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| Hi Judy,
We run about 1100 ewes. I like border collies or kelpie cross for herding. The kelpies haven't been as messed up by "popularity contests" as border collies, but good ones of each work. For guardian dogs we have a maremma/Pyr cross, an Akbah/Pyr cross, an anatolian and an old almost retired pyr. All the dogs live with the sheep. (They have the bottom 1/3 of a 30 gal plastic barrel with a plywood hinged top for their dog food. They lift the lid with their heads. Usually have to fence around feeder so dogs can get in but smart sheep can't.) Look for a reputable breeder that guarantees dogs to work and free of hip dysplasia. The Akbah Pyrenees cross is real good, but more agressive-anatolian is worse on the agression side towards neighbors dogs and some people, but likes our kids. Pyrenees tend to wander farther from the flock, the others stay closer. Pyr is real people friendly, even when raised with sheep only. The Maremma Pyr cross was raised with sheep and goats (had a sister dog also, but she died of bone cancer). The pair was great at staying with sheep and wanted nothing to do with people. Also was hilarious to see roadhunters slow down by our place and the two dogs take off after their car. Hunters would speed up but the dogs would go near 40mph jumping 4ft fences at a run beside the car, barking at window level. Our dogs always knew where the property line was, but after a mile of driving with two big dogs barking in the window, the guys didn't try roadhunting here.
Art | |
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Sheep and Goat Farming Again AND herding dogs?
