AgriLife LGD Program Update

By: Bill Costanzo, Texas A&M AgriLife Research

Spring is here and flowers are blooming in the pastures. It’s almost time for the second round of puppies in the bonding project to leave the Center and move on to our research ranches and a cooperating producer’s ranch.  Hopefully you had a chance to check out Dr. Zoran’s very informative webinar on LGD nutrition on March 25.  If you missed the live event, you can view it on our YouTube channel Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program – YouTube.  Our next webinar will be held on May 20 at 3pm.  That webinar will discuss legal issues facing producers using LGDs.  You can register for the event on our Facebook page or on the AgriLife Centers website under the events section.

This month we will start a three-part series on internal parasites presented by our guest writer. Dr. Meriam Saleh, Ph.D., from the Texas A&M Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.  Dr. Saleh recently moved from Oklahoma State University and has be a guest presenter twice for the AgriLife LGD Programs bimonthly webinars.

Guest Article: Common intestinal parasites of livestock guardian dogs, part 1 of 3

Dogs, including livestock guardian dogs, can become infected with a variety of parasites. Most people are familiar with ticks and fleas, which are types of ectoparasites (meaning external parasites) that we can see on the skin of our dogs (and sometimes even people), but people are less familiar with endoparasites (meaning living inside the host) of dogs. The most common endoparasites infecting dogs include hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. Dogs become infected with these parasites a few different ways, but a common theme among all three of these worms is that once infected the dog’s environment also becomes contaminated by the parasite which can lead to greater infections or reinfection after treatment, which is why it is important to treat parasitic infections in a timely fashion and in consultation with your veterinarian. The best parasite treatment is actually prevention, and the Companion Animal Parasite Council recommends that every dog be administered year-round broad-spectrum parasite control that is effective against heartworm, intestinal parasites, fleas, and ticks—with particular attention to controlling parasites that are zoonotic, meaning they infect people too.

Hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms fall into the category of intestinal parasites and there are a variety of routine preventive products available to treat and control these infections. Ask your veterinarian what they recommend; there is not one best parasite control product as it depends on your dog’s history, lifestyle, and the type of product you want to administer plus a variety of other factors. It is also very important that pregnant and nursing dams are maintained on broad-spectrum parasite control products as some parasites can pass to the puppies in utero or when the puppies nurse. It is better for the health of the puppies to prevent infections from ever occurring whenever possible.

I mentioned earlier that hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms can all contaminate the environment of an infected dog creating potential for reinfection or an even greater worm burden for the already infected dog. Let’s take a closer look at how dogs acquire these parasites. In this first post, we will look at hookworms.

Hookworms live in the small intestine of the dog, where they attach to the intestinal lining and suck blood from the host (Image 1). Hookworms are voracious blood feeders and can cause significant anemia and even death in severely affected puppies. Hookworm infections may also cause diarrhea and some weight loss. In addition to feeding on blood hookworms’ mate and lay eggs in the small intestine. Hookworm females shed a large number of eggs every single day—these eggs are then passed in the feces when the dog defecates (Image 2). Once in the environment the eggs will begin to develop forming a larva inside, eventually the larva will hatch out of the egg and further develop until it reaches the third stage, which we call an L3. This L3 then infects a host (either the same or another dog, or sometimes people depending on the exact species, more on that later)

when it is ingested or when it penetrates the skin.

After the L3 is either ingested or penetrates the skin of the dog it will migrate in the tissue to arrive in the small intestine. Some of the migrating worms may stay in the tissue and become arrested, which means they pause their development, while the rest go on to the small intestine and become adults that suck blood, mate, and lay eggs. These arrested larval worms can reactive or resume their development and go on to the small intestine at a later time, or in the case of a pregnant dam may reactive and move to the mammary tissue to infect nursing puppies via the milk. These worms make their way to the small intestine of the puppies and the life cycle repeats itself.

I mentioned earlier that sometimes that infective L3 stage in the environment can infect people too. Again, it depends on the specific hookworm species, but Ancylostoma braziliense, which occurs in warm coastal areas of the United States as well as Central and South America, and Ancylostoma caninum, which is the most common hookworm of dogs in the United States both can and do infect people. The L3 stage can penetrate the skin of people too and can use something called cutaneous larva migrans (CLM), which is when the larvae migrate in the skin and cause red winding tracks that are very itchy. Most cases of CLM are diagnosed in the southeastern and Gulf Coast areas of the United States. An easy way to avoid larval penetration of the skin is to be sure to wear shoes. CLM is easily treatable but does cause mild discomfort when infected.

You can see how quickly an infection can lead to a contaminated environment and even more infective parasite stages to keep the infection going, which is why routine use of preventive products is so important, particularly for a zoonotic parasite like hookworm. For more information on these and other parasites you can check out the Companion Animal Parasite Council and their Pets and Parasites website (https://www.petsandparasites.org). In the next post we will talk about the roundworms and last whipworms.

Written by: Meriam N. Saleh, Ph.D., is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Texas A&M Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Saleh currently serves as the project leader for the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology. In 2019 she completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship focused on ticks, their geographic disruption, and tick-borne diseases at Oklahoma State University. She earned a BS in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee in 2011 and a Ph.D. in Veterinary Parasitology from Virginia Tech in 2017. She is also an active member of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists.

LGD Puppy Bonding Project

Several of the puppies discovered our resident porcupine last month.  Lenny, Laverne, Squiggy and Louise have all had quills in them as of the end of March.  Laverne ended up going to the vet for a couple that we were unable to remove at the Center. Hopefully the other three pups don’t find out about the porcupine. The current round of puppies will be getting spayed and neutered this month.  They are all 8-9 months old and will be leaving the Center for our ranches and a cooperating producer’s ranch in May.  It’s important to get your LGDs spayed or neutered before their first heat cycle to decrease the chances they may roam looking for a mate.

The puppies bonded in hot wire pens (Laverne, Lenny, Squiggy and Wyatt) are staying in their pasture.  Laverne and Lenny left once due to a large hole in the fence but have not wandered out of the pasture again once it was fixed.  The other three pups (Doc, Thelma and Louise), as seen in the picture above, bonded without hot wire have been leaving their pasture on a regular basis.  Doc and Louise have left it a few times to check out the nannies and new kids in the pasture next to them.  Thelma, however, has been leaving almost daily from her pasture to visit LGD Thor, the nannies and kids.  We placed Thelma in the kennel for a few days as punishment to see if it would change her behavior.

Thor has been roaming much less since he has been at the Center.  He has not left his pasture since late February.  The nannies Thor is

guarding are all kidding at this point, so he is staying pretty close to them now. Thor even refused to leave the area of a dead kid for 2 days until we finally found it and took it away.  He seems to be doing well now that he is with a couple hundred meat goats.  Sometimes you need to keep moving a dog until it finds the type of animals its comfortable guarding. Thor and his siblings stayed closer to the goats they were bonded with than the sheep when they were released from the bonding pens.

We had some issues with Waylon playing rough with young lambs last month.  We placed a drag on him for a few days and then released him again.  He was still playing with them, so we decided to move him to a set of older ewe lambs and dry older ewes until he gets older and calms down.  Waylon is very playful still at 13 months of age.  Most LGDs don’t mature until at least 18 months of age.  Waylon has several more months to go before we can give him more responsibilities and completely trust him on his own with livestock.  He rarely follows the feed truck now so hopefully we have moved past that issue with him.  He is still very friendly and easily caught in the field anytime I need to catch him.

Johnny has been doing well at our ranch in Menard.  It appears that separating the brothers in November of 2020 was a good idea.  He has not roamed off the ranch property since the separation. Below is a picture of Johnny’s travels for 1 month.  He is staying predominately with the Dorper sheep which is what he was bonded with.  He has been seen with our meat goats at times, but it looks like he is guarding the livestock we need him to guard.  The sheep are staying on the West side of the ranch which is where Johnny is spending most of his time based on the GPS tracking data.  Most of the ranch is open due to a multiyear research project so the livestock and LGDs can move to any location they want on the 4000 acres.

If you enjoyed my monthly blog, don’t forget to subscribe to it The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo (tamu.edu).  To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.  The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

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Don’t forget to check out the Texas LGD Association on Facebook!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation

Program Update

Do not forget to register for our LGD Nutrition and Feeding webinar on March 25^th at 3pm with Dr. Deb Zoran, DVM, of the Texas A&M Small Animal Clinical Science Department.  You can register for the free event on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/ .  Look under the Events section and use the link in the webinar description to register for the Zoom event.  If you are not on Facebook, you can also register for the webinar on the San Angelo AgriLife Center Events page. https://sanangelo.tamu.edu/events/

As always, stay tuned to our social media channels for educational videos, tips of the week, fun photos, and more.  Do not hesitate to reach out to us with questions, comments, and concerns.

We are trying out a new radio frequency identification (FID) door on a feeding station to keep out varmints from the feeder.  We have not encountered any issues with the pups using it at the AgriLife Center.  They adapted to the door very easily and can enter the feeding station when needed.  Each of the puppies wears a RFID tag attached to their collars.  We had some initial issues with the dogs losing the tags, but after using zip ties to attach them we solved that issue.  The door can be programed for up to five different dogs and has a proximity sensor that can be adjusted out to ten feet away.  It uses four D-cell batteries as a power source.  The door can be completely locked, left open or set to open with the RFID tags.  We have purchased an additional door for testing at one of our research ranches.  We will keep you updated on the progress of this project.

We received a lot of messages and emails regarding LGDs and the harsh winter storm that covered Texas during the middle of February.  Your LGD does not need any special treatment that you would not provide for your livestock.  Shelter, bedding, and supplemental feed are welcomed by your LGD as much as your livestock.  These types of dogs have thick double hair coats on their bodies and extra hair between their toes for a reason, to withstand cold winters.  All of the LGD breeds were bred for thousands of years in Europe to endure the harsh environment there.  The weather in Europe routinely gets very cold with snow and ice in most of the regions.  However, if during any storm, your LGD is shivering, just as with livestock, they need shelter and warm bedding immediately.  My own LGD refused to be taken into shelter even on the coldest nights of the storm.  He was perfectly happy with a nice pile of bedding in the backyard, watching over the generator and keeping any cats or squirrels away that were looking for some place warm to hideout.

LGD Puppy Bonding Project

All of the puppies in the current phase of the bonding project have been released from their 1-acre pens into larger pastures with their charges and are doing well.  The seven puppies will stay at the Center until they are 8 months of age.  At that point, the pups will be spayed/neutered and placed at a cooperating producer’s ranch along with our research ranches.

The Legends of Country Music are turning a year old this month, and both are doing well.  Johnny has not roamed out of his pastures since being separated from Waylon.  It seems that separating Johnny and Waylon worked out well for both dogs.  Waylon is still following the feed truck from time to time and needs corrective behavior when he does, but it is becoming less often as time goes on.  Other than following the feed truck, Waylon does not roam out of his pasture.  Hopefully, Waylon and Johnny continue to work well and graduate from the Bonding Project in September of this year.

The Superheroes and the Three Stooges are all graduating from the Bonding Project this month.  All the pups are now 18 months of age.  They will no longer be tracked as part of the project.  I recently visited the Stooges to change out tracking batteries and all of the dogs looked well and were easily caught with the sheep.  Larry is still very friendly while Moe is a little less than he was previously.  Curly is still shy, but quickly remembered me after a few belly scratches.

Looking back, there were some challenges with Superheroes Hulk and Thor roaming at the Center as puppies.  Hulk and Goliath have never left the research ranch in Ozona since being placed there in March of 2020.  Hulk does wander between the wool sheep with Goliath and our Angora goats protected by an older male, Max, from time to time.  Our best guess is that he goes to provide extra protection to either species when needed.

Thor is continuing to roam as an adult.  Thor was doing well here at the Center but decided to roam over to ASU in early February.  We then placed him in the kennel for 4 days as punishment for his roaming.  He was very happy to get back to his goats after that and as of late February he has not roamed again.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311. The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board.

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

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Starting with this issue of The Guardian Way, we have streamlined it to allow for quicker reading of project updates and events going on with the Texas A&M AgriLife LGD Program.

Program Update

We will be presenting webinars on various topics related to LGDs this year every other month.  Our first webinar for 2021 was presented by Dr. Saleh, formerly of Oklahoma State, but now working at Texas A&M University.  The topic was “Common LGD Parasites and How to Control Them”.  We thank Dr. Saleh for her continued support of the Texas A&M AgriLife LGD Program.  The next webinar in March which will be on LGD nutrition and the May webinar will be on LGDs legalities and producers’ rights.  We hope you will join us for these upcoming webinars.  You can register for the free events on our Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/ .  Look under the Events section and use the link in the webinar description to register for the Zoom event.  If you are not on Facebook, you can also register for the webinars on the San Angelo AgriLife Center Events page. https://sanangelo.tamu.edu/events/

As always, stay tuned to our social media channels for educational videos, tips of the week, fun photos, and more.  And don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions, comments, and concerns.

LGD Puppy Bonding Project

If you are not a long-time reader, we’d like to review the LGD bonding project.  In the late summer of 2019, we started a bonding project with weaned livestock guardian dog puppies.  We started with six puppies that were placed as singles or as pairs in bonding pens with and without hot wire.  We started our second complete set of eight pups in September of 2020.  Newly weaned LGD pups are sourced from local breeders and they all start out in a 60×60 pen for one month with sheep and goats.   Then we open the gate and allow them access to a 1-acre pen for three months.  The two bonding pens are about ¼ mile apart and they are in the same 100 acre pasture.  We have two more bonding pens in another 100-acre pasture that is ½ mile away.  We have added a fifth bonding pen for this round that is near our headquarters, to determine if pups  are more likely to roam back to the bonding location as adults.

Once the puppies reach six months of age, they are released with their charges into a 100-acre pasture and tracked until they are eight months of age.  Notably, the bonding pens are new fence that prevent them from escaping and the 100-acre pastures have decent fencing, but they can be breached if the LGD has a strong desire to leave.  At that time, they are spayed/neutered and some of the dogs are placed at cooperating producer’s ranches for further observation until they are 18 months of age.  The rest of the dogs are placed on our research ranches for observation.  At 18 months of age the dogs have “graduated” from the program.  Our first round of pups are closing in on that 18-month mark soon.  We will give you an update on the outcome of the Stooges and Superheroes by the late spring.

Since our last blog, we haven’t had any other issues with stock or puppies being attacked at the Center so hopefully the event with Shirley and the goat was an isolated incident.  All the dogs at the Center made it through the mid-month snowstorm in January and they seemed to enjoy it.  The TV show pups (Laverne, Lenny and Squiggy) were released from their bonding pens into a 100-acre pasture with their stock in mid-January and are all doing well.  The dogs and a few livestock are wearing GPS trackers so that we can monitor their movements and patterns for the next two months.  In mid-February the other set of pups, Doc, Wyatt, Thelma, and Louise will all be released into a large pasture at the Center with their charges.  They will also be monitored with GPS trackers.

The Legends of Country Music, Johnny and Waylon, are doing well after we separated them to new locations.  Johnny has been staying with stock and has been floating between sheep and goats in Menard.  Waylon has been at the Center guarding some Rambouillet ewes that will be lambing soon.  He randomly wanders from the pasture when the feed truck comes through, but it’s not every time.  We haven’t figured out why that truck is such an attraction to him compared to other vehicles that he sees and doesn’t follow.  We are trying different methods to discourage this behavior from positive to negative reinforcement.  Neither seem to work for very long.  We will keep you updated on their prog

ress next month.

The Superheroes are all doing well.  Goliath and Hulk are doing a great job guarding stock in Ozona.  As a reminder, Thor was in Ozona and had to be moved to Menard due to roaming. Unfortunately, he roamed in Menard and had to be removed from there as well.  He is now at the Center in San Angelo for further observation and behavior correction.  We placed him in a kennel for two weeks as punishment and then released him back with stock.  We placed him with a yearling meat goat herd in San Angelo to see if he will stick to his charges and stop roaming; so far it has been working.  Check back with us in March to track Thor’s progress.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311. The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board.

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Follow us on Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog

Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Home & Work

Merry Christmas!  The boys are out of college for the semester and helping me with projects around the house.  New appliances are a welcome addition for us this month.  Painting a few rooms and a bathroom update is on the list this month during the winter break.

It’s important to take advantage of the slower days during the winter to take care of projects that are needing your attention such as repairing dog feeders or feeding stations.  You may want to provide a higher quality dog food, as your dogs will be burning more calories to stay warm during the cooler days and nights.  Typically, dog food with animal protein listed as the first and/or second ingredient can maximize the nutrient level for your LGD.

With hunting season under way, it’s important to remind hunters about your LGDs on the ranch, especially if you have new or young LGDs.  Remind hunters how you want them to interact with your LGDs, if they come into contact.  That way the LGDs don’t end up lingering around hunting camp or worse a hunting blind.  If possible, move dogs and stock to pastures with limited hunting.  If problems arise, it might be best to pen up your LGDs when hunting activity is at its peak on your property.  It keeps your hunters happy and keeps your dogs from learning bad behaviors such as coming to headquarters for treats or following vehicles.

LGD Puppy Bonding Project

All the puppies in the current round of the bonding project are doing great and growing fast.  All the pups have been placed into 1-acre pens now with their charges.  They will be in the 1-acre pens until they are 6 months of age.  At that point, GPS trackers will be placed on all the dogs and stock from the bonding pens.  Dogs and stock will be released into larger pastures and tracked for 2 months.  Once the pups are 8 months old, we will place half of them at our research ranches for tracking and at cooperating producer ranches.  The pups will continue to be tracked until they are 18 months of age.

Our second round of pups from the bonding project, the Legends of Country Music, were placed at our research ranch in Menard to help our older dog Miley guard the Dorper ewes who are lambing.  After about a week at the ranch, Waylon and Johnny started to roam, even though they had never roamed at the AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo and were bonded in pens with hot wire.  At first, they left their charges and joined the dogs with the meat goats.  However, after about two weeks they left the ranch completely and ended up at a neighbor’s ranch approximately 2 miles from our research ranch.  They were retrieved twice, and each time dropped back off with the Dorper ewes.  After they left a third time and we decided to bring them back to the Center.   Observing the dogs at the Center, we concluded that they were following vehicles, not just randomly roaming off the ranch in Menard.  We have been having new fencing installed in Menard on several pastures.  We believe that the dogs started roaming because they were following the fence crews around the ranch and then continuing as they left each day.

We decided to separate Waylon and Johnny to see if it would make a difference in their behavior.  Thor was also roaming at our ranch in Ozona and visiting his three friends, the Stooges.  We have placed both Thor and Johnny together at the ranch in Menard and so far, neither dog has roamed again, and they are staying with their charges.  Sometimes a change of location can make all the difference in how an LGD works for your operation.  Waylon is also staying with his new charges at the Center and has only left his pasture once.  Again, we believed that he was just following a truck that was feeding stock.  Resolving this habit of following a truck is a top priority for the Legends of Country Music. Like their namesakes, they like to be “On the Road!”

The pups that are officially in the bonding project are all bonded with four different species so that they can be easily

moved to guard in a new location.  They are then given a quick re-bond to the new stock they will be guarding and then released on one of our research ranches or a cooperating producers ranch.  However, the Legends of Country Music were only bonded to Dorper sheep which we believed would create a stronger bond.  We were having predation issues on our Dorper sheep in Menard and we believed that a straight bond would ensure the dogs staying with the hair sheep.  However, the dogs still ended up leaving their charges and stayed with the meat goats and four other dogs.  Bonding to a specific species does not guarantee that your LGDs will stay with that species as we believed it would!

Hulk and Goliath are doing well without Thor at the ranch in Ozona.  Goliath stays with his sheep while Hulk floats between the sheep and Angoras.  Goliath still hasn’t figured out what happens when you play with a porcupine, however. This is at least the fourth time he has gotten quills in his face!

LGD Breed Spotlight – Slovensky Cuvac

The origins of the Slovensky Cuvac breed can be traced back as far as the 17^th century.  It is also known as the Slovak Chuvach, and the Tatransky Cuvac.  It is a large Slovakian breed known for its plush white coat and its livestock guarding abilities.  The Slovensky is very similar to the Kuvasz, however the Kuvasz is a slightly larger breed of dog.

In the early years of the breed, the Cuvac was used as a livestock guardian in the mountains of the Soviet Union.  As wolves began to slowly disappear from the countryside, herding practices changed and the Slovensky Cuvac breed nearly went extinct.  After World War II, a veterinarian named Antonin Hruza set about to revive the breed and the first written standard was published in 1964.  While rare in the United States, the dogs are making a comeback in Europe.

The Slovensky Cuvac has rather long legs and deep broad chest that makes it well suited for mountain terrain.  The dogs are white as are many other LGDs from Europe.  Their coat is dense and doubled with a moderate wave to it.  The hair is short on the face and front of legs and longer on the body but without feathering on the tail as in other LGD breeds. The Slovensky Cuvac is a large dog that stands anywhere from 22 to 28 inches tall and weighs 70 to 100 pounds when mature.

Aa good guard and watch dog, as well as guide for shepherds, the Slovensky Cuvac has o proven its worth in the guarding of cattle and driving of poultry and other domestic animals to pasture.  The Slovensky Cuvac is a powerful, calm, loyal flock guardian.  It is a bold protector of its area and pack, whether it is livestock or people.  These dogs have been known to be very affectionate with members of their human family but suspicious of outsiders.  They are fearless guardians that will fight any intruder, even large predators like bears or wolves.

Sources: Dohner, Janet Vorwald. Farm Dogs: A Comprehensive Breed Guide to 93 Guardians, Herders, Terriers, and Other Canine Working Partners. Storey Publishing, 2016, https://www.dogbreedinfo.com/slovenskycuvac.htm ,  https://www.ukcdogs.com/slovac-cuvac

Breeder/Producer Profile

This month’s producer using LGDs is Shirley Pfeiffer Kilgore from New Braunfels, Texas.

Q. Please describe your ranch.

1. 1. What type of livestock do you have?
   2. How many head of stock do your dogs’ guard?
   3. How many acres do your dogs’ guard?

A. I am the owner of a small sheep ranch located outside of New Braunfels, approximately 1 mile from Gruene at the beginning of the Texas Hill Country. I am the third-generation sheep rancher which dates to 1939 when my family bought the ranch now known as the Historic

Pfeiffer Ranch. The ranch is approximately 250 acres with some large fields, heavy cedar, live oaks, elms, native pasture grasses, mesquites, and huisache. I currently have approximately 200 head of Rambouillet sheep with fine wool. Besides sheep I also have some cattle, horses, miniature donkeys, and a llama named Boo here on the ranch as well. Throughout the years since I was a child, I have watched more and more farm land around me being gobbled up by new house construction and businesses which in turn has crowded my ranch with more and more predators that love to prey on my sheep herd. We have coyotes, bobcats, owls, caracara, and a few mountains lions that occasionally come to visit and run through the ranch. Over the years these coyotes have caused more and more problems in even trying to maintain any kind of sheep herd worth keeping. It became such a problem that state trappers were called in to try different devices or techniques that did make some difference in the coyote population, but not enough to keep them away for very long, especially since a female coyote can have such large litters of pups.  At one point not long ago, the coyotes were so bad that I was unable to even keep 1/4 of my new lamb stock that was to be sold at market for profit. At its worst, I really considered not having sheep at all anymore, but then I decided on trying Livestock Guardian Dogs to see if my success rate would go up.

Q. How long have you used LGDs?

A. After making my decision approximately 5 years ago to try Livestock Guardian Dogs to protect my sheep I have never looked back. It was

the absolute best decision I have ever made. I have never once looked back on my decision to try these dogs and regretted it. I cannot believe the 100% success rate that I have had with them. I have always loved dogs throughout my childhood. We had a variety of farm dogs, some for companionship and some dogs like the border collies that worked our herds. Of course, these dogs are very different than the Livestock Guardian Dogs that protect my livestock.

Q. How many dogs do you use?

A. I have used only two dogs during the last 5 years. My dog’s names are Aoife (Ee-fa) who is 100% Great Pyrenees and weighs approximately 130 lbs. and my 2nd dog Evanna who is 1/4 Akbash and 3/4 Great Pyrenees and weighs about 110 pounds. These dogs are siblings but from different litters and are only half related to each other by having a different dog parent on one side. Both of my dogs came when they were 6-8 weeks of age which is extremely important in the bonding process. I chose to have both of my dogs spayed when they reached 1 year of age. I waited for that period because of their large dog breed size and that time frame was also a recommendation by my veterinarian.

I am fortunate enough to work on the ranch every day. Starting out with new LGD pups 5 years ago, I wanted to come up with my own training ideas. I needed them socialized yet bonded with their charges. I did lots of reading on LGDs and decided that I would use a smaller dog pen area where my young pups would stay with their herd at night in a larger sheep pen so they were protected from harm’s way being so small at such a young age. During the day while my sheep herd would go out grazing, I decided that I would take my young pups out for approximately 2 hours to show them how important their job was going to be; I was their shepherd. We followed the sheep herd in the fields to learn sights and sounds. It was during this time I also taught my dogs not to kill the predators but to chase them away which honestly comes with their instincts as they get older. After 2 hours of training the pups it was always early afternoon. They were then put back into their dog pen area until the evenings when the sheep herd would come back in from grazing. At that time my young pups would be let out to become a part of their charges again to familiarize them and become more bonded with the sheep until it was time to be put up in their dog pen for safety during the night time hours.  I did this method until they reached 8 months of age when they then went out on their own to guard. Even though this practice may be unusual, I had a great success rate in how my dogs came to be bonded with their herd.

Now that my LGDs are grown they have different jobs during the year. During lambing season my dog Aoife guards my newborns and their mommas in a smaller sheep pen area to give my newborns a chance to get on their feet. My other dog Evanna goes with the sheep herd everyday into the fields or pasture to protect the herd from predators.  In the evenings all my sheep herd come in to a large fenced in area for additional protection by both dogs. After lambing season is over both my LGDs guard the entire herd during the day and night. I have had an unbelievable success rate by doing this method and the dogs do their jobs very well.

Q. Do you prefer a specific LGD breed?

A. Some producers say that there are very specific differences in all the different LGD breeds. To some degree maybe this is true, however, I believe that each breed has their own strong guarding capabilities.

In my opinion, one example of this may be the Kangal or Anatolian Shepherds that can guard against bears, wolves, or larger predators. Or perhaps using the Maremma Guard Dog breed which many say that breed of dog makes even a stronger bond with their charges and never roams. Or another example is perhaps the Great Pyrenees that guard against the coyotes, bobcats, caracara but roam more frequently over a vaster area than other LGDs may and may bark more frequently warning the predators to stay away. Or perhaps lastly the great Spanish Mastiff that can be fearless and keep away predators such as a large moose, bears, or wild boars. So having said this, I believe that all LGDs, no matter what the breed you chose and for what specific reasons you need them for, can do their jobs efficiently given what types of animals they are guarding and to what predators they are protecting against. The bottom line is as a producer you must be able to trust your breed of LGD and believe in their ability to do their job.

I spend lots of time around my animals and making sure they are cared for. Making sure my LGDs have proper food, shots, checking for burrs in their feet and coat, bathing if necessary, looking at and down their ears and checking their teeth are all necessary things I do as a producer to make sure my dogs are cared for.  The bottom line here is over all maintenance is crucial to a successful LGD.

Q. Do you have an LGD mentor?

A. Over the years I have really enjoyed following a man by the name of Robert Nelson Lockey. He has a small sheep farm in Kentucky and has

quite a few LGDs, all purebred Great Pyrenees, and always has been so helpful in answering my questions that I had especially when it came to my GPs. He has been a very important asset to me starting out and learning about Livestock Guardian Dogs.

Robert has been on several social media sites through the years, and I follow his own site Great Pyrenees Adventures and Advice page. Of course, there are so many social media sites for LGDs.

Q. What’s the one thing you wish you knew before starting to use LGDs?

A. I wish I would have known that Livestock Guardian Dogs and their protection existed at all to be honest. I was not aware of LGDs and what they could do for me until about 6 years ago. We were relying on state trappers so heavily to control the coyote population here as well as other predators at that time that it was then I determined even with that type of protection it just was not enough and I needed to do something else and fast. It was in that moment that I decided that the best way of doing this was through the use of the internet and social media. After doing a lot of reading about Livestock Guardian Dogs, I wanted to immediately get started. I wanted to get started on learning what needed to be done to make this protection work for me and what breed would work best for me and my livestock. I knew it would take time since I was just starting out and starting out with 6-8-week-old pups, but I had read so much about each breed that I was very excited to begin.

Q. What is the biggest thing you would recommend a new LGD user?

A. First and foremost- Treat your LGD like the asset they are! They complete your success in raising your livestock. They can be your most valuable tool and for them to be successful, you must set them up to succeed right from the start.

There are several very important things that I do to help my GP’s success.

1. Good food with protein listed first, water, and vet care.
2. Microchip and tag your LGD, so they can find their way home if lost.
3. Use GPS trackers. This is so important for you as the producer, knowing your dog can be found at all times and not possibly losing your dog in a snare or attacks from predators or even just wandering off where they cannot be found.
4. Reinforce positive behavior. Sometimes your LGD may have a bad day, take a step aside, place your LGD back amongst its charges and make positive gestures so your LGD is successful.

A good LGD is worth its weight in gold.

Remember your LGD has a tough job! They are in all kinds of weather hot, cold, ice, snow, sleet, or rain. So, be sure to take care of your LGD.

And lastly, READ, READ, READ and ask QUESTIONS. The more useful information you have, the better you will set your LGD up for success.

LGD Timely Tips

Every Tuesday check out our Facebook page @TAMUlivestockguardog for Tuesday’s LGD Tip of the Week!

Since it’s the holiday season, I decided to add a little fun into the timely tips this month.  I hope you enjoy the things that an LGD would like in their Christmas stocking and the 10 things for a Merry LGD Christmas!

 LGD Stocking Stuffers

• Dehydrated mud puddle in a bag, just add water!
• Big bag of sticks for chewing.
• Bale of fresh hay for bedding.
• Little brother/sister that I could train to guard so I can lay in the shade all day.
• Snow, lots and lots of snow!
• A giant bag of Pupperoni Treats.
• A shedding brush.
• Large water trough with cool water for the warm days.
• Big shade tree near a water trough.
• Collar with the name and contact info of my owners.

10 Things for a Merry LGD Xmas

• Restrain them on the night of the 24^th so they don’t scare off Santa and his reindeer.
• A canine calming agent so they don’t bark and wake up the kids while you are putting out the presents you just wrapped at 1a.m.
• A new package of Pupperoni treats so they come to you when you go to catch them in the field.
• A new set of batteries for your flashlight – to see what they are barking at in the night.
• New batteries in the GPS tracker so your kids can find your dog and give him/her their Xmas present.
• Phone number of the local vet on call taped to the fridge if they get into fight with a predator.
• Phone number of the local and regional animal control offices in case your LGD roams on XMAS or is picked up by a “helpful” stranger on a cold XMAS eve and taken 2 towns away.
• ID chip your dog and fill out the contact information online.
• Turn off the holiday blow ups before bed, so your dog doesn’t bark all night at them.
• A lock for the trash can so they don’t get into the leftovers after Christmas dinner.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311. The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board.

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Follow us on Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog

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Home & Work

I can’t believe that we are already at the end of fall with holidays right around the corner.  The boys and I are looking forward to having the holidays in our new home. The dogs have adjusted well to the move and my LGD is guarding the house and yard from several roaming squirrels!

The newest set of pups for the second round of the bonding project arrived in early October and are adjusting well to their new home. These pups are out of the same parents as the Legends of Country Music. For those that follow our Facebook page, Johnny looks just like his mother and Willie looks just like his father.

The new kennel structure is finally completed and in place. It has four pens that are 6 ft x 12 ft in size. All that is left to do is install automatic waterers in the structure. It’s already been used by a few of our dogs and is a great addition to the Texas A&M AgriLife LGD program.

Internal Parasites – Gastrointestinal

This is the fifth and final part of a multi-part series on canine gastrointestinal parasites. The most common type of internal parasites that an owner of LGDs will encounter are worms. There are five main types of worms that your LGD may encounter: roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and flukes. Last month we covered tapeworms and this month we will focus on flukes in LGDs to finish out the series.

Flukes are a class of parasites that can infect dogs and many other types of animals. They have a complex life cycle that can involve multiple intermediate hosts. The typical intermediate host however is a snail. There are three main types of flukes that affect dogs: intestinal, liver and lung. All types of flukes infect dogs through an intermediate host such as mice, snails or fish.

Intestinal flukes generally do not cause illness unless there are large numbers of flukes. Heavy infections can cause intestinal inflammation in the small intestine. Several antiparasitic medications are effective against intestinal flukes. Flukes in the bile ducts and gallbladder cause mild to severe liver disease in dogs. Various species of flukes have been reported from the liver of dogs in most parts of the world. Infections are generally uncommon and mild infections may pass unnoticed. In severe infections, dogs may develop progressive weakness, ending in complete exhaustion and death in some cases.

The adult lung flukes usually live in cysts, primarily in the lungs of dogs. Infection is common in North America with this type of fluke. The eggs from the adult flukes pass through the cyst wall, are coughed up, swallowed, and passed in the feces. The life cycle includes several snails as the first intermediate host and crayfish or crabs as the second. Dogs become infected by eating raw crayfish or crabs that contain the encysted parasite. The young flukes eventually migrate to the lungs where they become established. Infected animals may have a chronic, deep, intermittent cough and eventually become weak and lethargic, although many infections pass unnoticed. Several drugs provide effective treatment for lung fluke infections.

Sources: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/digestive-disorders-of-dogs/gastrointestinal- parasites-of-dogs?query=canine%20internal%20parasites#v3202812, https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/gastrointestinal-parasites-of-small-animals/flukes- in-small-animals

LGD Puppy Bonding Project

Waylon and Johnny are doing well at our research ranch in Menard. They are staying with the livestock but are separating often as the sheep move to different locations on the ranch. The Superhero’s are still doing a great job for us. Thor has begun to roam to a neighboring ranch. We will be moving him to another location where he does not have friends (the Stooges) on the other side of the fence. The Stooges are all doing well, and the producer is still very happy with them.

Laverne, Shirley, Lenny and Squiggy are all doing great.  They were released from the 60ft x 60ft pens in early October.  They are all staying with stock and bonding well. The pair seems to be doing much better walking on a leash and being tethered than the two singles. I noticed this last fall also with the pups in pairs. The single pups in the previous round showed a slightly stronger bond to the stock than the pairs did. I believe the singles don’t want to leash walk as well because they are leaving their charges unguarded. Each time I walk Squiggy, he is always checking the location of his charges.

The four newest pups Doc, Wyatt, Thelma and Louise are adjusting well to their new home.

They arrived in mid-October and are growing fast. They will be placed in pens without hot wire to track their willingness to roam as adults. Wyatt was placed with Shirley to test whether dogs bonded close to headquarters are more likely to return to them as adults.

LGD Breed Spotlight – Polish Tatra

 The Polish Tatra Sheepdog, originated in the Podhale, a small, mountainous region in southern Poland. The area sits against the Tatra range, which are the highest peaks in the Carpathians. Tatras were originally developed as a livestock guardian dog. Outside the U.S., the breed is also used for personal protection, as guard dogs for private property, military/police work, carting, and as guide dogs. Tatras generally do not attack predators but stand their ground and stay with their charges. In their home country, they serve a dual purpose and act as both a herding dog and a guardian dog.

The Tatra is a strong and compactly built dog, with a rectangular body shape. Its body expresses both power and mobility. Their profuse coat is generally pure white. The hair is short and close on the head, muzzle, the front of the forelegs, and below the hock. The neck and body are covered with a long, thick, straight or slightly wavy hair that is hard to the touch. Tatras have a very thick undercoat. The thighs and tail are also covered with long, thick hair.

They are hardy, strong dogs able to work on a minimal diet and withstand cold, harsh temperatures, as well as the hot, dry heat. The Tatras require early socialization- and then throughout their entire life to remain friendly towards people. The Tatra is a large dog, often reaching 24 – 28 inches and 100 to 130 pounds. He has heavy bone, a massive body and is powerfully muscled. World War II brought the breed to the brink of extinction due to the dogs being pressed into military duty. The Polish Kennel Club worked to re-establish the Tatra Dogs following the War. The Tatra is one of the rarest dogs in North America.

Sources: Dohner, Janet Vorwald. Farm Dogs: A Comprehensive Breed Guide to 93 Guardians, Herders, Terriers, and Other Canine Working Partners. Storey Publishing, 2016, https://www.ukcdogs.com/owczarek-podhalanski, https://www.ptsca.com/

Producer Profile

This month’s LGD producer is the Giles Family from Comfort, Texas.

Q: Please describe your ranch.

1. What type of livestock do you have?
2. How many head of stock do your dogs guard?
3. How many acres do your dogs guard?

A: We raise Angus cattle, fine wool sheep, & Angora goats. We have roughly 700 head at different times on the ranch. Our dogs do not always stay with the same herd. They move around as they see fit to cover predator threats. They guard around 2,000 acres as they move around.

Q: How long have you used LGDs?

A: We have had dogs guarding our stock for about 2 ½ years now.

Q: How many dogs do you use?

A: We have four dogs (1 dog for about 2 1/2 years and 3 dogs for 3 months)

Q: Do you prefer a specific LGD breed?

A: No, we don’t prefer a specific breed. We currently have Akbash/Great Pyrenees and Anatolian/Great Pyrenees mixes on the ranch.

Q: Do you have an LGD mentor?

A: Yes, we do. Bill Costanzo at the AgriLife Center in San Angelo and WW Livestock Guard Dogs (where all four of our dogs came from). It’s important to have someone to contact if you are having trouble with your dogs.

Q: What is the biggest thing you would recommend a new LGD user?

A: Our biggest recommendation is to take the necessary time it takes to bond your dog to livestock and to you. It is time consuming, but so worth it in the long run. Properly bonded dogs are much easier to control and stay with your livestock.

Q: What is your favorite LGD/LGD story and why?

A: Pepper (dog we have used the longest) stayed with a nanny that had her head stuck in the fence until we came along to get the nanny out. Once the nanny was loose, Pepper

went on. Pepper wears a GPS tracker. Noticed her tracker kept pinging in the same location on a fence line, which is how we found the nanny that was stuck. Pepper knew she couldn’t get the nanny out of the fence, but maybe she knew we’d find the nanny if she stayed with her.

LGD Timely Tips

Every Tuesday check out our Facebook page @TAMUlivestockguardog for Tuesday’s LGD Tip of the Week!

• Move your LGDs to another field when hunters are on your property to reduce problems between the dogs and hunters.
• Remind hunters not to give treats to your LGDs unless they want them to come back to their blinds for more.
• Having several good pictures of your LGD is important if they need to be identified away from your property. Make sure you have pictures of any special identifying marks.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311. The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board.

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Follow us on Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog

 Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7        6H8mifBA

Home & Work

Change is inevitable and how you deal with it makes the situation easy or difficult.  Sometimes it’s easier to accept the change than fight it if you can.

The boys and I have settled into our new home in town and the dogs are adjusting to city noises.  It is important to allow your LGD time to adjust to new situations that they encounter.  If you move them to a new location or introduce new stock, make sure they bond with those animals and new surroundings.  Make sure they know where feed and water are located.

Progress is continuing on the new kennel structure.  We finished half of it, and we hope to have the structure completed by the end of September.  Its already been used by Waylon with his injured paw.  We will add more tin on the sides once the other half of the structure is in place.

The Fall LGD Field Day in Fredericksburg was cancelled, but we have scheduled monthly webinars in place of it for the foreseeable future.  Our October webinar will be on LGD diseases and is scheduled for October 21.  Check out our Facebook page to register for the event.  @TAMUlivestockguarddog

We recently started an Instagram account also.  You can follow us @tamulivestockguarddog.  You can also check out past webinars on our YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Internal Parasites – Gastrointestinal

This is the fourth part of a multi-part series on canine gastrointestinal parasites. The most common type of internal parasites that an owner of LGDs will encounter are worms.  There are five main types of worms that your LGD may encounter: roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, and flukes.  Last month we covered whipworms and this month we will focus on tapeworms in LGDs.

There are several types of tapeworms that may infect dogs.  Adult tapeworms are segmented worms found in the intestines of dogs.  However, they rarely cause serious disease.  Most urban dogs eat prepared foods and have restricted access to natural prey and usually acquire the common tapeworm from eating fleas.  Livestock guardian dogs on the other hand, have more access to various small mammals, in addition to raw meat and offal from large mammals.  The possibility of exposure to several different tapeworm species can be expected in these dogs and regular deworming is required.   On sheep ranges and wherever wild ungulates and wild canids are common, livestock guardian dogs may acquire the hydatid tapeworm.

Hydatids are primarily parasites of dogs, coyotes and foxes.  Dogs become infected by eating offal containing hydatid cysts.  These cysts have thick walls and may enclose many smaller cysts containing small tapeworm heads, giving them a sandy looking appearance. The cysts develop into adult worms once inside the gut of the dog.  The adults then produce microscopic eggs with thick shells to protect them from environmental extremes.  The eggs are passed into the environment when the dog defaecates and can be spread by insects, wind and water.

Signs of tapeworm infection vary from a failure to digest and absorb food normally, irritability, variable appetite, and shaggy coat to colic and mild diarrhea.  There may be no signs in mild cases.  Tapeworms typically settle in the small intestine of dogs and may break into segments often found in the dog’s feces.  Diagnosis is based on finding tapeworm segments or eggs in the feces or stuck to the hair around the anus of the dog.

To control tapeworms, you need both treatment and prevention of the parasite.  Regular flea control is the critical preventive step for dogs.  Animals that roam freely usually become reinfected by eating dead or prey animals.  Preventing such feeding will limit exposure to other tapeworm species.  Make sure to have your dog examined by a veterinarian regularly and use the proper dewormer at least once a year.

Sources: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/digestive-disorders-of-dogs/gastrointestinal-parasites-of-dogs?query=canine%20internal%20parasites#v3202812, https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_multi_cestodiasis

LGD Puppy Bonding Project

Our newest members of the LGD Bonding Project have arrived!  We held a name the puppy contest at the end of August.  The winning names were Laverne, Shirley, Lenny and Squiggy.  By the time you read this, the four pups will have arrived, and the bonding project will have started. We have added a new phase to the bonding project with two pups being placed in a bonding pen at the Center headquarters to see if dogs bonded in close proximity to buildings, people and vehicles are more likely to roam and seek out those locations vs. dogs bonded away from the headquarters.

The Duke Boys have returned to their owner for further training and bonding.  The Legends of Country Music are being moved to their new home in Menard at our research ranch to guard Dorper sheep that have free access to the entire ranch due to a rangeland ecology research study.  Only Waylon and Johnny are going, as Willie is being returned to his breeder due to a genetic defect in a front leg.  Willie will be guarding livestock on a small piece of property that can provide him the extra care he needs.

LGD Breed Spotlight – Pyrenean Mastiff

While the origin of the Pyrenean Mastiff is not clearly known, it is generally accepted that the breed is descended from dogs brought from Sumeria and Assyria to Spain by the Phoenicians some 3,000 years ago.  Due to the remoteness of the various areas of the Pyrenees Mountains and the rest of the region now known as Spain, the original Molosser dogs developed divergently by region into several livestock guardian breeds.  In 1659, France and Spain signed a decree splitting ownership of the Pyrenees Mountains with the northern area becoming French territory, and the Southern area remaining Spanish territory.  The French area further refined their mastiff developing a white, longer-haired breed, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees), that possessed a more refined head and stature.  The Pyrenean Mountain Dog enjoyed widespread recognition due to its popularity and strong breeding programs, while the Spanish mastiffs in the south continued their work as livestock guardians and remained more massive, primitive, and less homogenous.

In the 1930s and 40s with the disappearance of the wolf and bear from the Pyrenees Mountains, the new reliance on rail to transport sheep, the Spanish Civil War followed by World War II, and a scarcity of food, these noble dogs became almost extinct.  With the return of a pack of wolves to the region in the 1970s, there was once again a need for these dogs, now known as the Pyrenean Mastiff.  A breeding program was designed by enthusiasts that brought the breed back.

Pyrenean Mastiffs have a dense and moderate in length coat that is bristly in texture.  Their hair is usually 2-3 inches in length.  Their double coat color is basically white, with a well-defined mask, and sometimes irregularly distributed, clearly outlined patches of body color that match the mask.  The most desirable color is snow white with patches of medium grey, intensive golden yellow, brown, black, grey-silver, light beige, sandy or marbled.  The dogs mask should be clearly defined.  The tip of the tail and the lower parts of the legs are white.  They can handle dry heat, but humid climates are uncomfortable for them.

Pyrenean Mastiffs are large dogs starting in height at 28 inches with no upper height limit.  They can weigh between 120-240lbs making them one of the larger livestock guardian dog breeds.  This large size can lead to a healthy appetite to maintain its body condition.  Being extremely large, Pyrenean Mastiffs are excellent fence climbers and need quality fences to keep them confined.  Double dew claws are also common in this breed.  While relatively rare, the breed has spread throughout the world with somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 dogs worldwide.

Sources: Dohner, Janet Vorwald. Farm Dogs: A Comprehensive Breed Guide to 93 Guardians, Herders, Terriers, and Other Canine Working Partners. Storey Publishing, 2016,  https://www.ukcdogs.com/pyrenean-mastiff , http://pmusa.pyreneanmastiffclubs.org/default.aspx

Breeder Profile  

This month’s LGD breeder is Katy Siepert from Hamilton, Texas.

Q: Describe your operation/ranch.

1. How many LGDs do you currently own?
2. Explain your LGD program.

A:  My husband and I have a small operation of around 150 sheep and the same number of goats.  We have three dogs that we have owned a while, but also have several pups in training.  The older dogs are great for starting the pups, but one new pup is about enough for an adult dog to train.  Trudy, my oldest dog, had ten pups this time around.  So right now, some of the pups are with the older dogs, but the rest are

on goats and sheep supervised by me.

At about 8-9 weeks we start teaching them to lead and tie. This makes it easier to watch them and correct them as they are put with goats or sheep.   At around 10 weeks they are doing well.  They aren’t staying out full time but for several hours.  By this time, it’s gotten much easier to keep them out with the herd, and the dogs are concerned about the goats or sheep.  This summer was hard because even though these Akbash pups are short haired, they get hot very easily.  If I hadn’t had a creek for them to cool off in, I don’t know I would have persuaded them to stay out in that 106-degree heat!

Q: What got you started in breeding LGDs?

A: Town dogs were killing my goats.  I didn’t really like dogs and had my doubts.  I bought two grown Anatolian/Pyrenees crosses.  One of them was unbelievable.  They were not like any other dogs I had ever known.  Smart to the bone.  Unbelievable.  She chased my neighbor’s dog back to their house – a no good Heinz variety – but the owners to this no count dog shot my wonderful dog.  I never forgot her.  I thought she was one of a kind.  It turns out these dogs are so much smarter than any other dog.  They don’t really “obey” but they do more.  They figure out what you want by watching a few seconds and then they help.  For example, if you are trying to get goats or sheep across a creek, they walk out in the water, turn around and walk back to the bank so the goats or sheep will follow.  I have seen it time after time.

Q: How long have you bred LGDs?

A:  I have been raising livestock guardian dogs for about 30 years now.

Q: Do you prefer a specific breed of LGD?

A: Yes, Akbash as they are resilient enough as pups that a strong head butt from a mean mama goat or sheep won’t discourage them from coming back around, yet sensitive enough that they learn quickly to stay away from their babies.  Akbash truly love their herd which is essential in protecting them.  In the pasture, adult Akbash can be found near the herd under a shade tree or maybe right in the middle of the herd.  They don’t venture far.

Q: What breed of LGD do you raise?

A: The Akbash breed is compassionate, protective, and energetic.  It’s hard to get all three of these in any other lives

tock guardian dog breed as far I as I am concerned.

Q: What is the one thing you wish you knew before starting to breed LGDs?

A: One of the most important things I have learned and would recommend to a new user of LGDs is to not get too many dogs on a herd of goats or sheep.  They like to stay busy and lack of work will lose their interest, especially younger dogs.  If you want to keep them working and aren’t sure how many dogs are needed, start with a low number.  Equally important is when a young pup comes back to the barn, tie them up!  Make it a treat to go out with the herd. Don’t let them become barn dogs! A

dog that saves their owner money from fewer lost goats or sheep is more appreciated than a dog that lies around at the barn.

Q: What is the number one thing you recommend to a new LGD user?

A: The most important thing I would recommend to a new LGD owner is to give their dog or pup a strategy.  At least for a while pen the goats or sheep at evening and feed both the dogs and the sheep at the same time.  The sheep will get in the habit of coming in at the same time and the dogs learn to stay with them.  If the dogs come in early without the sheep or goats, tie them up, but don’t feed them until the sheep come in.  They will learn that they only eat when they are with the goats or sheep.

Q: What is your favorite LGD or LGD story and why?

A:  Every situation is different, so each person must design a program for themselves.  When the dog understands what his owner wants it all begins to click.  Nothing can compare to the comfort in knowing this animal loves your herd as much as you do.

 LGD Timely Tips

Every Tuesday check out our Facebook page @TAMUlivestockguardog for Tuesday’s LGD Tip of the Week!

• 

• Purchase collars with ID tags attached to them to make returning your LGD easier if the roam.
• Make sure to ID chip your LGD in case it is lost and taken to a veterinarian or animal shelter. Most cost about $40 which is a low cost to pay to make sure your LGD is returned to you should it be taken by a person rescuing them from the side of the road.

  

• Use a GPS tracker to easily locate your LGD 24 hours a day. We are currently using the Oyster by Digital Matters.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311. The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board.

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