Our Guardian Dogs
We use Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dogs to protect our sheep from predators.
We have had predator problems since we began raising sheep in the 70's. During that time our flock was near a suburban area, and our main predators were domestic dogs. We managed to ward off many attacks, but still lost many sheep during those years. We finally moved to more rural area in 1999 and began to expand our flock in earnest. We had unrelenting coyote attacks during lambing season, and quickly realized the importance of livestock guardian animals. We simply could not watch the flock 24/7, but a guardian animal could. |
Great Pyrenees were originally bred in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain for the purpose of protecting sheep and other livestock. This long heritage of selective breeding has produced dogs that bond much more naturally to sheep and other livestock than most dog breeds. Nonetheless, some training is still required, but it can be minimal depending on the dog's individual temperament.
Contrary to popular opinion, there is a very distinct difference between livestock guardian dogs and herding dogs. Herding dogs, such as border collies and blue heelers, are bred and trained to herd livestock, not guard them. Such herding dogs are not generally left with livestock for long periods of time, because their active temperaments encourage them to continue herding or harassing the flock. Livestock guardian dogs, on the other hand, are more laid back and very difficult to train for herding. Rather than herding your flock, they simply remain with the animals 24/7 to ward off predator attacks. These two different tasks require very different temperaments and training experiences, which is why different breeds are bred for these different tasks. There are many different breeds that have been developed for each purpose, so it is easy to find the right breed for you. |
If you are interested in seeing our livestock guardian dogs or would like advice on how to choose or train your own dogs, send us an email or give us a call. See our contact page for more information.
We have had incredible success with our Great Pyrenees guardian dogs. They live with and protect the sheep at all times, and have given us a security we have never had before. We recently began breeding our own Great Pyrenees, which has allowed us complete control over their bloodlines and how the dogs are raised from birth.