Livestock Guard Dogs
Published in the American Border Collie Magazine Nov/Dec 2001
written by David Henry
Like many places in the United States, coyotes are a constant concern for people with sheep and goats in southwest Virginia. Since early spring, my neighbor has trapped seven coyotes within a half-mile of our farm. We hear them at night, and farmers with unprotected livestock suffer losses every season. The purpose of this article is to give you an overview of the way we utilize guard dogs to effectively protect our sheep from predators.
Like many people, I was very hesitant to pay three hundred to a thousand dollars for a dog to guard our sheep. After a loss of almost fifteen hundred dollars in lambs, however, we decided to purchase our first Maremma guard dog. She was six months old and had been raised with sheep since birth. We went from loosing five to six lambs a week to no losses in five years. About a year after the purchase of our female, we added a male because we were concerned that with brush and very hilly pastures, one dog could not keep watch over all the sheep.
There are several factors to consider when determining how many guard dogs you need to guard your stock effectively. First, puppies and young dogs are more active than the sheep. For this reason many people buy two puppies and put them together so that they can “rough house” with each other rather than with the livestock. Also, if you have two dogs you have a backup in case one dog is injured or comes in season and has to be away from the sheep for a while. There are some negative points to consider if you are thinking about having more than one dog. When you have two dogs together, they may roam where a single dog would not. Unwanted puppies are also a concern any time you have a female that has not been spayed. My opinion is that assuming that all pups are raised with sheep, the best case senerio would be to have a spayed or neutered dog already working, and at that time, introduce a pup as a second dog. The older dog will take the pup to the sheep and at times even correct the pup when it does wrong.
If your sheep are not use to guard dogs it is necessary to keep the pup and a few sheep in close quarters to create a bond. This prevents the sheep from going to one end of the farm and the dog chasing them thinking its family is leaving it behind. The sheep can be switched out periodically allowing more of them to become accustomed to the dog. I provide a doghouse for the puppy as a place for retreat in case the sheep feel threatened and become aggressive during this introductory period. Keen observation of the dog and sheep together will determine when they should be turned out. If the dog is lying with the sheep most of the time then you know they have bonded. However, if they are always on opposite sides of the pen then you know the bonding process is going slowly.
My experience has been that the males and females guard in different ways. My dogs work together to kill groundhogs and other small animals. Other times they are sleeping on separate ends of the farm. My female tends to stay among the sheep no matter where they are and the male likes to stay up on top of a hill where he can watch the sheep from a distance. Our dogs require very little attention. They drink from the automatic waters and eat from self-feeders. One note of caution: These feeders should be placed in an area where the sheep can not get to them or you will be amazed how fast fifty pounds of dog food will disappear!
Basic care for guard dogs is the same as for our Border Collies. Annual rabies shots, parvo boosters, monthly dewormer, and flea and tick protection when necessary. I have a six by eight-foot kennel in our pasture with a top and a floor so our dogs can’t get out and other dogs can’t dig in. The kennel serves several purposes. When the female comes in heat, she goes in the kennel. It is also a place to put the guard dogs when training our Border Collies. In addition to many other uses, having this kennel ensures a safe place for the female to whelp out her puppies. They are kept there until they are old enough to open their eyes and stay out of the way of the horses or other livestock.
If you have frequent visitors on your farm, then you need to socialize your puppy. This socialization is to avoid aggression towards people and should be done in the dogs enviroment among the sheep, not at your house or in your yard. Special care should be given not to “overdo” this socialization. The only requirement I have for our dogs other than to stay with the sheep and not to harrass them is to lead when necessary. I want our dogs to feel more comfortable in the field with the sheep than around people or our house. They need to tolerate human interaction not look forward to it. If I have a young dog that wants to follow me back towards the house, I will smack the ground with a lunge whip and discourage it by saying “NO!” I then decrease the amount of contact I have with that pup. Keep in mind that most everything is more exciting than a field full of sheep eating grass. Many dogs fail as guardians because the bonding process is rushed and the dogs end up seeking affection from people. If you pay attention to your dog it will tell you weather it needs more or less socialization.
Whether you have one dog or two, old or young, it takes some work before they can be turned out and forgotten about. If you will put forth a little intital effort, you will have a loyal guardian for many years.
David Henry - 30551 Rhea Valley Rd - Meadowview, VA 24361
276-475-9130
