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Farm Family
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Back on duty!
LGD Discussion
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Jeanne - Simme Valley
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Hard to beat a great dog.
We've had a couple LGDs now. First one was great, second one is hot and cold as far as protection of property and animals.
Some talk here of them being on range with cattle. Some friends had a pack of 11 bonded to their cow herd, a wolf pack killed all 11 in one summer.
Some talk here of them being on range with cattle. Some friends had a pack of 11 bonded to their cow herd, a wolf pack killed all 11 in one summer.
Josher
Well-known member
@Farm Family thanks for sharing about your dogs and the operation. Always interesting for the rest of us. My next dog is gonna be more of a guard dog. Both of our current dogs bark at intruders but if a coyote came at them they would tuck and run. With LGD do they work better if you pick a male I assume or would a female do the job as well.
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Farm Family
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This is our 2nd LGD. Our first one sadly died of a congenital issue that flew under the radar and we were blessed to have him as long as we did. He was an Anatolian Shepherd/Kangal and boy he trucked the miles…covered 7 quarters and crown land. He worked til his dying breath. Vet had him in clinic…said his test was wrong, dog should be dead, leave him with me so I can run it again. Left him, vet said he worked till all the lights were out, would not rest. 2nd test confirmed he was a walking dead dog. Told hang in your people coming to say goodbye…we did not make it in time he died right before we got there. Good boy! Vet carried him to truck…said he was awesome, which he was!
Neighbours had no issue with his travelling cause he worked their place too but it irritated me. He was not cow bonded. Great with poultry but I found him indifferent with the cows…good in that he was kind and would protect I know without a doubt but he lacked an intimate bond. He got bored of them. He didn't like the cows as much as this pup. This pup loves her cows and that love, imo keeps her home. The Maremma and the Kuvasz keep her home too, those two breeds are more herd minders, ground zero protectors. Anatolian and Kangal are border patrollers. I also feel females tend to stay home more than a male. Idk…more nurturing, love babies, mothering, perhaps?
This girl at 2 has no issue running coyotes away, she has also barked a grizzly away and a cat (cougar). So the name of her game is making herself big and loud. She has no desire to get hurt. She has a perimeter that encompasses her charges. Nothing gets in those lines. She chases off even ravens. Then she has a 2nd line she will run coyotes to if they challenge her space. If they keep going she sweeps, marks, barks and keeps them motivated to leaving. Once she feels they are off and not coming back she returns to the herd. If they don't or turn back she meets the challenge again and will run them again. We have witnessed the 3rd challenge and by then, so far, everything knows she means business and by then we are heading out there to support her. She works a single quarter easily.
She alone cannot take on a pack. Here she does not have to. Most predators will take another route. Our land is open, surrounded by tree so most wild animals don't like to be in the open long. She has them "trained" to stick to the trees for the most part. When they challenge her to cross she "talks them out of it".
The cat she was 8 months old. I heard her 1st bark…"I know you are around move on". I heard her 2nd bark "I said move along and now I mean business". Heard 3rd bark was "I mean now"…she was very"big" and very "loud"in a very defensive stance…I opened the window cause she positioned herself by the house. I yelled "leave her alone" not sure what was in the trees but saw the cat's tail in the moon when it turned and heard it bound through the trees. She stayed barking…pursued to mark her territory when she felt safe to do so and returned to her cows.
The grizzly was this past fall. 2 am same barking at the crown land NE of house. I yelled. Again saw nothing. Heard a "woof", something turn in the underbrush and high tail it. She pursued slightly to tell it she meant leave. Like cougar…Marked territory and returned to me then her cows. We know it was a bear cause trail cameras picked it up at same time, same location. Bear travelled east then swung south and then proceeded west on the south side of us. Neighbours say hit our corner and said "hell no" easier, quieter approach than this nonsense
If her people weren't there would things have gone different? Maybe? But her sole job is to alert and stand her ground. "Hold the line" We do the rest. Would she lay her life? I have zero doubt she would.
Our losses have gone to zero so that tells us she is doing her job and she does not, at this time, need additional help (ie. another dog)
Yes she has instinct that drives confidence and skill but she also has been a lot of training and we are a team…she is a valued employee, she counts on us as much as we count on her.
Males have size over the females. Either can work!
GoWyo
Well-known member
We have a spayed Pyrenees yard dog. She is happiest when we have some calves around the pens and especially calving season, which should start toward the end of next week. She holds coyotes out away from the fence lines. They used to crap right in our yard and howl at the house before we got her (think it was spring 2017 when we got her). She won't attack, but she does hold her ground and keeps coyotes out to around a quarter to half mile from the house and barn. The old cows hate her around their calves, but the younger ones that she "guarded" in the replacement pen like her just fine and generally don't get aggressive with her.This is our 2nd LGD. Our first one sadly died of a congenital issue that flew under the radar and we were blessed to have him as long as we did. He was an Anatolian Shepherd/Kangal and boy he trucked the miles…covered 7 quarters and crown land. He worked til his dying breath. Vet had him in clinic…said his test was wrong, dog should be dead, leave him with me so I can run it again. Left him, vet said he worked till all the lights were out, would not rest. 2nd test confirmed he was a walking dead dog. Told hang in your people coming to say goodbye…we did not make it in time he died right before we got there. Good boy! Vet carried him to truck…said he was awesome, which he was!
Neighbours had no issue with his travelling cause he worked their place too but it irritated me. He was not cow bonded. Great with poultry but I found him indifferent with the cows…good in that he was kind and would protect I know without a doubt but he lacked an intimate bond. He got bored of them. He didn't like the cows as much as this pup. This pup loves her cows and that love, imo keeps her home. The Maremma and the Kuvasz keep her home too, those two breeds are more herd minders, ground zero protectors. Anatolian and Kangal are border patrollers. I also feel females tend to stay home more than a male. Idk…more nurturing, love babies, mothering, perhaps?
This girl at 2 has no issue running coyotes away, she has also barked a grizzly away and a cat (cougar). So the name of her game is making herself big and loud. She has no desire to get hurt. She has a perimeter that encompasses her charges. Nothing gets in those lines. She chases off even ravens. Then she has a 2nd line she will run coyotes to if they challenge her space. If they keep going she sweeps, marks, barks and keeps them motivated to leaving. Once she feels they are off and not coming back she returns to the herd. If they don't or turn back she meets the challenge again and will run them again. We have witnessed the 3rd challenge and by then, so far, everything knows she means business and by then we are heading out there to support her. She works a single quarter easily.
She alone cannot take on a pack. Here she does not have to. Most predators will take another route. Our land is open, surrounded by tree so most wild animals don't like to be in the open long. She has them "trained" to stick to the trees for the most part. When they challenge her to cross she "talks them out of it".
The cat she was 8 months old. I heard her 1st bark…"I know you are around move on". I heard her 2nd bark "I said move along and now I mean business". Heard 3rd bark was "I mean now"…she was very"big" and very "loud"in a very defensive stance…I opened the window cause she positioned herself by the house. I yelled "leave her alone" not sure what was in the trees but saw the cat's tail in the moon when it turned and heard it bound through the trees. She stayed barking…pursued to mark her territory when she felt safe to do so and returned to her cows.
The grizzly was this past fall. 2 am same barking at the crown land NE of house. I yelled. Again saw nothing. Heard a "woof", something turn in the underbrush and high tail it. She pursued slightly to tell it she meant leave. Like cougar…Marked territory and returned to me then her cows. We know it was a bear cause trail cameras picked it up at same time, same location. Bear travelled east then swung south and then proceeded west on the south side of us. Neighbours say hit our corner and said "hell no" easier, quieter approach than this nonsense
If her people weren't there would things have gone different? Maybe? But her sole job is to alert and stand her ground. "Hold the line" We do the rest. Would she lay her life? I have zero doubt she would.
Our losses have gone to zero so that tells us she is doing her job and she does not, at this time, need additional help (ie. another dog)
Yes she has instinct that drives confidence and skill but she also has been a lot of training and we are a team…she is a valued employee, she counts on us as much as we count on her.
Males have size over the females. Either can work!
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Farm Family
Well-known member
Sounds like my lab…he barks but leaves her to do the work. Same with people he barks, takes a treat and lays in for additional love. She barks, takes a treat ONLY from those she knows ie. fuel guy but if that person goes to give her further attention she gives a throaty growl and moves away usually parking herself at a distance that says "do your business and be on your way I am watching you". She is not a companion breed like our labs.
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Farm Family
Well-known member
This is pretty much our girl too. And same with cows, the older ones tolerate her. She is good at giving them space. Had a cow that was not crazy about the dog but her calf loved the dog…they laid together, "played", and eventually the cow gave up. I see this year she has more trust towards the dog…the cows come around. And you are right cows generally not aggressive to an LGD. The dog does not challenge the cattle and that is a good working LGD. The LGD will divert eyes, they soften appearance, mine will move away and then lie down. She walks away after the cattle recognize she is not interested in challenging. They shake their head and she looks away and has sat. Body language is huge.
Josher
Well-known member
Yeah one of my dogs is a lab which has a little bit of guard dog instinct but not mean enough to do anything. She loves to ride along while I do chores. The other dog is my wife's Irish setter. Which has way too much energy and loves birds. Last summer we met my hippy neighbor for the first time because the dog ran over and found his caged peacocks and was trying to get at them.
Sounds like you have a lot of wildlife in your area!
Travlr
Well-known member
Best dog I ever had was a half Irish setter/German shepherd that jumped the fence. An amazing dog. Makes those designer dogs, Labradoodles, look like jokes.
Josher
Well-known member
That would be an interesting blend.
Yeah we used to sell pups out of the Irish setter. They sold well lots of people love the breed. It was fun while it lasted. The Irish setter isn't quite my cup of tea though I like a more sturdy build of a dog.
Travlr
Well-known member
I agree. My dog's mother was wound way too tight. A bundle of energy. But the cross I had was exceptional. A thinking dog.
Travlr
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Don't think I'd retire, I'd give him a raise
This was in Georgia, not far from me.
TexasJerseyMilker
Well-known member
What is the benefit of neutering male LGDs?
BFE
Well-known member
Intact males are more prone to wander. Back here in the east in the small country that gets them in trouble.
The same as neutering any other kind of male dog.
Ky hills
Well-known member
When I had sheep for while I raised Great Pyrenees too. Had a male and two females. Couldn't keep them contained.
The last time they took a notion to take off they were spotted at one point 10 miles up the road after a few days they came back home. I rehomed them after that. It's like the Marshall said on Gun Smoke once, something to the effect of I take my territory with me. Those dogs think the same way.
The last time they took a notion to take off they were spotted at one point 10 miles up the road after a few days they came back home. I rehomed them after that. It's like the Marshall said on Gun Smoke once, something to the effect of I take my territory with me. Those dogs think the same way.
TexasJerseyMilker
Well-known member
Yet male police K9s and military dogs are never neutered. Although the bitches are spayed. I guess it's because they come into heat twice a year and are out of commission for a few weeks.
