Official Poll: What breed of Livestock Guardian Dog do you prefer?

[samssimonsays]

He may be better than you think. An LGD should not sleep inside the house at night, which it looks like he may do (his blankie LOL). However the measure of a good LGD is in the number of animals you lose to predators. If you never see the dog work, but all your animals are accounted for, he is doing his job. Our Anatolian stays with the sheep all day and patrols at night. However, once she brings the sheep into the barn at night, she is off duty for a while. She comes inside for some bonding time. After a few hours she asks to go out and starts her patrols. We like the visits, and so does she. If she is on patrol at the end of the acreage, and the house dogs identify a stranger, she is at the spot in under 2 minutes! Great dog! Our Pyrs were great too, but hated being inside and would not come in willingly even in the worst storms. Rika is the best of both worlds. If your dog works for your livestock needs, that is all that is required! The old days of never touching or bonding with your LGD are past, now we know that you should bond with your dog and train him somewhat to make living with him easier. If he is properly bonded to the livestock, bonding to your family will not ruin him.

I completely agree. We do not have any outdoor livestock yet nor would We be able to let our boy stay outside... he's too spoiled. But if something scares him he will go potty out of control Lol! our collie is a fierce protector.

 

[Southern by choice]

The old days of never touching or bonding with your LGD are past

Sadly this practice is still going strong and still preached everywhere.

Our pyrs like their visits but I think they get hot in the house so quickly ... that or once they have eaten half the food on the counter or fridge they are just done and want to go back out. USERS!

But if something scares him he will go potty out of control

Now that is just too funny!

 

[Ridgetop]

Many old timers may still believe not to get too familiar with your guardian dog. Unfortunately it means that unsocialized LGDs can be hard to handle and work with. Most of us here have small flocks and acreage and our dogs are both protectors and family - even if they never come inside. It can be hard for a new LGD owner to realize the balance between a working dog and turning a cute fluff ball into a house dog that wants to bond with family instead of the flock. Training makes the difference between the mediocre, good and great LGDs. A great LGD can still be a great family dog! A great family dog doesn't always make a great LGD. We all have different needs for our ranches - hopefully everyone has the dog they need and enjoy. We have had many good LGDs but our current one (Rika - Anatolian) is above and beyond the best. Good luck to all of you and your LGDs. The laborer is worthy of his hire - don't forget to give them a thank you pat every day!

 

[samssimonsays]

Yes... it is very funny! excited, scared, you name it. Cat swats at him and he will lose all control But we love him!

ButasI said before, we had no livestock we wanted him to protect, only to bring us some happy after our pyr was hit and killed by a car. Our collie was right behind him when it happened and took it extremely hard as they were very close. We were losing her so we brought home this mix since we definitely wanted another pyr but were not ready for another pure white or full pyr yet. (only a few weeks post loss). He was a lump o' poop then as well but has only turned into a BIGGER baby. We don't mind. After he was brought home to be a family pet we would never be able to turn him lose to sleep at night. Our pyr never spent a night outside, neither will the collie or this boy. IF we got an LGD it would be purchased for that and knowingly would be a working dog and trained as such not babied the way we will baby our pets but loved dearly and bonded with as well. It would just be known it would be a working dog not only a pet and WE would be prepared for it to be a mostly outside pup. Not brought into bed with us each night like our collie... I mean... did I admit to that? Ok, ok, ok! It would be spoiled freakin rotten but would be out with the goats and penned in with them at night where it is warm and safe because even though I would have it to protect the goats I would not want anything to happen to it and so on because I am a softy and ... BUT it would be trained properly LOL so that is all that matters... right?

 

[Southern by choice]

but would be out with the goats and penned in with them at night where it is warm and safe because even though I would have it to protect the goats I would not want anything to happen to it

That would be a dis-service to a LGD and there would be no purpose in having one if it cannot do it's job ... you would make it sad.

BUT it would be trained properly LOL so that is all that matters... right?

That would not be training it properly.

 

[samssimonsays]

Sigh... I knnnnoooooowwwwwww.... UGH! This is why I want a donkey !!! My husband will not let me bring said donkey into the home and he wont beg to bring a donkey in either. But we do want another Pyr, just one who would have a job. My boy is too far gone and he never really had the instinct to be tough... he can't exactly think like a pyr either... he got ALL the bernard size, personality and BRAIN. Yep... complete mush physically and mentally. BUT I would get another from the people in a heart beat as they do train them and have amazing LGD's on site. He just didn't cut it obviously because she wanted to keep him but couldn't because he is as ambitious as a rock.

 

[Southern by choice]

He sounds like a big lovable lug.

I wish I could make one of mine a housedog.

They like coming in for a visit but no way no how will they live in... they start freaking to get out. They love their jobs.

One day I will get a "dud" and it will be perfect!

 

[samssimonsays]

When we got our first pyr he was highly capable of being an excellent LGD but he was just as content with being on the couch with US as his flock. He also adopted the neighbors as his flock as well... He enjoyed visiting to play with neighbor dogs and make sure their property was all ok. but inside her would go ad be totally fine We got him at 8 weeks old, well day before then, and just kept him in the house. At first both he and our mixed boy overheated but we laid ice packs down for them Yep... they would sleep like rocks then! We also had nothing outside for them to want to protect... Makes a difference.

Our full pyr was VERY independent and hard headed , strong willed and very smart and made his own decisions (Lots of dominance issues that an experienced breeder would have picked up on and not sold him to first time pyr owners as a pet!) that ... New boy... not so much But as someone who has been around bernards I know he FITS with them perfectly.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

Aww! @Southern by choice and @Samantha drawz! I love Great Pyrs! I got my first one last Spring; he is a great dog! I am glad to see that people don't necessarily follow the rule that you shouldn't bond with your LGD, (thanks @Ridgetop!); he is my buddy and protector, but he's also got to do his job, which is to patrol our property and protect our flocks/herds. I'm working on boundary training him, so hopefully he can run loose soon! He does a good job of barking at coyotes, neighbor dogs, and such!

 

[samssimonsays]

Aww! @Southern by choice and @Samantha drawz! I love Great Pyrs! I got my first one last Spring; he is a great dog! I am glad to see that people don't necessarily follow the rule that you shouldn't bond with your LGD, (thanks @Ridgetop!); he is my buddy and protector, but he's also got to do his job, which is to patrol our property and protect our flocks/herds. I'm working on boundary training him, so hopefully he can run loose soon! He does a good job of barking at coyotes, neighbor dogs, and such!

They really are one of the best dogs IMHO Definitely not for an inexperienced dog owner! I would love to have some and have litters and train them right fo rothers to enjoy. seems most want to ditch em at 8 weeks instead of put in the extra time with them... so sad.