# Considering an LGD



## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

Hey you guys! So, my mom and I have been talking about getting a LGD. We've been hearing coyotes alot recently at really weird hrs. One morning (before the time change) we heard them at 7:30 in the morning! :shocked:
A little scary! What breed would you recommend? I know alot of people use Great Pyrnees or Antalonian's. What other breeds are out there that would be good for guarding livestock? Would a Australian Shepherd be a good guard dog? (I love aussie's btw.)


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I really don't know much about training LGD but I do work with hunting and herding dogs.

AustShep is a herding dog for the most part. You would have to really watch the dog to make sure it didn't start herding your goats and started to protect them .... if you have that dog in with the goats.

We have coyotes that walk past the barn during the day. I make sure my dogs pee all over the place and hubby and me and anyone else who would like to share. That helps quite a bit and marks our area. I currently don't have any dogs in with the goats because I have 4-5 pens for them and that would be a lot of dogs....

Now is a bad time for us too because the coyote pups are moving around and mom is showing them all the good stuff to eat. If only I could poision them. We use to get $5 for a pair of coyote ears from the Army .... :shocked:


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## fd123 (May 29, 2012)

Get whats been proven to work with goats....anything different and your asking for trouble! The reason for getting a LGD is so you will have peace of mind..If you get a breed thats not meant to be around, and protect livestock you will not only have to worry about predators getting your goats...Youll have to worry whatever animal you put in with them to protect doing the same.. Therefore..>>>>NO PEACE OF MIND<<<<<
I have a Great Pyrenees.. and even though shes still a puppy. Im REALLY IMPRESSED with her so far! If anything gets anywhere near the fence, she will go crazy, and put herself between the goats and whatever isnt supposed to be here!! I also have heard good things about Llamas...
Best of luck in whatever you decide! But i can tell you 1st hand that Great Pyrenees are awesome PROTECTORS!!


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

That's great to know about Aussie's. They are beautiful animals, but I don't think they will work in our situation. We would like a dog to keep in with our goat at all times. We have a really big gap between the bottom of the fence and the ground, so the dog would have to learn to not crawl under the fence. I would hate to worry about coyotes during the day! Since deer season has opened, the coyotes have stayed back. We've got a lot of hunter's in the woods close to us. I hope some of those hunters will shoot the coyotes too! I'm only looking at 1 dog. I only have 1 goat.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Find one who was born & raised protecting goats.
Be prepared, pups eat alot & stay in puppy stage for a good year or more. Then they dont eat as much.
Our Anatolian woke up neighbors barking & banging on fence. He was only 6 or 8 mos old but there was a pair of coyotes 50 feet away.

Please consider a goat buddy for yours too, they are herd animals & dont do well alone.


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

Personally, a thing that I have seemed to notice around here is that Great Pyreenes get hit by cars a lot. We get alot of them at vet's office. Pretty much every time I go in there's a Great Pyrnees in recovery from HBC. I do notice, however, that they recover very well and quickly.


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

Nancy, another goat is NOT an option. Reasons why:
1. Her house isn't big enough.
2. She DOES NOT get along with other goats.
3. She has CL.
4. We don't have the money to get another goat and I DON'T want a free one because they usually have something wrong with them or are very sickly and end up costing you a bunch anyway.
Please, don't be mad that my goat does not have a buddy.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I've been researching livestock guardians and came across the Karakachan breed. I LOVE them! I plan on buying one in the future, maybe even breeding for conservation.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

caprine crazy said:


> Nancy, another goat is NOT an option. Reasons why:
> 1. Her house isn't big enough.
> 2. She DOES NOT get along with other goats.
> 3. She has CL.
> ...


OK I did not know this, thanks for the explanation.


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

Sorry, it kind of sounded like I was annoyed when I explained that. I would love to have another goat though! I just can't take that risk of it ending up with CL. I took that risk whenever I got Miracle and sadly, it happened.

Thank you Woodhaven! I have never heard of that breed before. Will have to google that one.


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## fd123 (May 29, 2012)

Hey Kayla, The breeder that i recently purchased some boer does from, had a doe that couldnt stand any of her other goats, and the other goats couldnt stand her either!! lol.... I witnessed this 1st hand, so i understand what you mean..And...MY Great Pyrenees is SUPER STUBBORN and kept getting out when i 1st got her.. I stopped her getting out with an electric fence! And hopefully she will out grow the stubborness.. If she dont..ill have to just deal with it as long as she keeps my goats SAFE!! And She ate a ton when i was feeding the cheaper dog food..Then i switched to the BLUE BUFFALO (that another member here recommended) and she doesnt eat much at all, and is healthy as a horse!!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Blue Buffalo is a great dog food! My dog does great on it!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

No worries Kayla, I understand now. I wouldnt add anyone either.:hug:


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

Finally, someone who gets it! LOL! My doe is boer as well. That is just hilarious! Must be a breed thing.

That is good to know fd123. I would like to not have an electric fence. A shock collar would probably work too though. My dad has always considered getting one for the goat...hmm... LOL!

That is some of the best quality dog food out there! I have some friends with a dog that has a severe food allergy. They switched to this and their dog is doing great!


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks, Nancy.:hug:


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Youre welcome.
Caprine disease is no respector of breed.


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## fd123 (May 29, 2012)

I was very hesitant on paying 50 bucks a bag for dog food!! But, Its actually alot cheaper , because she doesnt eat anywhere near as much as she did with that cheaper stuff. And, im sure its alot better for her also!! After all >> I want "THE BEST" for my animals!!!


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## SCRMG (Oct 24, 2012)

If you're looking for a great LGD on a budget, a Great Pyr is the way too go. They tend to be the least expensive, do well against the smaller predators (coyotes, fox, etc...), and make a great LGD for someone that's just getting in to them.

If you've ever wondered just how dedicated they are, I've attached some pictures of my matriarch, Mitzi. She was given to us by a contract grazer who was liquidating his herd. A month before we met her, a cougar had attempted to find a snack in her herd. It must have been one heck of a fight. The cougar nearly skinned her alive, but she didn't loose a single goat. Her owner at the time found her the next morning. She was returned to her kennel, cleaned up, and given a round of pennicillan. It says a lot about the breed's hardiness that she survived.

The first picture I attached was of her the day we picked her up a month later. She still had gapping holes from the attack, and both her canines had broken loose and were flopping in her mouth. Our "employment plan" includes health care... something to consider when running dogs, the vet bills can be high when they encounter a predator. Several hundred dollars in surgery later, we've "retired" Mitzi to the goat pen closest to our house where she can train puppies, and live out her days with the goats she loves.


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## 5goatgirls (Jun 20, 2010)

I can tell you great Pyrs love to dig and they do not look both ways when crossing on a road which is why they get hit. I can also tell you that I absolutely love the breed and will stick with them as livestock guardians. My two are rescued and their instincts for protection are fantastic. Before we had them we use to lock our girls up in a night pen that has a double fence and night light now we leave the gate open to the fenced in pasture. We have also shored up any soft places around the fence that make digging look attractive so we don't have to worry about break outs. And it is true they do not eat a lot even at 10 months and 1 year old. They have truly given us a greater peace of mind; especially, since we are down to two goat girls after a devastating dog attack this past winter.


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## FussBudget (Dec 1, 2012)

I found this great .pdf on LGA

http://www.predatorfriendly.org/how-to/how-to-pdf-docs/Using Guard Animals to Protect Livestock.pdf


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## fishin816 (Mar 4, 2011)

I know some other breeds of lgds but Aussies don't protect the goats they just herd them I abesoutly love them by the way! The other breeds I know are the Komonder,akbash,English sheep dog,maremmas are all effective breeds to guard goats. Oh I forgot to tell you I have an Aussie of my own she is so cute but you can tell she is going to HERD the goats not guard them


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## ChickenLittleFarm (Jan 21, 2013)

caprine crazy said:


> Hey you guys! So, my mom and I have been talking about getting a LGD. We've been hearing coyotes alot recently at really weird hrs. One morning (before the time change) we heard them at 7:30 in the morning! :shocked:
> A little scary! What breed would you recommend? I know alot of people use Great Pyrnees or Antalonian's. What other breeds are out there that would be good for guarding livestock? Would a Australian Shepherd be a good guard dog? (I love aussie's btw.)


We have been hearing coyotes also so we have been shutting our 2 OB's up in the barn each night. I tried putting our Border Collie in with them but the mother goat bucked her real hard. The dog is now afraid of the goat. Of course I realize you couldn't shut a large herd up in a barn.


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## serenityfarmnm (Jan 6, 2013)

We would like an LGD but we worry that living in the desert would be to hot for them as they all seem to be super furry!


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

You should shave during the heat wave.


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