# Livestock Guardian Dog - lots of questions



## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Okay, so at LAST I am seriously considering getting a livestock guardian dog to keep the foxes away. If you know of any good reads on them, please let me know!

So here are my questions:

1. What breed and what individual? We have neighborhood rules. I have read that some LGDs don't bark as much as others. Do I have to just keep looking until I find the right one?

2. Puppy or adult? I've heard that adult dogs can be more difficult to contain and adapt to your situation. On the other hand, I've also read that puppies' barking tendencies don't cement until they're older, so I won't know at first meeting. I do have the time and patience to train, so that won't be a problem.

3. Male or female? I've read they have different barks.

4. Basic training? What commands do they need to know, and are there any special techniques for working with the more "aloof" LGD personality? (I've trained a setter and a shepherd, and both were attentive and fairly easy).

5. Training to stop barking when you investigate and tell them "it's okay" - how do you do this? Is it possible?

6. Training not to chase animals - how? Keep him tied up until I can trust him?

7. Keeping them contained - how? I suppose if a puppy is raised in the pasture he's meant to stay in, then he'll be more likely to stay there.

8. If the dog doesn't work out, I'm going to have to sell it. Are older dogs harder to sell than new puppies? Will it be difficult?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Good luck! I'm sure someone will be along soon to answer your questions.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

In a nutshell, all breeds are somewhat different & there are variations of personality & breed character in each individual.
Ive never been able to make my boys stop barking, they bark when they want or need to & frankly that's part of their job.
The bark is not an incessant high pitch. When there's "trouble" it is much louder and aggressive.
We started both as pups. The first one took around 10 mos before he was left unsupervised. The other brought right in & never had a lick of trouble with him.
The only things I taught them to do was sit & LEAVE IT!!


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## nannysrus (Jun 21, 2014)

We have a lab mix and a blue heeler/Aussie mix. We train basic sit, stay, and leave it at first. My dogs do not bark generally. They "watch and wait". If it's large game like a bear they will stalk it along the fence line and on bark if it comes too close or tries to come threw the fence. As far as anything else coyotes, foxes, opossums, skunks, etc if it comes on the property they kill it. 

I prefer puppies because I can train them my way. They never barked a lot as puppies either. The only things with puppies is the playfulness. We have free range chickens which will fluff their feathers and puppies like I play with them. Which, is a no no. You just have to be persistant with them.

We just moved and I took my dogs around the entire property with me and showed them their "line". A line they dare not cross and a line that they allow nothing to cross. 

We constantly walk our dogs threw our pastures around our chickens, goats, pigs etc and we discourage any playful behavior or any threatening behavior. 

Because our lab had a fixation problem and our other dog herds we have to be extremely strict. The lab mix is not aloud to focus on any animal. She can way by them and pass them but she is not aloud to stop and look. 

We don't keep our dogs in with any of animals. They just stay on the property. They can however get in and out of every pasture. 




Samantha

"5 minutes of fresh air is equivalent to 5 mg Valium"


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