Livestock Guardian Collaboration - Video #1 Chick-a-Woof Ranch

[@stratorunner1]

Thankiuu !

[@davidleatherneck]

Interesting on the barking. After 12 years I still stay tuned into my last remaining Pyres bark. It is different for each situation. My last remaining Pyre is old now and if he feels he can't handle what's outhere he will come to our bedroom window and paw at our window. He wants me out there with him as back-up. So I get up and go. I figure I owe him that much. PaPa also has NO reservations toward shaking the dodo out of a Skunk. Fortunately our daughter is a dog groomer and lives next door.

[@briggsdidnotstrapem7699]

My Kangals are great with a couple days old baby chicks but he was a Adult. Juvenile Kangals are playful. My experience. Nice video thanks.

[@homesteadhandyman4481]

Very nice and informative video. Those are some great looking polar bears! lol

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you. Looking fwd to seeing your video and learning about your polar bears!!

[@chickentender4037]

Thanks for sharing, very informative. I love the dogs coming up and being part of the education, they're so affectionate. I'm hoping to have a mini farm some day.....

[@toddfischer4661]

Looking forward to the series! Thanks for mentoring us on our LGD journey! You have some great dogs!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

It should be a great collaboration for sure! We'll have to get back over there to see your puppy's progress... she's awesome!

[@julieowen3825]

We have a Great Pyrenees Border Collie Mix. He takes after the Great Pyrenees in that he is such a loving dog. Great Family Pet!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Sounds like a great mix... love both breeds

[@kathybluxome5514]

Awesome informative video! I had a GP/Anatolian female and she was great but she roamed and would bring a neighbors chicken home for supper occasionally! She had free access to dog food but I guess she wanted some fresh meat every once in a while! I am thinking about GP/Akbash this go around. Thanks again for the video!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They have been really good guardians. They still have a tendency to roam though. Best thing we ever did is fence in our entire property. We had to put hot wire on top of that but they are not escaping anymore. We are hoping to do an update video soon so stay tuned for that. Thanks for watching!

[@DaveBennett]

Our friends with a similar set up as yours; ducks, chickens, & goats have spaced their additions to their Great Pyr pack at two year intervals. It's worked out fine as each new addition is schooled by the older dogs and the owners really have no work to do in training them. They have 30 acres, unfenced, but their dogs don't roam, but will cross the road to drive off coyotes from a wooded area. We have had a rescue Great Pyr for the past 18 months and she's been a great addition to our pack. Our neighbor's kids' goats are ranging on our place and our dogs keep the coyotes, of which we have plenty, at bay.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

I know it would depend on the homestead setup but I have often wondered how much land you would need to eliminate the wandering/roaming. Maybe you might like to make a video about your rescue? ;-)

[@DaveBennett]

I doubt I could make a video. I'm pretty old and disabled and don't hobble as far as I used to. I think the 30 acres works for our friends because they have a pond that's about 4 acres in size that the dogs love playing in. They also have a vegetable garden business where they sell at farmer's markets so someone is always around on the property which helps keep the dogs focused on the chicken, duck, and goat population. Great Pyrs seem to be a difficult breed for people who initially get them. Our rescue changed hands four times in 18 months before we got her. Over the past 40 years, my wife and I have specialized in adopting troubled or abused dogs and this dog suffered from what I've named "You're Too Big" syndrome. Seems like every home she had was too small for her and it was her fault for growing so quickly and large. She's 140# and she isn't fat. She's just a large dog. We have a Rough Collie/Great Pyr mix so she knew right away that being large was OK. She's been very happy and has learned to play well with others, even though she realizes the real boss is our 25# Rat Terrier. 😂 We are also in Kansas (Louisburg) so it is great to watch your channel and the challenges you and your family face on your homestead.

[@pamelagalford7565]

Thank you very helpful

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Glad it helped!

[@yellowdogfarm]

Your videos on livestock guardian dogs helped us so much-thank you. We added you as a featured channel hoping others will see it.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! Very kind of you. I'm so glad the videos have helped you... they are fun to make!

[@usakiwi5222]

New Sub coming from Cog Hill ...actually Peaches. Family is from SW Kansas so it good to see Ks again. Very Informational and will be watching all in this colab. Thank You ~karen in FL

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you Karen from Florida! We are huge Cog Hill Fans as well (Peaches and our Emma don't along very well though). Thanks for the Sub glad to have you back in Kansas!

[@TheTeacher1020]

What wonderful dogs! A noble breed!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They are awesome in just about every way. Thanks for watching!!!

[@haroldsanchez8235]

Great video very informative we just got one for Christmas she 1/4 Anatolian 3/4 Great Pyrenees her name is Lola I’ve worked w/dogs for over 40yrs and I amazed at how fast she learning we love her thanks again for your video and merry Christmas

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

That's awesome!!! What kind of dogs have you worked with in the past?

[@haroldsanchez8235]

Chick-a-Woof Ranch WOW this is cool. I’ve been with boxers for over 40 plus yrs we have 2 right now Juno she’s a cinnamon boxer & Beano brindle boxer

[@saltygrin2]

Love your Vids, finally got here to watch #1! Really enjoy your videos and sharing your experiences with those beautiful dogs! And OMG that cat!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you!!! Glad you found us!

[@BarakTheWonderer]

Nicely done. Thank you. I look forward to future videos.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Jon Jon we’ve got several in our lgd playlist. Go check them out!

[@scuzzbecuzz]

Great collaboration. Look forward to it

[@thecaliokieconnexion]

Hi. Enjoyed the video. You have the most helpful guardian videos I have found. Did you make the other videos in this series? How can I find them to watch?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

There is a playlist on KZbin channel. Go check it out.

[@djangodjoon1624]

Great video! The pyr paw was classic. lol. Digging is another challenge and having an appropriate height fence, for being large dogs they're remarkably agile and can climb over a 4' fence with ease. The mixed dogs are wonderful and seem to work really well on your farm.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Digging can be an issue for sure. They can dig some huge holes especially when they are expecting pups. Yep, a 4ft fence is really only a "obstacle" that's why we put the in-gorund electronic fence in as well to keep them from going under or over... seems to be working for now. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!!!

[@specialsnowflake9097]

@@ChickaWoofRanch hi, I was wondering if you could tell me how much the electric fence cost you?

[@ericbauer4897]

Gorgeous fur pals, and a great video. In one week I have a Pyr pup coming home. Purebred, but he's not going to be guarding any livestock, just me and the house. His job will be to have fun, pose for photos and go on road trips and hikes with me. He was the runt of the littler, but the cutest and most affectionate towards people. I hope he grows as big as yours. :)... One question if I may. How about dirt and cleaning them off? The breeder I'm getting mine from says it just falls off. I was told to expect to brush him at least a half hour a day, more when the winter coat shed. Thanks for any input or advice.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

It is true that the dirt comes off easily. A brush or towel will do the trick when the mud has dried. Brushing everyday seems excessive but if you want to keep the hair to a manageable level and they are inside a lot... i guess. Since ours are mostly outside... we brush/groom if we see matting starting to occur or the weather is to warm for their coat. We hardly groom at all during the winter. Hope that helps and good luck!!!

[@joansmith3492]

A major disadvantage to all dogs but especially big dogs is they don't live long enough and it's such a heartache when they die.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are absolutely correct. Thank you for pointing that out.

[@1aredhel127]

But there is a pup...

[@Lbfarmsllc]

Anatolian Shepherds have an average lifespan of 13 to 15 years.

[@rebeccaontheroad]

This is true ☹ with their such gentle nature and sweet demeanor it makes it 10x worse too.

[@tidepodmusical4173]

I thought Great Pyrenees lived longer than most giant breeds

[@CogHillFarm]

Awesome guys!!!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! Wendy is awesome in front of the camera. I can't even operate the teleprompter properly.

[@lastniceguy1]

Very nice and well done, informative video.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! We think they are awesome and love to share about them. Thanks for watching!!!!

[@lotus....]

Do you think 4 acres would be enough? Its not all fenced. The dairy goat pastures are fenced with a 5ft fence and we also have chickens which are fenced in. Do you think if I got a GP as a puppy, I could train him not to go after the barn cats or chickens? I am in desperate need of a predator deterrant. I have raccoons chewing into nest boxes and coyotes roaming around since our last dog passed from old age. I am trying to determine the best dog for our needs.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

As long as you let the dog do a “job” it will be enough room. These are working dogs and need something to do. Hope that helps

[@kirstiemcfeatters4348]

I love this channel! my husband & I have goats & chickens & our Chesapeake is getting old so we're looking for a new dog to help guard the property. this helps a lot!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

I can't recommend the guardian dogs enough! So glad the video helped! Be sure to go watch all the other videos from the other creators. Thanks for watching!

[@LittleMountainRanch]

Hey - I'm excited to join in on this collab even though I'm a bit late to the game! We love our LGD and would never choose to have livestock without one, especially in our area where we have bears, cougars, lynx, coyotes and smaller predators that are on a mission to eat up unprotected livestock! I enjoyed this video and look forward to catching up on your others in this series.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

That's so awesome! Can't wait to see how you guys handle all those large predators. Thanks so much for joining in... it's never to late!

[@BobbleheadHomestead]

I'm new to LGDs, and find them fascinating. Would love to have a property for them some day. This is a great start to the series, fantastic experience and advice. One thing you mentioned was food cost. One thing I'd like to learn more about, is how homesteaders might be able to help with that using what grows on the farm, including chickens. If you are hatching a bunch of eggs to sell the pullets/laying hens, you have the roosters "leftover", is that a way to help lower food costs? What about plants that are good for them? I have no clue, but if any of the future participants have any experience or knowledge of that, I'd love to hear it.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We do feed them lots of eggs and treat them to some goat milk too... it helps. I have herd of LGD owners collecting road kill and leaving it "in the back" of the property for them to snack on. Not sure how i feel about that or how that even works... so many questions.

[@Lissa71]

I find my LGD doesn't really eat much. Less then my german shepard that is almost half his size to be honest. I free feed and I usually have to fill his bowl once every 2 to 3 days. For thier size they don't eat much.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are correct... for their size they don’t eat much. It’s most likely because they are not a high energy breed. Thanks!

[@davidleatherneck]

@@ChickaWoofRanch ,, Yes. And they have a slow metabolism. When they get a good dog food, without a bunch of filler, The waste is minimal.

[@richardpcrowe]

My Great Pyrenees (Serena) guards our small rescue dogs and chickens from predators (mostly coyotes). she is also our loving and loyal family pet. Serena's genes have told her that it is her responsibility to make a circuit of our property whenever she goes out.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Sounds like a good one!

[@hoofhenfarm1151]

Thank you for this video! I do have a question, however. Do the Great Pyrs jump fences or dig? We just took one in this past weekend. She is a neighborhood wanderer and her previous owners didn't have a fence and she wouldn't stay out of the road. She is currently in our goat lot which is about 1 acre with a 4 foot fence and a hot wire around the top (to protect the goats from dogs possibly jumping in). Until everyone gets used to each other, she is doing a "time share" with the goats in their 10x10 security stall during times we aren't home. Goats get it at night; she gets it in during the day.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Some like to dig out and some like to climb over. Since you have a hot wire on top... you probably won't have a problem because the easiest route is over the top. With it being so hot... might not be digging til winter. They do have a tendency to hang out on roads... that's why we always advise having a physical fence. Good job!

[@hoofhenfarm1151]

@@ChickaWoofRanch Thank you! Yes, it is very hot (we are down in Arkansas) and she seems pretty lazy so far. Maybe if she gets popped from the hot wire at the top, she will just decide to leave the fence alone altogether. She got her nose popped once when she came to visit (from her owners down the road) and wanted to play with our other dog that was inside the fence. She took off running and didn't come back for a month!

[@susiehomesteader4645]

Enjoying your videos on these beautiful dogs. I am moving to homestead this summer and am trying to learn as much as possible about the breed. Our homestead is in western tn. Looking for breeders close by.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Glad you are enjoying and learning! If you are not having any luck with finding a livestock guardian, try the "LGD Locator" facebook site. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqeVZYOXa52LndE

[@sweetheartsmom]

Thank you for starting this; your dogs remind me of my Bull and Daisy

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Tracy Bruring we enjoy it because they have been a huge blessing to our little homestead. Thanks for watching!

[@rebeccagrider7359]

I’ve had a GP as a family dog, But now have a Merema as a Gardian. Lots of LGD farms state that you should not interact family and children because it “untrains” the dog from perimeter/livestock guard and puts them on family guard. Would you include in your Collaboration questionaire, “are you socializing your dogs with your family? How has that changed their protective work toward coyotes and other predators?” Do they still keep out the predator from the livestock as well as the family? Also what I”m hearing is don’t love them up too much because that turns off their guardian training. What’s your take on that idea? Thanks so much for this segment!!!!!!!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Excellent questions! We will address your questions in an up coming video. Thank you!

[@alexdb77]

Great Video. Very informative! Can you please share who is the mix breeder where you got them from? Akbash x Pyr makes perfect sense, such as maremano x pyr or akbash x maremano and you can add the Estela mountain dog in there too. These are all fundamentally the same Dog.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They have retired the dogs from breeding. They are just guardians now. sorry! Yes, as long as they are legit LGD's you could conceivable get whatever kind of traits you would like to have. Thanks for watching!

[@robinlanter4287]

I just found your channel and subscribed. I too have 10 acres and goats. I have three Great Pyrenees dogs and seven new puppies.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

That's awesome! Thank you so much for the Sub! What kind of goats do you keep?

[@daniellesduckheadhomestead3127]

New to your channel. We have a 7 month old LGD her name is Sadie she is Great Pyrenees, Caucasian Shepard and Anatolian Shepard mix. Thanks a lot for the great information.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are so welcome! We've got a good handful of videos we've put out over the past year about our livestock guardians, be sure and check them out.Thank you for stopping by!

[@lyndalord3886]

👋 HI 2 QUESTIONS DO YOU GET YOUR DOGS RABIES VACCINES? 2.DO YOU FEED THEM A RAW DIET? AND DO YOU HAVE AN INEXPENSIVE METHOD? Ty great info! Beautiful dogs

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We don’t get the rabies vaccine as regular as they suggest but they have had them a few times in the past 7 years. We most feed kibble but supplement with raw eggs almost daily. Hope that helps!

[@nomadismileseeker6611]

I have 2 1/2 acres and nothing predatory, save leash-less dogs from other houses and the occasional possum. I live in close proximity so barking would be an issue if incessant. What kind of dog would you recommend? I’m looking to protect ducks and chickens.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

There are so many dog breeds and LGD breeds I wouldn't feel comfortable giving you a recommendation from the info you've given. My suggestion is to do tons of research books/videos and even go see a few LGDs in action. Once you've made a decision... go for it and stay flexible. Hopefully that's a little helpful.

[@suzisaintjames]

I follow a couple of KZbin channels that have guardian animals: Appalachia's Homestead with Patera, she as two GP mixes and the other one is: Art and Bri, they have a guard goose. They both have interesting videos on their channels about their guardians. xoxo

[@jeandecker4073]

I don’t know what areas they are found, but do you have any trouble with weasels. They were a problem when I lived in PA.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

No weasels here. We did find out a few years ago that there are badgers in the area. We also found out earlier this week there is a mountain lion living underneath one of our neighbors screened in porch. Still don’t know what to do with that info.

[@krissycus]

Hi! Such a great video. We just purchased a large property in AZ, and love the idea of having a LGD to protect our animals and kids. Your video reassured me that our first project, a fence around the perimeter, was a very smart investment! Question: We like to travel a lot. For this reason, we usually only keep livestock seasonally, so we're not tied to the homestead. This is the main reason we're hesitant to get a LGD. Do you ever bring your LGD's on vacation with you? Is this a terrible idea? Thanks!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Great question! Our LGDs do not like car rides. Typically they like very familiar settings because they need to know what their "job" is at all times. With that said i don't think it's a terrible idea but you will probably have to train your lgd to lots of car rides in the beginning so when the time comes you will not have to put up with the drama a 160lb dog can deliver. :-)

[@user-ov4bb8ii3w]

Watching your KZbin videos, and they're showing out of order. So sorry for this "late" post. Love your Livestock Guardians. Glad to hear about the dog rescue inclusion ❤

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Glad you are enjoying the videos. We love all the comments. Keep them coming.

[@michaelsimons2851]

My Great Pyrenees guards against Squirrels, Wind, Leafs, and imaginary monsters. She will often stand in the middle of the yard and bark at the sky just to let anything in the state know she is on guard.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Yep! we came in late last night and heard a great horned owl on the property and the dogs took off after it. They are awesome at what they do.

[@SuperAnimelover100]

I totally enjoyed this video !!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! We really had fun putting together this collaboration series! And thanks for watching!

[@steezli]

I just keep watching the video because it's cute

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you, they are just big sweet polar bears. lol

[@poodledaddles1091]

great video

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! hope you got a chance to watch some of the other videos in our collaboration.

[@masterkgilhooly7357]

Can these dogs become adapted to the city as well?I live in Chicago but want a big dog to b protective and also a loving dog..Given the chaos happening in was told these are the best guard dogs to have..my concern is not having enough space for the dog..plz leave advice..

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

It's a good question... These dogs have been specifically breed to protect and guard livestock animals in harsh conditions. Most of their instincts guide them towards the work they need and want to do. Can they be adapted to city life?... maybe, but it will be an uphill battle against what they need/want to do. I hope that answers your question.

[@karensullivan5438]

Awesome

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We had such a good time with this collab. Meet and talked with a lot of wonderful people. Thank you!

[@langenbergfamily9126]

what type are the rest of the dogs

[@riodejaneiro7675]

Enjoyed watching that. Thanks for sharing! One comment: it may be good to mention that when you get a Life Stock Guardian mix, they should only be mixed with other Life Stock Guardian breeds. There are only a few in the world. Yours are that way, but not all people know that from hearing the breed names.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are correct. We will be sure to mention that on any future videos. Thank you

[@leonrhodes8700]

Is this really true . I have Pyr German shepard mix . These dogs are amazing smart ,great guardians . Although we dont have other animals other then 2 cats and all the birds we feed ! Border training was able to be done on a two acre spread without mostly no fencing and only natural borders ( stream , one fence and a hay field with tall grass ) . My dogs will guard against everything they can see or hear even if it's a mile down the road ,and with out a doubt would give their life for us if seriously threatened ! My thoughts are, I have best of both worlds I got Pyres that dont go walk about and shepards with out the crazy agression ! Interested in your thoughts ?

[@Lissa71]

pyr paw.. hahaha... love it!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Always with the paw! ❤️

[@MrLuizhtc]

Hello, I liked your video and wanted to ask you one question. Would they protect cattle? Do the dogs need to do a hard training in order to protect them? Also, the size of farms in Brazil are a little larger and would they still be able to do their work in such a situation without loosing their domestication? Thanks

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They will protect anything you bond them with. They can take on very large areas but to be effective you’ll need to have the right amount of dogs on the property.

[@specialsnowflake9097]

@@ChickaWoofRanch will they definitively protect you from humans at home and outside the home?

[@lazollarzabal1333]

I have a question I have a great pyradane on my homestead, shes still a pup 5 months old, fenced in yard. Would you recommend she be spaded?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Probably should speak to your vet to see what they are comfortable with but I think the general rule is to try and wait till the are a year old however they are excellent climbers and not many fences will stop them from getting out if they are determined. If you have any intact males in the neighborhood that is also something to consider as well. Hang in there!

[@bemilglass2449]

Do they have a collar spikes?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

No collar spikes. We really don't even need collars

[@danoneill2846]

To Dog Owners , today an ODD THING happened for the 2nt time ever , if your dog ever has strange movements in their jaw or face & or act like they have a thing they want to spit out , LOOK IN BETWEEN THEIR TOP BACK TEETH . Today it was a Pork rib bone sliver she stole out of the trash ( big dog in this thumb ) . Years ago it was a 1/4 inch X 2.5 inch stick jammed between the the top back teeth > a bridge < of a different dog . I thought he was having a seizure !! Good Luck !!

[@Shelzbells]

Yours dogs seem so sweet & docile. My concern would be the care of their coats and getting full of stickers and such.. Do you have to do a lot of grooming on them or do they pretty much take care of themselves?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Shelley G. They are very sweet and friendly to invited guests. We do not have cockaburrs any more because the goats ate them but they can be a problem. We do try to brush them out once a month... especially in the warmer months. So not as bad as you might think. Thanks for watching!

[@Shelzbells]

Oh yea, I should have thought about that...goats love the thistles and all those nasty weeds most animals wont eat.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Shelley G. The milk was not so good for a few months while they were cleaning up the pasture but now it's great. You are what you eat... at least how the milk tastes anyway.

[@snugbug5067]

What is the average weight of the mixes ? They look enormous !! Wonderful video 😃

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They vary is weight and size. They usually don't weigh as much as you might think because of all the hair. With that said...our dogs weigh anywhere from 110 lbs to 170 lbs. I can tell you they look totally different wet.

[@snugbug5067]

Chick-a-Woof Ranch 😱 ty

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+snugbug np🤓

[@veefriend4201]

If you would have done more research on LGD's, what would have been your other choices?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Vee Friend We are drawn to the gentle and large breeds. Great Pyrenees are an excellent choice for us because of our setup and predators. We may look into another breed on the next puppy but it will have to be pretty special to beat out the Great Pyrenees

[@veefriend4201]

Thank you so much for your reply. The Pyrenees are definitely a lovely breed, although I think they may not be the dog for me, due to having fewer resources, the barking aspect, and the fact that they like to have a companion dog, I was wondering if you have the experience to recommend another smaller (but not small) guard dog. One other consideration is that I also want a dog that likes to be in the house. I live alone and would like the company of a companion dog. Twenty-five chickens, ducks, and a cat or two will be the extent of my homestead critters. I'm now 70, still lots of energy, strong, very healthy, and fiercely independent, and here I am negotiating a little homestead. How exciting. But I'll need a dog, as I will be living in the country. Thank you once again. Vee

[@iwalanifitnessfavs8085]

My daughter must have used youtube last! I am not Iwalani fitness faves! So sorry! I'll log in

[@peaceandlove5214]

It is interesting that your dogs dont bark!! Did you trained them not to bark? I love your videos alot.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We do not dictate to the dogs when to or not to bark. We let them do what they think is right. Sounds crazy but it's working out great! Thanks for watching!!!

[@normansidey5258]

Not enough advertisements haha

[@zijadvejzovic4855]

Have you tried Anatolian Kangal or Tornjak, they eat less

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Zijad Vejzovic we have had neither. I can tell you that our female (GP Akbash mix) eats far less than our male.

[@iwalanifitnessfavs8085]

Watched a bunch of your videos today, love them. I live in KC on one acre, but still a neighborhood. I have had 10-15 chickens give or take for 8 years now. I have a large veggie garden too. I lose chickens mostly to hawks, 7-10 a year I bet. Just picked up my 10 week old GP and 1/4 Anatola. His name is Foghorn Leghorn, Foggie for short. I have an 11 year old Border Collie who I think is asking me for a Zanax for this situation. My husband and son keep bringing Foghorn inside and I am trying to keep him in a nice pen and doghouse by chickens. However he keeps escaping. He was on a farm with chickens in his pen, but mine are spooked and more now that he plucked one of their behinds. Am I doomed with the house and family bonding versus staying outside all the time? Does it have to be one or the other? Husband wants to crate him too. I am confused by housetraining or chicken training or both? Love your thoughts, Thank you! Liesl

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

This a tough one! There are many opinions on both sides of this topic and were we come out is... This is a working dog. They will find a job if you don't give them a job and they will take it very seriously (usually about when they are two years old). They are very predictable that way. Are you going to ruin him having him in the house?... probably not. Our eldest dog Cherokee comes in the house a lot in the summer for some air conditioning but when it's time to work... He is ON IT! Now, keeping a 10 week old puppy with chickens without accidentally harming or killing a chicken is asking to much in my opinion. When we raised our puppies we did not allow them by the chicken coop because they were "playing" with the young birds and eating the eggs from the older birds... naughty. Simply, give your dog a job and be consistent about how you want it done. If he comes in the house then put a time limit on it and send him back out to work when the nap/play time is over. And plans for crate training most likely will not work unless you give him a job to do in his crate (not sure what that would be). Hope this helps!!

[@lieslmcliney4703]

Thank you! So what jobs do you give a puppy? I think he is doing a good job with potty and following the Border Collies lead. So 2 years before protecting chickens? Ugh So he can be a regular loving dog until 2 years and then start with his chicken job? We won't ruin him with family spoiling and house training? He does spend the nights and most the day outside the backdoor, but he is confused why the BC gets to be inside. Chickens are in the back "40", meaning 150' in back of house, so separate. Thanks for your thoughts, while doing your many chores and five kids! I have 5 too, but my youngest is a senior, so Foggy could be filling his spot in the nest.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Start with taking your puppy with you when you do chores... every time. Watch him closely and correct him if he wants to play with or stares at any chickens/livestock. He should be submissive and respectful. Don't be to hard on him though because they can be very sensitive to correction. Redirection will probably work best but that will depend on the age of the puppy and personality. The goal is teaching him how to patrol. Part of patrolling is identifying things that do and don't belong. The more he sees the things that belong he will be able to identify things that don't belong (They will eventually bark at things that don't belong). Be sure to praise him when he does things correctly to... no matter how small. You will learn a lot in the next few months and years. I encourage you to checkout some books or download books and do your own research. Try to stay away from the forums for now they are littered with people that mean well but have never owned a LGD and simply don't understand how they operate. Your puppy will probably not fully mature until 2 years but around 8 to 10 months he will start guarding so hang in there! Our puppies killed a opossum that clearly didn't belong when they were 9 months old. There is hope! I like to say you are training a "farm bouncer". Anybody or anything that doesn't belong or is causing trouble... the bouncer should be taking care of the situation... train them to do accordingly. I say "train them" but really you are reinforcing what they already know instinctively... thus the reason for the breed. Have fun with it and enjoy your puppy!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHrGg6ipbJ6fmNk

[@lieslmcliney4703]

He is doing better! I think he will get better outside when he is too big to sneak through/under gaps in fence. He hangs out the back door in a fenced by pool area. Concerned about him getting in the pool and drowning, but he doesn't seem interested in the pool. Feel bad with him hanging out alone for 75% of the day. He wants to be with me, but I want him to be a LGD, not a Liesl Guardian Dog. If I can have permission that he is fine not having constant attention? Thank you for your valuable time!

[@tcs5256]

❤️

[@patrickscott2687]

I have 2 great pyrenees

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

That's awesome! We have the utmost respect for the breed... and how hard they work. Thanks for watching!

[@joannedp57]

I'm going to have a homestead by myself (FEMALE) What dog would protect me and the animals

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Anatolian & Pyrenees would probably be a good mix. Since we don't have any experience with this mix of LGDs... please do lots of research and talk to as many people as you can. Especially folks with this mix. Good luck and be sure to let us know what you ended up with.

[@danoneill2846]

G P for 39 years ......... yep !!

[@marvona3531]

✳️🌺✳️🌺✳️🌺

[@israeltovar3513]

Hi! I have a doubt about teams of dogs. You may refer me to a more informed person too, if you think it's better. So, these dogs stay with the herd, guarding the goats and/or sheep, protecting them. I assume that you herd the animals in and out of certain areas, etc. How can a herding dog/livestock guardian dog team could work? The guardian dogs staying with the animals, and the herding dog moving around with you or performing other duties, and then herding and moving the animals around if needed...The main concern I see is the conflict between the extremely protective nature of the guardian dogs and the way herding dogs work, like the strong stare of the border collies to intimidate (and the guardian may interpretate it as a threat), or the nibbling of the heelers(same situation) or the required running around at high speeds that is also necessary. But all I've seen in Central Mexico are mixed dogs who perform a bit of everything, partly because of instinct and partly from the training sheperds do, although I'm not really that informed, I've been away from this topic for a while and I just came back to it. Thank you very much for the infor and the video!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Israel Tovar our guardian dogs do not herd. They very submissive to the goats and sheep. The reason they work well in teams is because they are on duty 24 hrs a day. They will alternate watch duties so the other can get sleep. Our dogs also guard the chickens, ducks, cats and children. A herding dog on our property would run itself to death. There are several livestock guardian books on amazon covering all aspects of the traits and personality that is expected of the many breeds. It's really interesting if you are into working dogs. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@BleuJurassic]

Livestock Guardian Dogs eat marmots Giggles check out Lifestock guardian dogs: The correct behavior in front of Lifestock guardian dogs

[@burakk.melekk]

No dog. Akbaş ( white head wolf ) okey. Akbaş and kangal wolf. I am from turkey.

[@patgervais6568]

But you loose. Wild life

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

The LGDs don't mind if we have visits from other wildlife... they just can't stay. For example... the deer can still hop the fence but we don't have a problem with them eating our apples anymore... the skunks & raccoons aren't trying to kill & destroy everything... on & on. I hear ya but the positives out weigh the negatives.

[@w00deez]

Hi Wendy and Troy. I have a livestock guardian which is a Maremma dog that must be of very similar breed as he looks exactly like your white dogs. Our stock is mostly cattle, but we also have sheep and chickens, and we were losing lots of lambs and have lost a few chickens to foxes. We had similar issues at first in keeping him in to our 450 acre farm. He would regularly visit neighbours 1-2 miles away. We reduced or eliminated that extra-farm roaming without limiting his coverage of our farm by using a Garmin satellite training collar, that is typically used by pig hunters. He knows now that with the collar on he will not roam. As for protecting the chickens at night, we have a solar-powered timed electric door on our chicken pen that locks them in at night and lets them out during the day. This would be good as a mobile solution on your chicken tractor. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJzZhWSencqej5I - this is not mine, but one that is very similar. Great when we a not home at night. thanks for the videos. I am watching with great interest.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We were interested in the Garmin training collar. Since we only have 10 acres I assumed it would not be effective with such a small area. Thoughts? The Maremma does look very similar but tend to be in the 70 to 100 pound range.

[@w00deez]

The garmin collar works well, and has quite a decent range. The mapping feature is great as we can tell where he is, and also if he has crossed a virtual fence. Not cheap though. But as our dog was visiting elderly neighbors and has the habit of jumping up on you, the risk of losing him due to injuring someone was the greater cost. He is currently nearly black though, as he was out swimming in something rather unpleasant last night.

[@vaasudevan0915]

Are they neuteured???

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Vaasudevan Lambotharan they are. The two younger lgds are brother and sister and our older lgd came from a rescue neutered.

[@1aredhel127]

Beauties. Sometimes lgds pounce on chicks they grow out of it. Also don't panic if a dog scavenges a deceased flock member. Ewww but think about it the migrating shepherds two thousand plus years ago weren't lugging a bag of chow around. Be thoughtful.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

no worries! the dogs have been feeding themselves with all the duck eggs on the property and an occasional chicken egg.

[@jeffrobey3831]

IMO, Your video's would be much better if you kept the dogs at bay instead of letting them bump and rub all over you when your trying to film your video's. After two minutes I lost interest and clicked off to look for a better video on LGD's. Sorry, just my opinion.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

+Jeff Robey thank you for the input.

[@joansommerfield8419]

Sorry, Jeff, but that affectionate behavior is what gives the viewer insight into the nature and connection of these dogs with their people. Very interesting video...good job.