Livestock Guardian Dogs

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Can an Airdale Terrier be used as a livestock guardian dog? Bettie

-- Bettie Ferguson (jobett@dixie-net.com), November 03, 2001

Answers

Bettie nothing is absolute, but the odds ae definitely against it. LGDs need to be territorial and protective but with a weak prey drive. airedales have a lot of prey drive to go with their smarts, in the US airedales have been used to hunt bear, boar, cat, coon, coyote, deer, fox, squirrel, upland birds (pointing), and waterfowl (retrieving). try if you must but don't take it too hard if you don't succeed. i would recommend a real LGD breed like the GP, the akhbash or the kangal. Love Pops

-- Pops(now in Okinawa) (pops762@hotmail.com), November 03, 2001.

Hey Pops, We've been trying to figure out what is best to do in that area as far as our goats are concerned. Is it better to get the LGD as a pup and let him/her simply live inside the pen with the goats? We had a German Shepherd that had to be returned to the breeder, because she ate the ear off of one of our goats when playing too hard. It hurt us to send Ellie back, but no violence is allowed on our farm if it can be helped. We are fencing off a larger paddock for the goats now, but are leery of putting them in it because the coyotes around here are simply awful. Cattle have been killed just down the road. I love all my goats like children, but hate to see them in the small paddock just because of the coyotes. Seriously need help with the LGD question here. Also, do these guard dogs come by the work naturally or do they need to be trained? Thanks for all the help I hope you will give me. Iris

-- Iris (Sar_India@msn.com), November 04, 2001.

Bettie, I'm not Pops(Durn! LOL), but I can tell you that there are many breeds of LGD all over the world and all have their champions who love them. All are raised right with the herd or flock they are supposed to guard. None of these breeds include any terriers. Terriers are bred for going after varmits. And their instincts are geared for this. Just as "Herding" breeds are not "guardians" either. A good guardian must be ferocious, when needed, watchful, independent, hardy, devoted to duty, but loyal to the master. They also need speed, agility, courage, craftiness, endurance, and gentlness to their herd. This is a large order for a dog and it has taken breeding for centuries to develop these breeds. So, start with one of these that has been bred for the job. Do your homework, purchase some books and be prepared to pay for a good dog and educate your self about the training needed.Some of the breeds used and tested in this country for guarding are: Great Pyrenees, Maremmas, Russian Owtcharkas, Anatolian Shepherds, Sarplaninacs, Tibetan Mastiffs, Castro Laboreiros,Komondors,Akbash,and Kuvasz(there are more). You might also look into the study projects at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass(Biology Dept., Livestock Dog Project) and The U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho for their records on guardian breeds. Some of the above listed breeds have webpages and are worth researching. Good luck. :) LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), November 04, 2001.

Like Little Quacker said. A lot of the way a dog behaves will be based on its nature and its instincts. Coursing hunting dogs, pointers and setters, retrievers, fighting dogs, herding dogs, livstock guard dogs. Note that even a livestock guard dog can't be trusted with livestock as a puppy. They are generally raised in a pen next to the animals they are to guard, and thus come over time to accept the animals in place of their pack. Later on, they learn the boundaries of where they are to guard. If you start to make a pet out of a LGD, you'll short-circuit that bonding process, and the result won't be as satisfactory as one that is dedicated to its job. Note that I am not a LGD expert, so get advice from someone who is. However, my understanding is that they won't be much use as guard dogs until at least 12 months old, although you may be able to get a started puppy and cut a few months from the delay.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), November 04, 2001.

Sorry Bettie, I don't have much personal experience with LGDs but a lot of people here do and I am sure they can help alot on the training. my personal experience has been mostly hunting dogs, fighting pits when i was a young teen and a tiny bit with herding dogs. I do know that if I needed a LGD I would not try to make do with something else. on the plus side Airedales are great for hunting coyotes. let me know if you want the particulars about how its done.

-- Pops (pops762@hotmail.com), November 05, 2001.


Bettie, the key word for me is Anatolian Shepard! Wonderful dogs! I've had GPs, which are a nice dog, but Man, that coat maintenance! Also, they have a blind spot when it comes to auto traffic. I know many former GP owners who have lost their dogs to traffic. I have owned an Anatolian Shepard for 5 years now, and am getting another from the Rescueranger site on the 17th. My female is more of a varmit dog than the Pyrs were, and wonderful with the goats or sheep. She is one of the longer-haired dogs ( a kangal ) but nothing like the same maintenance! One problem--they will ruin you for any other breed. Oh, and coyotes! One day I glanced out the window to see a coyote desperately trying to jump over the cattle fence. The reason for his haste was right behind him--my Anatolian,LOL! It was a sight to see! Also, she kills opposum and raccoons--no droppings in the hay, and no dead chickens.

-- Judy in IN (whileaway3@cs.com), November 05, 2001.

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