Livestock Guardian Dog Update

[@alexrog1978]

I love how the dog is so attached to and completely trusting her owner. It looks like her best place to sleep is next to her owner.

[@alisonlee3314]

Wow. I'm watching from a tiny flat in London. I will never have a life like yours. What amazing dogs! Love from 🇬🇧 xx

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Be careful. We were in your "place" once upon a time.

[@carolinemcmanus6646]

Love the pups! Just got a GP in July, he's a wonderful boy and he loves to protect his mama!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Congrats!!! That’s awesome!

[@brendawatkins5751]

MY DOG JACK IS SUCH A GREAT GUY,SO LOVING AND HE LOVE'S ATTENTION,AND BRUSHING HIS BACK,HES BEEN HERE FOR YEARS AND WHEN WE HAD CHICKEN 'S,HE LOVED TO CHASE THEM,AND HE'S SUCH A LOVING ANIMAL, JUST SEMPTLEY THE BEST.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Then you know.

[@ackack612]

You said you would and you did! Great update on the dogs. I look at those faces and I see my Newfs. Strong, wonderful heritage of great working dogs. Very nice and thx!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Took us a while... probably much to long. They are doing an awesome job and we couldn’t be happier! Thanks for checking in!

[@JerryGDawg56]

Yay Chick-A-Woof!!! As soon as I get your notification I drop whatever I’m doing to watch immediately! 😃 Y’all did such a great job with your LGD series and I had really been hoping for an update. You’re a wonderful family and I so appreciate you taking the time to share with us. GOD bless you!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you!!! We enjoy sharing our place with you and all the subscribers! Thanks again!!!

[@telchen]

I clicked on your video by chance and I'm so glad I did! You're doing such amazing work putting out information on these dogs! I'm having such a hard time finding good content about them. I adopted a mixed romanian lgd at the beginning of this year and even though I did a lot of research and she is doing great I love getting more input. Your dogs are so similar to her! So thank you for being an amazing dog owner and an inspiration for someone who might actually start a farm in the future :)

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! We are so thankful for the protection they provide... we absolutely could not do what we do without them. We would encourage you to start your farm as soon as you can. You will not regret it!!!

[@hisimagenme]

Great intro with Dane!! Takes my breath away! Love those dogs!! I love the breed and think they are just the greatest! I'm so glad you updated, thank you so much. My friend just recently drove through Kansas once in Jan and again in Feb and she shared the Kansas craziness with the weather there! Glad you guys went with no losses so far!! Prayers for the rest! Smiles and blessings...

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Nothing sneaks on to this property! Nothing! Thanks for watching!!!

[@rockybass9764]

Great video. Well said with no sugar coating.

[@pmessinger]

Good to see a new video from you guys, Wendy. I'm looking forward to more frequent updates once those cold winds die down for you. Great to see Dane running and prancing around at the beginning. Such a great success story there. He's such a handsome fellow. I hope more people get the word and subscribe, too. Stay warm and safe.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you so much! We're excited for spring to get here! Stay warm!

[@robertadurnan8082]

Beautiful Dogs and other Animals. God Bless You.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! God bless

[@ntinamorris]

Strong and beautiful guardian dogs

[@patriciadavis5939]

The dogs are gorgeous. So calm. I know looks can be deceiving. Hahaha!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They are super sweet and very gentle but you are correct... when they perceive a threat... it's serious! Thank you!

[@comtek942]

Just found your site. Love your dogs. The GP is my favorite breed. Enjoyed your update. Jim

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you!

[@sylviabradley7355]

What happy, beautiful dogs.

[@fflphotos4362]

We have three Great Pyr mixes that we have adopted during past year from Texas Great Pyr Rescue. We love them!!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Nice!

[@theresathreadgill1386]

Really good vlog! Thanks for more info! Take care!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are welcome thanks for stopping by!!! We appreciate it!

[@HisWayHomestead]

we just got a 4.5 month old great Pyrenees female. we are considering getting a male Pyrenees/akbash mix that will be about 3 months younger when we get him. I was worried about socializing too much with the LGD's, but you have reassured me that human interaction will not cause problems with them doing their job. thanks so much for sharing!!!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

The benefits to socializing them far out way the downfalls. Glad this helped!

[@connieblasingame7996]

Have purebred Great Pyrenees and only partial fencing....Showed Sam his boundaries and with just a few scoldings, he never leaves the property...Extremely intelligent breed.....Got him at 3 months, he is 2 1/2 now....guards cats, chickens, ducks, grandchildren and me.....Good Video!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@davidleatherneck]

Just outstanding and special Dogs. I watch mine all the time and it seems as though they have telepathic ability between them. "You go that way and I'll go this way. Ok, GOOO." If people have more than one Pyre they also assign themselves to specific areas for each one to watch. I have/had 2 Males. The youngest was 4 months old ( BooBoo) when we got him and his buddie was about 2 years old. The young guy grew so fast it was astounding to see. He got huge,, 180 Lbs. His Bud, PaPa, stayed at around 135 Lbs. and looked like very small in comparison. BooBoo was a lot longer and taller than PaPa. PaPa is still with us but the youngest lasted 10 years before I had to put him down. He could no longer stand up. Bad hips. Broke my heart and I still grieve his being gone. PaPa is slowing down , going on13, but he still patrols at night, sleeps during the day. He wants to be inside during the day and outside at night. He takes up a large area on the kitchen floor. Initially, I did have to put an electric fence across the bottom and top of our field fencing but it only took one contact and they wanted nothing more to do with the fence. When PaPa can't get up any more, I dreed what I will have to do. Then I will be without Pyres. It is best to have 2 or more of them. They work as a team and the oldest will train the young ones. PaPa kept BooBoo, the youngest, with him for the first year and BooBoo stuck by his side for that whole year before they split up their self assigned areas, but within eye contact of each other. PaPa howled like a wolf but BooBoo could not get the hang of that. They were funny to watch in the snow and rain and splashing around in a plastic kiddie pool. Fortunately, our daughter is a groomer. They are both nanny dogs and stayed close to the grand kids and babies when they visited. What was also amazingis, if they did something that we disapproved of, we would just talk to them like you would a 7 year old and they neve repeated that mistake again. They just knew instinctively that they could no longer do what ever we disapproved of. There was no need for punishment of any kind. When they needed to go outside to relieve themselves, they barked one time. When they wanted back in, they came to the back door and put their head against the door and waited, which didn't take but a few Mins. We watched them close. Just a mind blowing Breed. Well, Thanks for letting me ramble on here. I'm old and miss my Pyrs so bad. Thanks, Dave.

[@pharaohphoenix8348]

Great video

[@joehaney5482]

I have put up allot of fence as well. Its all 5 ft high. All the gates I had to attach 6ft kennel panels to. My male G/P (Monroe) is quite the escape artist. The 2 females pretty much stick around for the most part. I love the breed & will definitely have more in the future.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Yep. What stopped the climbing was the hot wire over the top. No escapes in couple years.

[@sassygirl5422]

My male GP,S. Also escaped his 6 foot dog fence… so we just let him roam the farm 90 acre,s., but most of the time you will see him laying where he can see all the cow,s.

[@jamesshedd752]

Me and my Bella who is Great Pyrenees Anatolia loved the video keep them coming

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! Is there a topic you would like us to cover?

[@christiebetts4970]

Oh my! The puppies are huge now! Just beautiful ! I've been studying Pyrenean Mastiffs.My first thought was is that what Cherokee is.I have a Pyr/Australian shepherd( he thinks it fun ti herd the chickens back in the coop)Two weeks ago i got a 5mos old female Pyr.She is being alot easier than my other dog to train as shes been raised around fainting goats,chickens and other small animals.My grandaughter loved the video of Cherokee at the library

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We'd like to get some genetic testing done on Cherokee... He has been such a perfect fit for us! Congrats on the puppy! Watch out for the chewing stage... it's painful! Glad you liked the Readog video... one of my favs too.

[@AlmostHomestead]

Beautiful big dogs. That's a whole lot of fur when they shed. Our last dog was a Pitbull Mastiff mix. Big old teddy bear. Sure miss that dog.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Yep we can turn half the property white when it is brush out day. Hey, maybe we could start a mattress company with all that extra fur? Thanks!

[@karensullivan5438]

Nothing like seeing a joyful horse galloping for the joy of it

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you for watching our videos and commenting. We do appreciate it! God bless!

[@bobliu6811]

So beautiful dogs!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thanks... they are awesome!

[@Shelzbells]

LOL Dane sure is a happy guy! I always love seeing him. Great video....as always....the dogs act like big teddy bears lol

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We've got a lot of hugable furry things around here... that's for sure! Thannk you!

[@Shelzbells]

@@ChickaWoofRanch Yes you do!!!! I love it......Im very jealous. I live in the city,........never was a city girl at heart :(

[@straubdavid9]

I remember this yard that I used to walk by all the time, including in the Winter ... that had a husky. There was a doghouse for him/her that it really enjoyed, and I'm not talking about the inside of the doghouse, I'm talking about the roof. No matter the cold/snow etc .... this dog was always laying on the roof and seemed quite content with his/her perch. At first I was little concerned, but after awhile I could see that my concern was silly. So yes, we need to watch our knee jerk reaction, before we just come to an unfounded conclusion. There are a lot of KZbin channels that feature these big guardian dogs, so people should educate themselves on these breeds and what their needs really are. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you and your family.🎅🌲☃

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Exactly!

[@carolmartin2503]

Love your pups! We've had all kinds of canines on our 10 acre 'farm'.....along with pigs, cows, goats, chickens, cats, and mostly horses. In the 50 years we've been here we've had many dogs ~ from German Shepherds to Black Mouth Curs. The only fence ever was livestock for cows, but mostly horses! Only had ONE neighbor complain about a hound getting after their ducks. One car incident on the road, and a hunter hit two with one shot..... one got to the vet, one didn't. [They were in the big woods about 20 feet from our property line NOT chasing deer!!] Coyotes killed the Cur... He was devoted to the family, and that was bad. [We'd never had them before, here in the east, So that was a shock ! Considering we've enjoyed our life here for 50 years, and happy dogs, all over the place with the livestock, that's not bad at all. We had NO woodchucks, rabbits, snakes, raccoons or weasels or deer walking around then! No one was ever bitten! Nor was anything ever stollen. The men in the family plan to put in a good dog / people fence and gate soon. I'd have been glad to have had it before our dogs were here..... that never happened = since the dogs came with us originally !

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

I sure hope we can get to 50 years on this place... sounds like you have done well. Thank you for sharing!!! God Bless!

[@susanflowers6282]

You certainly have some Beautiful dog's!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! They are awesome protectors and just a joy to be around.

[@angelvee07]

A GP just showed up Saturday night. She's so affectionate! And she is a MAJOR escape artist!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They are excellent climbers. Especially when there want to be somewhere else

[@lizpurvis2386]

Thanks for info

[@marylynch8929]

Interesting you have brother and sister, I see so many warnings about litter mate syndrome. Dogs just need to be dogs, these are beautiful examples of that.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Yeah it was not the “plan” to keep both but it has worked out pretty good so far. Thanks for watching

[@katc4291]

I love the dogs! They are precious 💕

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you!

[@danoneill2846]

Great Pups !!!!!!!! Thanks !! They are very smart .

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They really are a blessing! When you don't have to worry about your livestock... it makes this homesteading thing a lot easier. Thank you!

[@PatrickJDaley]

The dogs are awesome! So affectionate and mellow. I have 2 GSD's. My 3yr. old is very high energy but awesome as a guard dog! 13 yr old is a bit more mello!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They do mellow with age! Such wonderful dogs!

[@Kathleen67.]

Thank you, appreciate the information.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you for watching!

[@manderson3231]

Our Great Pyrenees is a retired working dog, 13 yrs old, and he also has to be forced to come in the house in the cold winter! He lays out there napping, and will get covered with snow!! He loves it!! I have to coax him inside with biscuits!! They are Mountain Dogs after all. Lol

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Our Cherokee is 13 years now. He has slowed significantly. He still loves to be outside when it’s cold but when it’s hot, he wants to stay in the air conditioning. He seems to be immune to cold weather. Thanks for watching!

[@GabrielBadwolf]

Found video by accident. I love watching these farm videos something very relaxing about watching them. Love watching ones with livestock guardians. They’re adorably cute, Great Pyrenees or Maremma are like fluffy polar bears in dog form. Not have one myself I don’t have the land or work for one. I’ll stick to my lazy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, better speed for a disabled non farmer like me.

[@enriquejrrodriguez1194]

Is Benny a Mastiff? Great video. Poop deck sign is priceless 😆

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Benny is an English Mastiff. He's our inside dog. Sweetest boy ever!

[@enriquejrrodriguez1194]

@@ChickaWoofRanch mastiffs r great i have a mastiff boxer mix and he protects our chickens and goats. Keep the great videos coming. Thanks guys

[@patriciaconnaghan6877]

Just subscribed. Just stumbled on to your channel. You are articulate, funny and warm. Greetings from Dublin, Ireland.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you so much! and thanks for watching!

[@michaeldunagan8268]

Very thorough and very informative. I have been binge watching guardian dogs tonight and yours is the third video out of the three I've watched. The first one I watched was a guy I've been watching for a few years about cattle and sheep and he uses guardian dogs in his pastures. Your video will be the first one where I ask this following question: where is the breakeven of the cost of losing chickens to predators relative to the cost of maintaining the guardian dog...? I have family members that have a very finicky eating German Shepherd. The stop also had a very sensitive stomach and digestive issues so he couldn't just be fed run-of-the-mill low quality grocery store type dog food. For a while there they would feed him one boiled chicken per day-or was it twice per day-along with some brown rice. If each one of your three guardian dogs eat two chickens worth of food per day, at 7 days per week, at 52 days per year: this is almost 2,200 chickens worth per year. This said: the host of the first video said he talked with a guy decades ago who laughed off having llamas is guardian of the flock animals. I'm pretty sure donkeys would also be included. The guy told the story that one night a pack of coyotes came by and ripped 350 of his sheep to shreds. Some of the carcasses you couldn't even tell if they were a sheep in a former life. The llamas not only did not ward off the coyotes but had hid-out in the barn. We can all wonder how much dog food could have been purchased for the dollars lost selling of 350 sheep. Also, dogs are mostly carnivores. Like pigs, dogs cannot survive easily just on cereal grains. Unfortunately, I didn't know this when I had my first two Golden Retrievers earlier in my life. Some dogs foods with low quality are preserved with the same thing they put into dead human bodied so they'll not be rotting when displayed in the casket at a funeral. So I really don't think a quote of such as $20 for a 30 lb bag of Dog Chow is going to cut it for these working 24/7 365 dogs. I was aghast at the first video I watched tonight where he was feeding puppies Purina dry food. Puppies need a ton of calories so they can grow properly. I always insured my Goldens received wet/canned food along with their dry kibble to make sure they got the protein close to 33%. As I wrap this comment up: no one likes to see their animals harmed including when one pit bull attacked my second golden. I wanted to chop that thing in half with my hockey stick. Least I gave it a good kick to the head to get it off my pal. But if it's for mental peace-of-mind, I understand this, but there's still a cost financially for this piece of mind. I am not anti-dog. I kind of get missed you guys that any dog doesn't get treated like a companion but then when I worked as they hired-hand at farms in West Central Wisconsin as a teenager a dog has to do work on a farm. -Cheers-

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

With the cost of eggs on the increase. It makes more and more sense to have a guardian dog to protect your flock investment. It would be impossible to put a price on our time and effort.

[@leslielehman2040]

You all make me SMILE. "It looks mouthed" Yep. That's always a good sign (on a potential predator) So glad to see how well everyone is doing.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We have been soo happy with these two Thanks for keeping up with us. 😊

[@watsonsaquatics7604]

Loved this video, thanks for sharing your lovely home and animals. I’m totally with regarding temperature . Far more domesticated dogs die every year from over heating then being cold. The countries they come from are not tropical but freezing most of the time, hence their beautiful warm coats. I didn’t realise they worked to keep them cool too, I’ll have to read up on this, other wise I would of thought as you mentioned clip them in the summer .

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We do a fair amount of brushing and grooming in the summer to help keep them cool but we also do things like make the creek availble to them whenever they want and plenty of shade. We made a video showing another method we stumbled into so we could keep them cool. Go check that one out too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIabimN8m5Wln7s

[@jenfugit7801]

I have a Great Pry mix rescue. They wander, and some owners have no interest in getting them back or they just follow their nose/instinct too far away and aren't really bonded with their home. Thank you for the this video.

[@marvona3531]

Great work ✳️🍀✳️🍀✳️🍀

[@marcorona1890]

best dog everrrr

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

100% agree

[@TonyaA7]

Them dogs are huge ......They are very pretty and look super soft.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They are like walking feather beds! and so sweet!

[@DavidCoon1]

Great update y’all!👍 Nice to see what you’re up to out on the homestead... Hey, where’s all that shooting coming from? (During the poor opossum trespassing segment) Was a nice segue into the break in problem though... Maybe a local neighbor, target practicing.🤔 Stay Safe👍Good Stuff...

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Hi Dave! Yep, that was a neighbor doing some target practice. Doesn’t happen very often. Thanks for watching!

[@andrewchristensen6295]

I am blessed by my 13 year old hunting lab/Pyrenees buddy, "Bexar". Short hair, black and white. 85 lbs.

[@charliejohnston1978]

great attitude and great info and keep the pressure on the law to learn what their job really is, which is to provide protection for humans in their community. Pets and guards dogs are not their job.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are correct!

[@bemil28]

What a cute doggie.. so fluffy..

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Very fluffy! They are going to need some serious brushing with summer coming on.

[@bemil28]

They said that great Pyrenees doesn’t like summer, oh Made my day thank you.. so fluffy and lovable dog..

[@ilexxx54]

I am also in Pet therapy with pet partners. I just got my first Pyrenees for a LGD.

[@joannewilson6847]

Great video xxxx

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Awww thank you!

[@tonyreed705]

Got 3 PMDs. They live to guard!

[@exkelsior1486]

Aww man Cheyenne looks like my pyr. I love them so much. I would love to get mine therapy certified

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

They wonderful at most things! Thanks for watching!

[@lynnwargo2356]

Love the video

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you!

[@BrinaDoc]

I ❤️My Great Pyrenees , Sir Ghost💙🐶❤️😍

[@Monscent]

Love it. You are great dog owners, subbed! :) And about the dogs being outside: OF COURSE! Theyre bred for it! Would these people also complain about huskies living outside?! People are so uneducated. Here in sweden plenty of people have dogs living outside (northern breeds). NOTHING wrong with that if its the right type of dog!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you!

[@vinny143]

We love our greaty!

[@rebeccagrider7359]

Right!!!

[@BeckyinKC]

Love hearing from you and learning. Becky from Kansas City

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you for watching and commenting

[@anniesyed8188]

Very polite dogs, you should increase their numbers.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

It’s a delicate thing.

[@edwardwoodward364]

Thank you for a great video. Have you ever head of the Great Pyrenees Bloodline Pendouglas?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

What is that?

[@jenfugit7801]

Oh I just watched the rest. LOL Give those girls some treats! lol

[@phylliskustra2448]

I have a pry mix and she is a barker. One of the neighbors is complaining that she barks too much and wants me get a no bark collar and put it on her. I am not for the idea. Will a no bark collar hurt her. Make her more confused and or make her aggressive? What I have been doing is squirt get with my water wand

[@phylliskustra2448]

The water wand does not hurt her and it seems to get the behavior I want.

[@Waterboy2000]

Have you discussed previously how much those beauties eat? and what you feed them? Thx, great vidoe!!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

He have done a video on the subject... thanks for asking! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXnYpquYp9Kqaq8

[@wendyrowland7787]

OldTippingBucket must be much cheaper than paying human staff.

[@bobsickinger6017]

Sounds like our Dino. He can squeeze through the ranch gate and hop over the 5 foot no climb fencing

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Yes! Very athletic!

[@monicaluketich3106]

Benny's looks like the Catahula hounds my neighbor had. My big girl, Hattie, I had for 7 yrs was Catahula and GP mix and was wonderfully trained and spoiled by her original elderly owner. She was not a working LGD but would guard my house and the 10 acres. Her grandma, the full Catahula, once rounded up all of my hens from the woods after another dog killed one hen and scattered the rest. I would have loved to have seen Hattie with goats. Have you known of anyone using a Catahula/GP mix as an LGD? She was 100 lbs and fast!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

I have not heard of that combo before. To bad we can't share photos cause I'd love to see a photo of Hattie. thanks for stopping by!

[@monicaluketich3106]

@@ChickaWoofRanch She looked like a LARGE yellow lab. In fact, when she was in my vehicle, a guy asked if I would consider breeding 'him' to his female lab! I had to explain that SHE was a female and also not a Lab! LOL

[@chanel037-k4k]

Great dogs 🐕

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Thank you! They are amazing!

[@debils4546]

What do you feed your dogs?

[@danalewis9240]

I’ve figured out they are just part bear. As soon as mine is where she can climb a fence she will.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Probably! Hot fence will correct that. We did not want to do hot fence on our property but we need our lgds to stay where we need them and it worked perfectly. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@juliejames917]

Does Cherokee sit up? 😂😂 so sweet.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

He does not. Since he is an older guy now… probably not an option. He did make his last visit to our local library for the “read dog” program yesterday. It was super sad cause he has some huge fans in our community. Thanks for watching!

[@alexdb77]

Interesting. Why do you cross with Akbash? Thanks ahead!

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Friend of a friend... and we got to meet some of the previous offspring and really liked them.

[@alexdb77]

@@ChickaWoofRanch thank you for replying. Imo makes perfect sense, such as crossing with maremmano or with the Estrela Mountain Dog if the coat collor is not an issue. It is the same dog and there can be health benefits. Beautiful Animals. Take Care. Cheers

[@marcoloretto1185]

I just got two sisters and they are only seven months old. The one night we were not on the property six out of the nine chickens died. Proof of their effectiveness in Absentia…

[@christiebetts4970]

My problem is not leaving the dogs out but with someone not providing a warmer spot such as a barn for them if they need it

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We have a lot of cedar trees on the property. The LGDs use those for most of their shelter. They naturally shed water and help with the windy conditions we have here. They are also great for shade anytime of year. Thanks for stopping by Christie!

[@sayport2]

A mountain range just walked into the frame

[@ynotshowme2ur3times]

If cherokie hurting we use glucosamine and garlic and moringa with our old german shepherds. It works well.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We used those items off and on for several years but he is getting older and they did not seem to be helping anymore. Thank you for the suggestion

[@123STEP23]

What was your training methods? From pups up ?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Nothing special just spent time with them and correcting when necessary. The guardian part comes naturally.

[@Albertalea]

I have a 5 month old Great Pyrenees and Australian Shepard mix pup. Unfortunately he has gotten 2 chickens and ate them. Is it too late to train him to be a LGD? I’ve heard that once they get a taste for chicken they will always have it.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

The fact that he ate them is not a good sign. When our dogs were pups they "played" with a young chicken to death. But they did not eat it. Unfortunately most mix breed dogs that have part LGD will most likely take on tendencies of the other breed to. The shepard prey drive can be pretty high... probably won't be a good fit for guarding chickens.

[@RustyGlovebox]

The dogs are a proven protector of the homestead.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

It’s funny. It took a couple years before I quit running outside with the gun every time they started “crazy barking”. Now... I just let them handle it. Thanks for watching!

[@brentthebloodhound]

My GP still 1.5 years old. He still try’s to chase the chickens. I tell him no and tell. And try to stop him. Any tips?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Stay as consistent as you can and let your dog know that those are your chickens, not his. You should be seeing a decrease in all the puppy stage but it takes a while for those tendencies to stop. Hang in there!

[@evelynfranklin2862]

i have a 13 month old great pyrenes . i have done obedience training with him. he has one fault which is big. If he has a bone, got from the woods or another idiom and he does not want to give it up. He will growl and sometimes lunge . This doesnot happen often mostly i can get things from him without a problem. Do you have a suggestion, or have come across aggression before. thank you HBfarm

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We've found that spending lots of time with them will cure most any issue. It's usually about the relationship anyway and not the thing he's got and doesn't want to give up. So work to create a strong bond and remember he's still a puppy... even though he's a big boy. Hope that helps!

[@MrSargeg]

Our Pyr is almost 3 - she's right - spend time. We always handle our dog's mouths so they are comfortable with it. Sometimes you need to push a pill down, you want to be sure they're not going to clamp down! So we pull the jaw apart and rub tummies or chest, run fingers along the teeth - getting them used to it with good snuggles and pats so they associate it with good. Our Pyr is mostly pet, she loves to come up and put her head on our chest - she did that when we picked her out from the farm, or rather she picked us at 2 months old! We live on 8 acres, no fence, so she's not allowed to roam (and visit the two chicken farms a couple of miles away, I'm sure the farmer would take issue and probably a shot or two....) Also, ours got a little domineering as a pup, we made it clear we're in charge. She's been on mostly perfect behavior since, we do little things like shake paws before eating, sitting down before exiting the house (a safety measure as she's 113 lbs now.) Some folks don't understand these little practices teach the dog "manners."

[@Mantaracer]

They don't call them Great Pyrenees for nothing, they are Great!👍

[@morrisonreed1]

does any one plant old style hedgerows for fencing ?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Since farmland properties (in general) are getting bigger not smaller. So some farmers are removing hedge rows. Not sure how I feel about that knowing why they were put there in the first place.

[@charlottemajewski5992]

Maybe a double gate like they have at dog parks?

[@chihuahuamommylivesintexas5713]

My Pyrenees is 4 months and how old I put them with chickens and my Suffolk sheep’s ? Thks

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Put them in now but be sure to supervise. The older they get the more trustworthy they will become.

[@chihuahuamommylivesintexas5713]

Oh ok how about if the chase the chicken or hurt them ?because is 2 a pair they play like crazy with each other

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Do your best to keep an eye on them and do not even let them look at the chickens. And starring is totally unacceptable. Hope that helps. The puppy stage seems to last forever but when they come out of it... it’s all worth it!

[@ashleyacosta3751]

I love your channel can you do videos on your goats especially kidding time 😁

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Did you check out the one we did a few years ago? I think it is called “Dottie’s babies “. Thanks for stopping by!

[@D13fs]

I am just curious which trait of the Akbash breed makes you say you wouldn't choose them as a LGD for your property. I am not out to bash (ok, pun intended, lol) any particular breed. Just wondering what different traits/characteristics they have that wouldn't suit your needs with your animals, property etc.? thanks

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We have heard they can be aggressive to visitors/guests. We have not seen any of that behavior in ours but they have had a problem with a couple of folks that did not respect their space or understand their body language (not dog people). We are not saying the aggressive trait is bad... just not what we were looking for. Thanks for watching!

[@a0flj0]

Shock collars are cruel. The dog didn't go roaming. He went on patrol. If I'm not mistaken, Cherokee's breed, if I'm right about it, typically patrols a mile or more around the actual perimeter that it has to guard, to not just fend off predators but also scent mark and keep its info on predators in the area up to date. You're right about temperatures. Some of these dogs like to dig themselves into the snow, if the wind is too strong. Other than that, they don't like to be enclosed - they listen to every sound even when sleeping, and any enclosure makes them hear less clearly what's happening hundreds of yards away. Have a look at this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucovina_Shepherd_Dog. Does it look like Cherokee?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We don't like shock collars either and we would prefer not to have a electric fence around our 10 acres but we do. If we lived in the middle of 1 square mile that would be best... but we don't. So, to protect our animals from getting hit by cars, wandering onto someone else's land and getting shot... we need to fence them in. It really is the respectful thing to do for everyone involved. Thank you!!!

[@brambleberrycreekhomestead6883]

I have pretty bad allergies to most regular dogs (not hair dogs and some with fluffy coats like American Eskimo) but am getting ready to build an 18 acre homestead near a wildlife reserve. A cougar has been spotted in the area where we are building and I am planning to have some livestock, chickens, and I have a younger 6 year old grandchild and a 16 year old who lives with me. I want to feel safe as the neighbor told us it was on the roof of their trailer. I hear the Great Pyrenees are not that bad with allergies. I wonder how do they do with smaller animals? I have two Maltese who would be integrated and my daughter also has a hound dog. I want to be able to garden without worrying about being a target since 2 sides of our land is near several miles of wild land in the Ozarks. Do you think they would be sweet to our smaller dogs and do you think they are somewhat allergy free? Would they bark and scare off a cougar? I am glad to have found there is a breeder where we are moving. What do you think?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

I'm not sure about the allergy problems with great pyrenees... but they are super gentle with smaller animals. We have a small weiner dog mix dog and the great pyrenees are very tolerant of all his antics and big attitude. I think we have a few videos of them playing together. As far as your cougar problems... you would be wise to get a couple LGD's cause a full grow cougar is no joke. Hope that helps!

[@upcdowncleftcrightc9429]

How tall are your pyr/akh mixes? I have a 10 month old boy pup (mostly pyr with a tad bit of anatolian) and love to see their growth.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Just measured them this morning... at the shoulders the boys are 34" and the female is 32". Last time we took them for a vet visit they weighed 160ish and 120ish. All the winter fur makes them look even bigger! They are amazing creatures!

[@upcdowncleftcrightc9429]

@@ChickaWoofRanch uhhh they are huge! Haha. My pup is about 29" at the shoulder now. Not sure how much taller hes going to get (maybe 2-3 more inches?) but I dont think he'll.make 160 in weight, that's massive. You have lions for dogs.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Our male LGDs have no problem eating whatever we put in front of them... the female... not so much. She could be larger, she just chooses not to be. Every once in a while they will have a "disagreement" about something or other and it is straight up terrifying when the get into a fight. A 30 lb coyote wouldn't even stand a chance against that.

[@christiebetts4970]

Lol! Big babies are as big as Mama

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Defiantly bigger than mama! Last time we took Patu in to the vet he was 160lbs. He's a big boy!

[@bigbob1699]

Did they have parts in the Great Escape ?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Yes! All is well now... they have settled in nicely. Thanks!

[@bigbob1699]

I love happy smart dog people unions . Stay well .@@ChickaWoofRanch

[@ynotshowme2ur3times]

25 degress? Seriously? Thats summer in maine lol.......i thought it was like -0 in your video lol........i was watching you bundled up while imagining you say we are not in kansas anymore........lol but you are and its warm 25° lol. Sorry but i have to poke a little. It was -20 last night high today was 5. Our water froze and i was chasing pipes in a hoodie and pj pants in our crawlspace thats dirt floor lol. If i can offer sugestion only use pex pipe with brass fittings.......not the instant shark bite but the full copper crimp rings.........watter can completly freeze and all you do is thaw and go no busted pipes! Best homestead update i ever did. Even my 8yo son can use our heatgun on the pipes if im not home.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

You are correct 25 is not that cold compared to what you get. We are in a very windy part of Kansas so the wind chills can get very low with a good stiff wind. We have copper pipes in our old homestead and i was thinking of taking a class on the pex materials so we can change over. We've never had a problem but there are some changes I would like to make in the way we heat the house that might lead to frozen (busted) pipes. Thanks !!!

[@ynotshowme2ur3times]

@@ChickaWoofRanch pex is the lego kind of plumbing. If you get a decent crimper its pretty simple. There are decent plumbers on youtube and they answer questions well. Also if your taking off from copper there are sharkbit push in couplers that connaect to all pipes so if you set up for pex for repairs and add ons you can just pickup a couple tees and a couple unions so you start with the push in on your current pipes and switch to pex. Ebay and amazon have the copper fittings and rings cheap in bulk. Often times in assorted from elbows to unions and tees. Also pex is awsome for air so plumbing a shop for comoressed air is as easy as water.

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

Awesome! Thank you so much!!!

[@LionPoe]

Hello, your beautiful dog Cherokee looks like he have Karakachan ancestors. Just check youtube for it and you will see. Greetings

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

We are hoping to do a DNA test soon... I've heard they are unreliable but thought we'd give it a try. Might be interesting. Thanks!

[@HJ-jy7fw]

Is Patu yours, now?

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

He is ours now.

[@magdalenax6420]

I'm getting a guardian dog in a month. She'll be 2 months then. I'm wondering if she can stay out all day and night? I don't know if I'll be able to leave her when she's so young and small :( haha xx

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

If this makes you feel any better... we left our puppy out the first night. We did make sure she was safe because she was whining and crying a lot. You are right it is sad but it's the first step in establishing the property she'll be protecting. Hope that helps!

[@magdalenax6420]

@@ChickaWoofRanch Thank you so much!! You're great inspiration! I'm waiting for more videos with your amazing dogs xx

[@FITZIEBLUE]

why do you need shock collars and/or wired fencing with a LGD? the good ones will never leave the flock. The perimeter is the flock .

[@ChickaWoofRanch]

LGDs are proactive in protecting. If they feel the flock is safe they can and will wander to patrol what they think they can handle. Since we put hot wire on top of our perimeter fence we have not needed the "shock collars". The fence is there to keep our livestock in and predators out. Hope that helps!