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Eastern Kansas | It is often difficult to buy a mature LGD. There are some for sale occasionally, someone selling out of goats/sheep, downsizing, etc. Some I have bought have worked out well and some don't take the move to a new environment very well. If you found an adult dog I would not get one that has been with goats and put it with sheep. It may or may not work out, but chances of success are much less. It is best to get a pup and raise it with the livestock you want to protect. In that case you need to get one before you need him because it takes about a year before they are mature enough to be good guardians. I always use more than one dog in a new pasture that is predator prone. They will make each other more aggressive and confident.
I use the self feeder in a small pen built by cattle panels with a hole about 30" high for the dog to jump in and eat. A mature dog not used to it will need to be put in there a few times to know there is food, he will find the hole and jump out.
Great Pyrenees are my least favorite breed. They are perimeter dogs and tend to roam to the neighbors too much unless they are in large pastures. That being said we have one that is a very good guardian, but I have had bad experiences with other Pyrenees. I like Akbash, and Anatolian Shepherd, and we have crosses of the two.
If you get some pups, you need to socialize them enough that you can handle them but don't make pets out of them. You won't want to socialize them enough that they are trained to commands. I put mine with some small goats in a pen here at home then let them out in the pasture with the other goats. They will tolerate your family dogs to some degree but you really don't want them to play or eat together, or socialize much with each other.
If you have other questions let me know. I'm no where near an expert but we have over 20 LGD's with goat herds in the area.
Greg | |
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Livestock Guard dogs
