# Just brought home our first LGD pup



## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

We just picked up our first LGD. He is a 12 week old Karakachan from a strong line of working parents, (sheep, goats, chickens, and horses). He will be helping protect our growing goat heard and other livestock.

His name is Birger an old Norse name meaning to help, to save, to protect.


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## Doe C Doe boers! (6 mo ago)

He’s so sweet looking ☺ Those pics are really good! Good luck with him!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What a cutie!


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

He’s a cutie! And I love the meaning of his name! Is perfect for a dog like him!


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Congrats, he's beautiful! I just put down a deposit on a karakachan puppy today. I have had a couple of Great Pyrenees (still have one) but have never had a karakachan before. How many goats and what kind of other stock will your boy be guarding?


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

I’m thinking my next LGD will most likely be a Karakachan


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Congratulations! He sure is cute! Love the name too.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Calistar said:


> Congrats, he's beautiful! I just put down a deposit on a karakachan puppy today. I have had a couple of Great Pyrenees (still have one) but have never had a karakachan before. How many goats and what kind of other stock will your boy be guarding?


Our farm is 38.5 acres at the bottom of a valley and runs from ridge top to ridge top, in the Driftless area of Wisconsin. It's mostly wooded but we have about 5 acres of pasture, our goal with the goats is to do silvapasture under the trees so we can graze livestock under the trees. There are multiple packs of coyotes and at least one bobcat in the immediate vacinity. Hence the need for an LGD

We currently have 3 goats, a 2 yr old doe, and a sibling wether and doe who are 1.5 yrs old, this weekend we are getting a 3 yr old doe and a 1 yr old buck. We hope to breed them this fall and have some kids in the spring. In December we will be getting a 6 month old Norwegian Fjord filly. Next spring we would like to add some kunekunes to the farm And by the time Birger is fully ready to be a LGD we plan to have a small flock of Gotland sheep. And of course we will be getting more goats as time goes on.


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Your farm sounds fantastic! The kunekunes are a lot of fun, and those fjord horses are gorgeous! Sounds like Birger will have his work cut out for him!


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

He’s so adorable- he’ll grow into his job well. 🍀😍🍀


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

KY Goat Girl said:


> I’m thinking my next LGD will most likely be a Karakachan


I was sold on the Karakachans when we went to a goat talk at the farm we got Birger from and they have at least 8 of them in their fields and they didn't bark at any of the participants unless they got to close to their fence line. Living in a valley we didn't want a dog that was going to be barking all night at the coyotes. We are excited to learn more about him and see how he grows into his job at the farm.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

That’s exactly why I want them too! We went to a farm to buy a cow and there was a bottle baby lamb by the fence so I went to go pet it and the dogs immediately jumped up and barked at me until I let them sniff me and they realized I was ok and let me pet the lamb.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Awe..hes beautiful!. Congratulations.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Nice pup! Who was the breeder? I'm not too far from you. We don't have the same predator pressures but I'm curious. I know Cherrie Nolden has Norwegian Fjords, goats, lots of LGD's...it's a pretty awesome farm in the driftless.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

So cute 😊


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

littleheathens said:


> Nice pup! Who was the breeder? I'm not too far from you. We don't have the same predator pressures but I'm curious. I know Cherrie Nolden has Norwegian Fjords, goats, lots of LGD's...it's a pretty awesome farm in the driftless.


We got him from Cherrie and Allen. We live about 10 miles from their farm.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

It's funny he looks deceptively small in these pictures. He is actually quiet a large pup.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Hes a pretty little guy. I hope he does the job well.


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

Nice! He'll be great. We went to their Low Input Meat Goat pasture walk last month and loved it. They didn't show us any pups though!


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

He’s gorges congrats and I love the picks


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

Can someone explain what a LGD is please


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Livestock Guardian Dog


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

Oh ok thanks.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Post deleted


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

littleheathens said:


> Nice! He'll be great. We went to their Low Input Meat Goat pasture walk last month and loved it. They didn't show us any pups though!


We were also at the pasture walk. My partner and her mother really wanted to go to the horse pasture walk so I went with hoping to talk with them about their LGDs. I had a great discussion with Allen about their dogs and he mentioned they had puppies. After purchasing a horse we arranged to speak with Cherrie about the puppies later in the week. Birger is the puppy she recommended we get based on our current and future set-up. He isn't the pup I would have picked, but I trust their judgement and so far we are extremely pleased with him. I've never had a puppy like him before. He is very reserved and always watching, which is exactly what we want for a lgd


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

He’s gorgeous. And you were smart letting the breeder pick for you. They know their dogs and which ones will work best in certain situations and all they want for their pups and customers is a happiness and success. When I got my most recent LGD, I was contacting a breeder who was deciding to retire from it and selling older dogs and I called her about a two year old and came home with a 5 month old who was headed to his third home, ours. Lol. And she was right. He is the perfect LGD for us and our setup. And I just had the opportunity to find out how he is with strangers. We don’t have many visitors who aren’t family. I had someone bring a goat to me. My LGD (now 14 months old), was quiet until one of the ladies split off from me and went to the fence to see the goats and turkeys, then he barked. As soon as she backed away, he sat between her and the goats and was quiet. I was so pleased. And when I walked her to the fence and introduced her to the dog so she could see the animals, he was clam and friendly. He wasn’t letting anyone he didn’t know in until I gave the all clear though. These dogs are really amazing. I bet you are already in love with your sweet pup.


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Biger had his first up close interaction with my Herd Queen. She came up to him and tried getting his goat but he didn't take the bait. He averted his eyes, stayed calm and just let her take a look. She stood up in her hind legs like she was going to butt heads from 10ft away and he was not interested so she moved on.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

What a good pup! And it’s good your herd queen is being firm but not aggressive. Seems very promising.


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## Boer Mama (10 mo ago)

What a good boy! That does seem promising. The herd will accept him in no time 🍀😁🍀


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

He’s such a good pup if I was him I would have moved out of the way. . 

congrats I’m sure he will be 
Accepted in the herd in no time


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

The Goat said:


> He’s such a good pup if I was him I would have moved out of the way.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


He was laying by my legs and I still had my work steel toed boots on so I figured if need be I'd just raise my leg up for Frigg ram her head into. She got up close to sniff him and he turned his head towards her and nose bumped her and then she went on her way.


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## Freeholder (Jun 13, 2020)

Congratulations on your puppy! This is Merlin, my friend's 8 month old Karakachan. He's at my house because she broke her leg badly; as soon as she can walk again, he'll be going home. She has three Caspian horses and a couple of heifers; I have Nigerian Dwarf goats and poultry, and a Great Pyrenees. Merlin is a sweetheart, I love him. Though he does drool more than any other LGD I've ever had!


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

He’s cute hope he heals


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## Freeholder (Jun 13, 2020)

Oh, Merlin is fine -- it's his owner who broke her leg. Stepped in a hidden low spot in the pasture and went down hard. She's healing, it's just slow.

I had barely heard of Karakachans before my friend got Merlin. I've had several Great Pyrenees, a Maremma, a Maremma X Akbash, and now my GP X Anatolian (I'm pretty sure -- she's almost certainly not purebred GP). They are all good dogs, in the right places, but I'm interested in learning more about the Karakachans.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I too thought the dog was the one who broke the leg. Glad he is ok. 🤪

Prayers for the owner of him to heal quickly. 🙏


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## Koselig Hollow Farm (6 mo ago)

Freeholder said:


> Oh, Merlin is fine -- it's his owner who broke her leg. Stepped in a hidden low spot in the pasture and went down hard. She's healing, it's just slow.
> 
> I had barely heard of Karakachans before my friend got Merlin. I've had several Great Pyrenees, a Maremma, a Maremma X Akbash, and now my GP X Anatolian (I'm pretty sure -- she's almost certainly not purebred GP). They are all good dogs, in the right places, but I'm interested in learning more about the Karakachans.


There are two really good shows on the podcast "Farm Dogs" about Karakachans, one is with the breeder I got Birger from Cherrie Nolden and the guy who brought the breed to the USA.


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## Freeholder (Jun 13, 2020)

Thanks! I've started listening to those!


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## The Goat (8 mo ago)

Praying for the owner


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