# What is the best guard animal for me?



## gwith (Aug 12, 2014)

I have always had donkeys. Lately we have had bad luck and our donkeys have been chasing and biting. We swap them around trying to find the right ones for the job. This weekend one donkey about killed 4 goats so we need to do something. 

I have been thinking about a LGD, but it seems like a lot of extra work. I also hate barking dogs. The goats are 300+ yards from the house, but I can hear a barking dog at a mile. 

Donkeys are great when they work. I don't mind them braying. The better ones I have sometimes get mad at feeding time if I am not fast enough and they will take it out on the goats. I like the fact that I take care of them just like a goat. Honestly if I could get some guaranteed donkeys I would buy them. 

I have been looking at llamas lately. I don't know anything about them, but most of what I find I like. They are more expensive than a good donkey, but I need something that works and I need it ASAP. I think I would treat them like a goat. The one thing I don't like about them is the stats I found online. It says that they aren't as good as a guard animal as the dogs or donkeys. 

My area has coyotes that come through all the time. The goats are in a 15 acre pen, but the exterior is constantly getting holes due to wildlife. The coyotes walk the boundary and if they find a hole, they squeeze in. We have other predators, but I am not worried about them. 

I need an animal that is SAFE for kids. The goats are my boys job. They bought them and they are raising them. They are always over there by themselves and they always have other kids over there with them. 

We don't go out of town often, but when we do we either need some animal that can go a couple of days without feed and just graze or something that a city kid will be safe feeding. 

So what is best for me? I really really really want a dog, because I love dogs, but I think it isn't the best fit for me. I am kind of leaning towards the llama, but I need more info. If I could get guaranteed donkeys today I would buy them because I have had donkeys for about 15 years.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you get a good guard llama, they can usually handle 1 coyote or dog. They can't handle a pack. They need to be shorn once a year. They can't have a lot of copper. They need their nails trimmed every couple months.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I know nothing about the LGD so can't tell you there. I have a alpaca that lives with the goats, got her because I wanted her not really for protection. If a llama is even half as good as a alpaca is on protecting the goats I would go for them in a heart beat! She chases cats out of their pen, if the cows come up to the fence she will spit in their face ti they leave and any doe that goes into labor and Tina is right with them and loves babies. But here coyotes see a fence and they see a trap (so far) so in not worried about her small man syndrome lol
Now another thing you can look into on top of a llama is wolf pee.......IF you don't have wolfs in your area that is. Now that stuff is awesome! You go around your fence line and spray some pee and the coyotes stay away. That stuff works. I let my goats out wild and free when they have weaned their kids and I actually spray them but my brother watched a coyote walk along, stop and smell the air and walk off the other way. The goats were right over the small hill from him. 
I would still try the llama out but at least you also have a back up


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## orthis (Mar 24, 2014)

We recently got a pair of alpacas to try to protect our animals a little better. We lost a goat this year to a coyote and last year to a wild pig.


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## fd123 (May 29, 2012)

The Great Pyreneese has been an EXCELLENT PROTECTOR for my herd! But.....if you don't like barking...you BEST NOT GET A G P.....lol....Barking is what they are best at! It drives me crazy at times, but the BENEFITS of having her here FAR OUT-WEIGHS the downfall of barking. Best of luck in your decision.


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