What is a Livestock Guardian Dog you ask?
A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a type of pastoral dog bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators.
Livestock guardian dogs stay with the group of animals they protect as a full-time member of the flock or herd. Their ability to guard their herd is mainly instinctive, as the dog is bonded to the herd from an early age.[1] Unlike the often smaller herding dogs that control the movement of the livestock, LGDs blend in with them, watching for intruders within the flock. The mere presence of a guardian dog is usually enough to ward off some predators, and LGDs will confront predators by vocal intimidation, barking, and displaying very aggressive behavior. The dog may attack or fight with a predator to protect the flock, if they are not able to drive predators off otherwise.[2] Livestock guardians may actively look for predators within protected territory to catch and destroy them, and there are known cases of dogs luring coyotes to the source of food to hunt them. (From Wikipedia.)
Here at the farm we have three wonderful LGD.
First up is Mae-Mae she is full blooded Great Pyrenees and is mom to everyone and everything here on the farm. Be it a human, a baby goat, a chick, or cat if you tell her it's her baby she will mother it and protect it with all her life. She is such a protector she even chases off airplanes that fly over. Always running back to the front porch to hear "Good Girl, you chased that big metal bird away."
A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a type of pastoral dog bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators.
Livestock guardian dogs stay with the group of animals they protect as a full-time member of the flock or herd. Their ability to guard their herd is mainly instinctive, as the dog is bonded to the herd from an early age.[1] Unlike the often smaller herding dogs that control the movement of the livestock, LGDs blend in with them, watching for intruders within the flock. The mere presence of a guardian dog is usually enough to ward off some predators, and LGDs will confront predators by vocal intimidation, barking, and displaying very aggressive behavior. The dog may attack or fight with a predator to protect the flock, if they are not able to drive predators off otherwise.[2] Livestock guardians may actively look for predators within protected territory to catch and destroy them, and there are known cases of dogs luring coyotes to the source of food to hunt them. (From Wikipedia.)
Here at the farm we have three wonderful LGD.
First up is Mae-Mae she is full blooded Great Pyrenees and is mom to everyone and everything here on the farm. Be it a human, a baby goat, a chick, or cat if you tell her it's her baby she will mother it and protect it with all her life. She is such a protector she even chases off airplanes that fly over. Always running back to the front porch to hear "Good Girl, you chased that big metal bird away."
This beautiful brindle girl is Dyna. Dyna is 1/2 Great Pyrenees 1/2 Anatolian Shepherd Dyna came to us as a pup and funny thing about her is we actually had another pup picked out for us. We just happen to be ask if we minded getting another pup instead of the one we picked out. Of course we didn't mind we were just tickled pink to finally be getting a LGD. The pup we had picked out for us the second time just happen to be the puppy Eric loved and was loving on the day we looked at them. Dyna has also proven herself more then once. Chasing off everything from coytotes at 6 months old to hawks in the sky. Dyna was bred to Bear and produce 9 beautiful healthy puppies. She is a great mom and still takes caring for the goats.
Lastly but not least is Polar. We didn't plan on keeping a pup back from MaeMae's litter but when we seen her we knew we had to have her. She is a sweet little baby girl and growing into a fine guardian. She is taking after her mom and is very protective of the goats, and chickens. Every baby goat here is her baby and she mothers it like none other.
Pictures of the puppies we have had born here.