekissed]

I have lab mix dogs...one is GP mix and the other is BC mix. The combination seems to be just the right balance between family dog and livestock guardian.

Both are rescued dogs and I couldn't have asked for better dogs if I had ordered them special made!

 

[the funny farm6615]

we have a gp and she works very hard to keep wild animals away, too hard-she not only petroles our land but the neighbers also.(they love her help) but i wanted something a little more lazy so we got a saint bernard. he keeps everything off our 5 acre yard while she patrols farther out.

 

[jodief100]

I have Pyrs and love them. They have been bred for generations as LGD dogs but not all Pyrs are great LGD's. Other breeds are the same way, Anitolians, Kuzavs, etc.

I recently went to a seminar and one of the speakers was a PhD who has studied and worked with LGD's since the 1960's. After a very long and rambling presentation, he boiled it down to this: Most dogs will be great as LGD's as long as they are exposed to and live with the animals they are supposed to protect from a very young age, about 3 weeks.

I think the primary source of deterent for a predator with a LGD is intimidation. Predators just don't want to risk an attempt. So I would suggest a medium to large breed with a big bark (Pys fit this decription exactly). Get one from someone who raised it from puppyhood with the animals, or adopt a very young one. I personaly don't like the idea of a puppy being away from mommy at 3 weeks and bottle feeding is a chore so I recomend the former.

 

[GeeseRCool]

Border collies are just the best! I am sure that the other dogs are good to but these animals are just GREAT! I will tell you more about them if you want me to!

 

[carolinagirl]

Not all breeds are safe living with livestock. Any breed that has a prey drive (wants to chase) is probably not a suitable LGD breed. A LGD needs to actually be calm and submissive to the livestock, never wanting to play with them. I really can't picture a border collie being a good livestock guardian dog since their instincts don't tell them to just be calm and hang out with the stock....their instincts tell them to chase them and round them all up. That's not what a LGD is supposed to do.

 

[carolinagirl]

Here's a really good link to learn more about Anatolins and the code of ethic breeders

http://www.angelfire.com/oz/asdca/home.html

And here's a great link about LGDs in general, with lots of health and training articles

http://www.lgd.org/library.htm