Livestock Protection Dogs - Research and Use

Video covers LGD research from the USDA/APHIS, Texas A&M AgriLife and producer input from a joint webinar in 2023.

[@abbyu209]

Thank you for posting.

[@tamulivestockguarddog]

You're welcome

[@casamexico7838]

I have a transmontano here in Spain and she is incredibly alert, always on the lookout for threats, has amazing eyesight and hearing. She runs up to threats, puts her big chest out, sends out booming barks and loud fearsome howls and scares everything away. 3000 years of breeding and she knows her job. She is absolutely adorable as well by the way.

[@thirzadraper9160]

I have a small homestead ( ~ 8 usable acres) in Cool California. Got 2 miniature jerseys and 5 sheep. We got an akbash puppy now 9 months old and from day one he has been chasing and pulling wool from the lamb. So we separated the lamb for a while and we also tried a shock collar in case we catch him in action. The lamb is back with the sheep but still gets chased by him or we see new spots of pulled wool. 3 weeks ago we adopted a 6 year female old armenian gamper thinking she could teach him some things and keep him company. She has been on a long leash and bit my akbash through the fence also bit my neighbors German shepherd through the fence. She is good with the sheep but now we have second thoughts about keeping her. Any suggestions?

[@tamulivestockguarddog]

Well your 6 year old dog is only protecting her charges so you can't fault her for that. Your puppy needs to be sternly corrected when seen chasing the sheep. I would also recommend a dangle stick or a drag to slow him down and allow the sheep to get away from him. You need to stop this behavior immediately in him or it will only get worse! Pulling wool and chasing should not be tolerated. Leave the shock collar on him in case you see him in the act of chasing or pulling wool. He is entering the "teenage months" so other bad behaviors will show up like biting, chewing, roaming, etc. I would make sure you fix him by 12 months of age to discourage roaming to look for a mate. They will travel many miles to find a female to breed.

[@thirzadraper9160]

Thank you! We'll try the dangling stick first. Also is it a good idea to have 2 lgds versus just one? We do have a lot of coyotes and mountain lions here. I just don't know if the new gamper is gonna be good with our akbash. We've kept her on a leash away from the fence for now but so she can see and smell all the animals and get used to them.

[@tamulivestockguarddog]

@@thirzadraper9160 If you have lions, then I would recommend multiple dogs. It's also good to have 2 or more dogs in case one is lost somehow. That way you have a backup dog. It good that they are different ages too. As long as you continue to introduce the two dogs in a controlled environment it shouldn't be an issue. Especially since the Gampr is older. She will be the dominant dog most likely.