Is A Livestock Guardian Dog for You?

   Sasha is 6 years old.  She and her brother, Alexi, are my Livestock Guard Dogs (LGD).  When I brought home my alpacas 6 years ago I did a years worth of research before making the jump.  Along with the research was the investment.  I did not want to bring home my breeder only to have the wildlife from the neighbor forest come snatch them away from me and my $$ with them.  Some form of security and protection was in order.  This is where a friend recommended an LGD.  While I had heard of a Great Pyrenees, I had never really paid any attention to what kind of dog it was.  Thus began the next subject of research.

Sasha              

Alexi                                  

 Up until this point a Great Pyr was the only kind of guard dog I knew about.  While looking through the local classifieds paper I came across an ad for LGD puppies.  She didn't specify what kind of guard dogs they were but I enquired and was then introduced to Anatolian Shepherds and Akbash.  I started researching more breeds and loved what I was seeing.  I also saw that these dogs where not for the faint of heart.  They are strong-willed and like to think on their own.  This is their strength! They can handle the situation without you calling the shots!  That also means that they probably aren't going to come when you call.  I recommend starting with this book: http://www.amazon.com/Livestock-Protection-Dogs-Selection-Training/dp/1577790626/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377312423&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=livestock+guardian+dog+sign
 This book does a great job of explaining the breeds, the traits and things you should look for as you search for a working guard dog.  

I read and re-read this book all the time.  Now, with Sasha due with puppies in two weeks, I find myself reading it again.  I have had several inquiries as to the availability of her pups and I refuse to count them before they are born.  I would not have bred her without my own good reasons and without other parties interested but who can say how many there will be or, even with an ultrasound, how healthy they will be?  What I want to say is, do your research.  Understand that these are not lap dogs.  Well, they could be: 
                         But it's a tight fit.  

  I really want people to understand what these dogs are and how well they work with keeping the balance between predators and livestock.  I also want people to understand what these dogs are not.  They are not herding dogs, they are not there to do tricks.  They are gentle giants and will protect whatever is important to you.  They are not for people with small yards.  They may also protect your neighbors things whether your neighbor likes it or not.

      My dogs get locked in the barn with my alpacas at night.  This gives me peace of mind on several levels.  Alexi is very protective of the baby's.  He has a very particular bark when one of my mammas is giving birth that has alerted me to the event more than once when otherwise I would have missed it.  They have big voices.  Nothing wants to come near my barn with those dogs inside.  This also means my dogs very rarely bark at night.  These dogs use their voice as part of marking their territory.  Keep this in mind if you are going to have them out with your flock at night and your neighbors are nearby. 

   As big dogs this also means that their life span is only about 10-12 years.  They are also slow to mature.   They have a long teenage stage before they really settle into business.  You cannot expect to get a young pup and just throw them into the pasture and expect them to go to it.  It helps if there is a more mature dog there to show the ropes and you need to be nearby for the first little bit while the chain of command is established.  My alpacas make no bones about letting the dogs know that they are not welcome to just push their way in and as a result my dogs are careful to skirt around them when they get rambunctious.  With their lifespan in mind and also understanding that my dogs are very reluctant to let other dogs near, they are seen as a potential threat, is why I chose to breed Sasha.  I chose another, proven, working dog to be the father.  At 6 Sasha is well established in her roll and in the prime of her life.  It is my hope that by the time she is feeling her age and ready to retire her offspring will be in a good place to take over.  

Right now she is definitely feeling the tired all moms feel toward the end of their pregnancies.  We are all really looking forward to this next adventure.  If you're interested in a livestock guard dog I do hope you will research them before bringing one home.  There are shelters that would be more than willing to help educate you and place a dog with you if starting from puppyhood is not in your interests.  

  For me, having these dogs means that I can drive away and feel confident that all will be well when I come back.  I brought poultry in to the ranch after the dogs were established here and while Alexi still cannot be entirely trusted not to make sport with them Sasha sees them as objects to be guarded too.  It took some time to get to that point.  Now that she is trusted she has freedom to roam more freely on our property and since then I have not suffered any losses from preditors.  For a while before that the coyotes used to come up bold as brass in daylight looking for an easy meal and knowing that the dogs where in the fenced area.  They do not come near now.  Sasha is on duty.