# Need a guard something



## GATA_Goats (Sep 19, 2013)

I will be moving to Clarksville TN next month and it's time to face facts. Predators are a reality there and this is a new challenge for us as goat and chicken parents. I have been considering getting a donkey, a jenny or castrated male. Problem is, I'm not sure where in Tennessee to get one, how old or young does he/ she need to be and is a month long enough for the donkey to be with my herd? It seems there is conflicting info out there between sources. Can anyone help with finding for sure answers?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would find a local breeder that you feel you can trust and talk with them.


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## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

Donkeys are very protective but my choice is a pyrenees. They are more focused on your animals then a donkey they continually patrol your land and with any noise of distress they rush to see what's happening. They say they will protect anything you feed with just a little training effort they are great. Also with as much fur as they have they would do great in your environment. I live in North Georgia and that is the best choice I've seen so far.


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## GATA_Goats (Sep 19, 2013)

Ok, thanks. That was my first choice but my concern was the time to train the puppy and it to grow large enough. I'm military so I'm asked to move on short notice much of the time. I may keep my herd in Georgia and have my husband train a puppy for several months before bringing them up north.


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## takethelead (Dec 18, 2013)

Some breeders may have a middle aged dog already trained that they are willing to sell. I'm sure you could find one a little older that has experience.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The other option is to buy an adult already trained. Many farms are going out of business. I see ads on Craigslist on a regular basis for rehoming guard dogs.


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## GATA_Goats (Sep 19, 2013)

Oh really, I know there aren't any here in Savannah. I'll try searching around Atlanta or Tennessee in the morning. I certainly would prefer a Pyrenees.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Put an ad in saying you are looking for one.


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## LaurieW (Sep 24, 2013)

Are your goats used to LGD? 
My goats hadn't been around one and when I introduced them to our mature Pyrenees they were very afraid, tails and hackles up and ready to bolt at any moment. 
So I left our Pyrenees where he was, guarding chickens and got a Pyrenees puppy. He'll be in training for a couple of years. He has a pen inside the goat pasture, right beside a goat shelter. I try to work with him daily with the goats. He's doing well.


Yep, hubby made an awesome Huge doghouse for Cotton (our puppy in training).

The reason I mention is a breeder told me she purchased a goat once, that had not been around dogs. The goat injured itself, from just its fear of the dog. The dog did nothing to the goat.

I'm in West TN and considered a donkey, llama, or LGD. Because we have coyotes, bobcat foxes, etc. From everything I read I thought the LGD in the long run would be the best fit for us. Good luck on whatever you decide.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

The problem with Llamas is that they are a pray animal also and a single Llama is easy prey for the larger predators. From what I found when I was making a decision as to what would work best for me, donks are great if they were raised from foalhood with the goats, otherwise they are not as good a guardian.

I have 2 Pyrenees that I love to death! I got a pup and an adult female, which worked out tremendously.

BTW....thank you for your service to our country.


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## GATA_Goats (Sep 19, 2013)

Thank you so much, it means the world to my family to know the sacrifices are appreciated. I ended up with the best of luck today. I found a pair of 7 month old Pyrenees, already trained, from a farm which was down sizing. I feel so blessed because most everything else I found were people selling dogs that had attacked livestock or untrained puppies. Guess I was also blessed that people were honest enough to tell me these were problem dogs.


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## GATA_Goats (Sep 19, 2013)

BTW, good luck tonight everyone! It's going to be cold!


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