Show Sebright
True BYH Addict
Y’all think a poodle can be trained as a livestock dog? They are very smart. I want a assiedoodle or a poodle when I grow up
Official Poll: What breed of Livestock Guardian Dog do you prefer?
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Mini Horses
Herd Master
Predator load is a huge consideration. Some farm dogs are enough for the occasional possum, deer, etc. But if you need dogs that will and can handle more, it's a whole different ballgame. A team of good LGDs will move the animals, guard and warn off but if more is needed, they will fight! Just a really different attitude and devotion to duty. They WILL protect, without backing down.
No. The doodles will do little more than daylight scare offs. Mindset is not there for true putting it all on the line "guard duty". BUT poodles (& some doodles
) are very smart. Great service types.
No. The doodles will do little more than daylight scare offs. Mindset is not there for true putting it all on the line "guard duty". BUT poodles (& some doodles
) are very smart. Great service types.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Anatolians every time. My Pyrs were good but roamers, every last one. My Anatolians are fantastic. Stay on the property with the sheep, work all night, good with the family, suspicious of strangers, wonderful with injured or lambing ewes, quiet and laid bsck in the house for family bonding time.
We only have 6 acres in the San Fernando Valley but have a tremendous coyote problem. We have 100 open acres behind us and easy access to the wash and Angeles National Forest. It takes all 3 Anatolians working to keep the flock safe. We have found several coyote bodies on the property over the last year or so. We also have cougar annually. Between Thanksgiving and March is usually when they come down from the Angeles National Forest and cross the wash into the neighborhoods looking for prey.
Anatolians definitely!
We only have 6 acres in the San Fernando Valley but have a tremendous coyote problem. We have 100 open acres behind us and easy access to the wash and Angeles National Forest. It takes all 3 Anatolians working to keep the flock safe. We have found several coyote bodies on the property over the last year or so. We also have cougar annually. Between Thanksgiving and March is usually when they come down from the Angeles National Forest and cross the wash into the neighborhoods looking for prey.
Anatolians definitely!
Baymule
Herd Master
Another vote for Anatolians! My one remaining Pyr jumps any fence and is a problem child. My 2 Anatolians are devoted to their flock. Moving to a smaller place on a highway, going to have to build Fort Knox to keep the Pyr from becoming a white furry pancake on the road.
frustratedearthmother
Herd Master
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Anatolians! Also have Anatolian/Pyrs that do the job. But, the Anatolian is absolutely devoted to his goats with special emphasis on loving the kids!
Legamin
Loving the herd life
we got out border collie ‘basically trained for herding’….she is 2 years old and she has not one singe herding instinct. She is terrified of her shadow and sheep mystify and terrify her simultaneously. (Never listen to a cowboy bragging on his dog!). What she IS….is the most incredibly obedient fastest command learning dog I have every known! She has learned all the commands for herding in just a few months. Command, “lie down” and she will drop like an incredibly alert stone even if she is in the middle of her ‘personal business’. She is so eager to please. But she also seeks approval from the sheep…she wants to join the flock. She is the most useless and expensive piece of equipment on the farm. BUT…I see hope in the future! The newest craze for sheep herding dogs in this part of the woods is a Border Collie / Golden Retriever….Golden Border Collie or Border Retriever….the debate has not been settled. They have thee stamens, the intelligence, the grace and boldness necessary and they are willing to curl up in the corner at night after working all day…the energy that seems endless in the daytime abates. That….and their not just a fuzzy ball of needy.
My thought is to take our healthy but useless Border Collie bitch to someone with an athletic Golden Retriever of known genetics and breed her. One thing for sure in this area each of those puppies, with a little boot camp training will sell for $2,000 after just a four month training investment. Of course the pick of the litter stays and is kept from mom’s bad influences.
Legamin
Loving the herd life
This is something we have been researching for over a year. Anatolian seems to be the best option for us but you can find Pyr pure bred dogs plentiful and cheap…I’m not going cheap this time…I do NOT need another pet dog!
we keep a pure bred flock and a meat hybrid flock so we are considering two dogs. The rams have demonstrated they can care for their own interests. They set a mountain lion on his heels when he had the bad sense to wander into their pen. They are polled and they love their loving head scratches like big teddy bears but if you don’t belong in their pen…..Woe! Are you!
Baymule
Herd Master
Find a reputable breeder. I bought a beautiful male puppy, half Anatolian, 1/4 Pyrenees, 1/4 Akbash. Brilliant smart, awesome dog. At 9 months old, he was limping. A vet exam revealed hip dysplasia, the vet called him a train wreck. We elected for surgery, femoral head ostectomy. It was a heart breaking experience. Today, you'd never know it. he recovered, runs, plays and is a exceptional guard dog. But for the money spent, I could have had a registered dog from the best breeder. Lesson learned. There are good dogs out there from people who have a farm and a few good dogs. But there are also people out there with a few dogs that should never be bred.
