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This
page we try to cover the basics in what to look for when looking for
an LGD, whether you get one from B6DR or not, questions we have answered
over the years, issues we've seen. This is information on which for
you to ponder in your search; we want ALL to be successful with their LGDs.
Our view (not saying we know everything, but we share what we know and how
we feel from what we have seen and discussed with prospective pup buyers, so
“IOO”)
All Pictures will enlarge if you'd like to see them in a better
resolution.
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Predators:
You
may not see them, you may say “they say we have "__" (Ie
bears, wolves, coyotes, coy dogs, cougar) but I don’t see them. I
doubt they will come….” When you get stock. They will eventually
come so best to prepare. As you prepare remember, Predators divide and
conquer, it only takes one time for a pack of coyotes and/or dogs to
come in, and then you have an issue. Then you cannot raise a pup.
Terrain:
Wooded, open, broken into different pastures, separated
pastures…etc…. What allows for cover for the predator?
They are predators and are killing to survive so they are
sneaky.
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| Breed:
Find one you like, look to breeders that will be honest, or
look to the TRUE history of the breed. Were they bred to keep
away human predators? In that case, even if people say if you
ask, “they were"..Then "but mine aren’t” odds
are you can end up with human aggressive dogs – so not
telling you not to get that breed, but be prepared. Not saying
it’s as a negative, at one point we considered one of the
more human aggressive breeds of LGD, but we understood and
accepted that as part of the breed as what we would have to
deal with IF we chose to get it. So make an educated, truly
educated choice.
IOO, If someone has to point or try to point
to a negative in another breed to build up their breed, walk
away from that breeder. Anything we say about any other breed
will be what we have educated ourselves about or had first
hand experience with, what we read about them in history or if
we don't know enough we will tell you to find and talk to a
trustworthy breeder. That is the point. Trust worthy, as we
have seen the ones that get the overly aggressive breed that
are told it's a great breed with no issues, only to have an
intense dog that they can’t handle, we've sadly Seen it more
than once and it never ends good.
Breeder:
Find a breeder that offers after support, that you TRUST. That is
HONEST about their breed of choice positive and negative. These LGD
type forums can be great, but you can get comments all over the board.
You need a breeder that knows their dogs and how they work. Can help
you through quirks, as they all can have them. Any breeder that says
they don’t have any that their dogs are perfect, well….IOO; walk
away. As we all know with children, no child is perfect and the ones
that say they are, usually have the worst behaved. We know our dogs
and what quirks can come up and what will work to tweak them. We call
it molding not training as it should be instinct with tweaks as need,
you shouldn't have to train them to an instinct. (Adapting a post
about “LGD Molding” we wrote back in 2011/2012 and revamped in
2014 to post soon to a page). Personally we tell people with our
pups/dogs to come to us, not the Internet or forums. We KNOW our dogs.
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What
do you need them for? IE, What do you need them to
Guard... Do you Farm Guardian (FGD) or Livestock Guardian (LGD) We
have pissed more than one person off when we have asked over the last
30plus years ago, it’s becoming more accepted now but still can
cause a hackle to rise, it is like we were degrading their dogs. Which
it is NOT. There is just as much need for an FGD as an LGD. MAIN
difference in what we call it, is how it’s raised and what is asked
of it.
The
Farm Guardian Dog (FGD) is bonded to the property and area and you……guards
what you put it with. Bonded more to area than stock, a little more
human interaction.
The
Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) is so in love with it's charges, you can
“dump" the dogs and herd out in the middle of nowhere and it
will stay with the herd and not look for human interaction. It will
not “beat you home” it will be happy without you and with the
stock…. You it views as working partner, and It respects your
relationship, and enjoys it, when you are there, but doesn't leave
it's charges to look for you and will leave you for it’s charges.
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| Pup
or Adult: If
you have active kills already on your property or with your animals
esp with large predators, you will need adults, be prepared to pay for
the time and effort someone has put into raising them. It COSTS to
raise them; Plus time to put the effort into molding. (See Molding
page *in process not completed) If you have not had a kill, you can start with pups,
AND>>>>>>It is NOT as difficult to raise a pup as
people say it is. With the advent of the Internet; it has become cool
to raise and breed the LGD (not looking at how the dog works, just
cause it’s a Grey Pyrenees or Maremma or Kuvas etc doesn’t MAKE it
an LGD, that is a classification, just like every border collie or
blue heeler doesn’t herd). So with this there have been poorly breed
dogs that don’t work and misbehave, and people justify the
misbehavior saying it’s "slow maturing wait until it’s 2”.In your research for a breeder find the ones that back their pups as
being with he stock from the get go. A lot of what you read about
waiting can come from arm chair experts that in some cases may not
even have a farm just want to sound important, or have a farm, but
only have had poorly bred “LGDs". |
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How
Many... More than one?: We will always, no matter
the size of lot, say emphatically, start with 2 and go up from there.
Predators, Terrain and even your stock play a roll in this. Do they
flock together or break in splinter groups? Your breeder of choice can
help you decide what is best for you. To me, it’s always better to
have more, than not enough. They are after all, soldier, we cover it
more here on the page
about the
Single
Soldier, A Single LGD.
Great
Pyrs are utilized here, raised for decades, below we
cover a few basic rumors of the breed. A
lot depends on terrain, predator activity and type of stock. We have
run anywhere from 12-20; We do not loose anything to predation. We
also look at age groups. I have “Youngers" (up to 2 years)
“Primes" (2-7 or 8ish) and "Olders" (semi or
retirees)- these are terms we use. The "olders" who mainly
stick with the herd and back up but can also come in to the house, lay
by the fire if they choose. They decide when they do this. We always
strive to have a rotation of ages with my prime ages the strongest
core group.
That
core we look for to be strong of at least 6-7 or more so the coverage
is there.
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Setting
rumors to rest…IOO with our experiences
Good
true Pyrs, let's see if we can remember all the things people love to
diss the Great Pyrenees about in regards to working.
1.
Ours Tend to Shed Naturally (ie, they don’t get groomed
24x7) we have lost them at anywhere from 11-15, with the
average 13-15, and during that time we rarely groomed them.
True Pyrs should just naturally blow their coat ever spring.
The Birds love them for nesting material!
2. They don’t bark
willy nilly if they have coverage. Any LGD can nuisance bark;
we will be putting up a post about The Single Soldier, as a
reference for you to understand why a single LGD is more
likely to “nuisance bark". Our pyrs will bark at a
threat as needed and LGDs should bark at a threat, but
shouldn’t bark willy nilly. (See
the
Single
Soldier, A Single LGD.
Page)
3. Roaming…. Properly
bonded Pyrs (LGDs) roam. They will push, perimeter, sometimes
extending a perimeter, depending on the predator, but don’t
roam .
4. Lazy, don’t
engage…. Can’t handle large predators. I can site example
after example of them (the ones I have) taking on large
predators. The Great Pyrenees were raised to take on wolves
and bears.
5. Wont be trusted til
they are 2. ("Rumor" in LGD circles of all breeds
not only speaking to the pyr here) Ours are raised and born
with the stock. Simply, look at the pictures and you decide
how the B6DR Great Pyrenees is trusted!
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We know there are more, but this page is long enough – hope this
helps! Thank you and have a blessed day!
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