goat boy
Chillin' with the herd
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what does LGD stand for???????
Show us your Livestock Guardians
- Thread starter ksj0225
- Start date
Straw Hat Kikos
The Kiko Cowboy
Livestock Guard Doggoat boy said:
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Livestock Guardians are animals that were specificly bred to watch over and protect livestock animals such as sheep and goats. There are some breeds that have been doing this work for centuries. They are loyal and bond with the animals they watch over. Protecting them from predators such as wolves, coyotes, cougars etc. They are usually very large and powerful animals which tend to move slowly and "blend" well with their herd/flock. This slow moving nature calms the livestock and does not startle them, but when they need to they will spring into action to protect.
There are many LGD- Livestock guard dogs.
some include:
Meremma
Sarplaninac
Anatolian Shepherd
Kangal
Great Pyrenees
Kuvasz
Kommondorok
Akbash
Tibetan Mastiff
There are other breeds also, but these are commonly found here in the US.
Hope this helps understand a bit more about LGD's
There are many LGD- Livestock guard dogs.
some include:
Meremma
Sarplaninac
Anatolian Shepherd
Kangal
Great Pyrenees
Kuvasz
Kommondorok
Akbash
Tibetan Mastiff
There are other breeds also, but these are commonly found here in the US.
Hope this helps understand a bit more about LGD's
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Grazer I love the pic of Atlas with the green bone...that look is priceless!
I love seeing the rare breeds, it's like a treat!
Did you have to import them or were you able to find them here in the US?
It would be nice to know more about this breed. Strengths, drawbacks, temperament etc.
Maybe you could do a breed page....
They are beautiful,,,yet quite intimidating looking!
I love seeing the rare breeds, it's like a treat!
Did you have to import them or were you able to find them here in the US?
It would be nice to know more about this breed. Strengths, drawbacks, temperament etc.
Maybe you could do a breed page....
They are beautiful,,,yet quite intimidating looking!
I like how Atlas has that red coloring...GORGEOUS! Phoebe is what those dogs on YouTube looked like...really POUFY! Were her ears cropped or are they just like that?
I'm partial to Atlas as he looks a LOT like my Gus - just 'red'! LOVE their faces! Those mastiff faces.....
GORGEOUS Grazer!
I'm partial to Atlas as he looks a LOT like my Gus - just 'red'! LOVE their faces! Those mastiff faces.....
GORGEOUS Grazer!
Thank you Southern! 
We bought Atlas in E.U. (which is why his ears are not cropped, it's not legal for breeders to do so over there) and he flew with me to U.S.
Phoebe comes from a kennel here in U.S. There are about 4-5 Caucasian shepherd kennels in all of Northern America, so they are quite rare here and also a lot more expensive than they would be if you were buying one in Europe.
I thought of doing a breed page, mainly because there are so many half-truths or downright made up B.S. circulating about this breed on the internet,
but then I was like...being that I'm not a breeder, I probably shouldn't write one.
So I'll just write here shortly about this breed's strength and weaknesses.
Originally a landrace LGD breed from the Caucasus Mountains but around 1930 the Soviets started selecting them for military purposes as guard dogs.
In the then East Germany, 7000 Caucasian shepherds were at one point used to guard the Berlin Wall.
Which brings me to another point: most modern Caucasian shepherds (meaning they are no longer those aboriginal dogs straight from Caucasus) are used as property guardians nowadays and no longer as LGD's.
Non the less, this breed can still make an excellent livestock guardian, as long as the future owner keeps a few things in mind.
Here in U.S. there is a Russian Caucasian shepherd breeder that raises her dogs with a flock of sheep and they are doing really well.
And I know several other people that have been using them successfully as LGD's. Ours are amazing with horses.
They are very, very protective and a well bred Caucasian shepherd will not allow anything or anyone near whatever they are supposed to guard.
That said, I did notice (and I've heard the same thing from couple of breeders) that this breed bonds firstly and fore mostly with their humans.
In general the modern Caucasian shepherds don't do great if they say for instance have to guard a flock on an isolated pasture, with limited human interaction.
They seem to do much, much better if they are on a farm guarding animals where they also get to see their humans on a daily basis. Even though they do have the typical LGD aloof and independent temperament.
So in that aspect they are very much like the Tibetan Mastiffs.
I think that has a lot to do with the recent history of the Caucasian shepherd as a breed.
And in general they do have a somewhat higher prey drive when compared to most other LGD breeds.
On one hand that does means that it makes it even more difficult to teach them not to chase poultry and rabbits, but on the other hand it also means they make excellent vermin control.
Garter snakes, mice, rats, possums etc will not be allowed on their property.
A well bred Caucasian shepherd is very agile and active. Which is why a minimum of 6ft fence is so important.
They are one of the most naturally human aggressive breeds (with other words: you don't have to train them to protect their property from strangers).
Typically when a well bred Caucasian shepherd sees strangers or other canines near their property, there is just no stopping these dogs.
And that is why this breed needs to be socialized properly from early on, so they can differentiate between real threats and something that is simply new or unusual.
Last but not least: they need experienced owners, but then again that should be said for all other LGD breeds as well.
We bought Atlas in E.U. (which is why his ears are not cropped, it's not legal for breeders to do so over there) and he flew with me to U.S.
Phoebe comes from a kennel here in U.S. There are about 4-5 Caucasian shepherd kennels in all of Northern America, so they are quite rare here and also a lot more expensive than they would be if you were buying one in Europe.
I thought of doing a breed page, mainly because there are so many half-truths or downright made up B.S. circulating about this breed on the internet,
but then I was like...being that I'm not a breeder, I probably shouldn't write one.
So I'll just write here shortly about this breed's strength and weaknesses.
Originally a landrace LGD breed from the Caucasus Mountains but around 1930 the Soviets started selecting them for military purposes as guard dogs.
In the then East Germany, 7000 Caucasian shepherds were at one point used to guard the Berlin Wall.
Which brings me to another point: most modern Caucasian shepherds (meaning they are no longer those aboriginal dogs straight from Caucasus) are used as property guardians nowadays and no longer as LGD's.
Non the less, this breed can still make an excellent livestock guardian, as long as the future owner keeps a few things in mind.
Here in U.S. there is a Russian Caucasian shepherd breeder that raises her dogs with a flock of sheep and they are doing really well.
And I know several other people that have been using them successfully as LGD's. Ours are amazing with horses.
They are very, very protective and a well bred Caucasian shepherd will not allow anything or anyone near whatever they are supposed to guard.
That said, I did notice (and I've heard the same thing from couple of breeders) that this breed bonds firstly and fore mostly with their humans.
In general the modern Caucasian shepherds don't do great if they say for instance have to guard a flock on an isolated pasture, with limited human interaction.
They seem to do much, much better if they are on a farm guarding animals where they also get to see their humans on a daily basis. Even though they do have the typical LGD aloof and independent temperament.
So in that aspect they are very much like the Tibetan Mastiffs.
I think that has a lot to do with the recent history of the Caucasian shepherd as a breed.
And in general they do have a somewhat higher prey drive when compared to most other LGD breeds.
On one hand that does means that it makes it even more difficult to teach them not to chase poultry and rabbits, but on the other hand it also means they make excellent vermin control.
Garter snakes, mice, rats, possums etc will not be allowed on their property.
A well bred Caucasian shepherd is very agile and active. Which is why a minimum of 6ft fence is so important.
They are one of the most naturally human aggressive breeds (with other words: you don't have to train them to protect their property from strangers).
Typically when a well bred Caucasian shepherd sees strangers or other canines near their property, there is just no stopping these dogs.
And that is why this breed needs to be socialized properly from early on, so they can differentiate between real threats and something that is simply new or unusual.
Last but not least: they need experienced owners, but then again that should be said for all other LGD breeds as well.
Thank you CocoNutCocoNUT said:
You're right, he does resemble your beautiful Gus more than Phoebe. Some Sarplaninac and some Caucasian shepherds really look alike.
Her ears were cropped. Traditionally they have been cropping the ears of Caucasian and Central Asian shepherds for probably hundreds if not thousands of years.
So even though these 2 breeds (as recognized by FCI) are no longer a landrace and are being actively selected and bred in kennels, the breeders still crop their ears when the puppies are 2 days old.
But ear cropping (and tail docking) is banned in E.U., which is why Atlas has normal ears.
Southern by choice
Herd Master
Grazer that was great! I think you really should just copy it and put it in a page, you don't have to be a breeder to inform others! I think it helps to be unbiased.
I do have a question... can you "actually" socialize them?
I love the Fila Brasileiro but would NEVER own one unless I lived on a lot of land up in the mountains. They are not dangerous dogs, but they really are only interested in their humans. So I am curious, is it the same thing?
I do have a question... can you "actually" socialize them?
I love the Fila Brasileiro but would NEVER own one unless I lived on a lot of land up in the mountains. They are not dangerous dogs, but they really are only interested in their humans. So I am curious, is it the same thing?
Southern by choice
Herd Master
My DD wants to know if you might one day breed yours?
