Great Pyrenees

Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD)

We chose the Great Pyrenees to guard our goats and farm.  They live with the goats.  We also handle our dogs.  We pet them, trim their nails, brush them out, give shots, etc., as needed.  We did not just turn them out and that was it.  Tried that on other's advice and it did not work for us.

So our dogs live with the goats.  They see us daily as we see the goats multiple times a day.  They might come up to greet us, be petted or they might not.  They always return to their goats and pastures.  This is what works for us and we have not lost one goat to predators. 

Samson, Delilah and Abbie are absolutely wonderful guardians.  Nothing enters their pastures and lives to tell the tale.

We purchased all three of our guardians within days of each other, they have been raised together and they played together while growing up, that way they did not play with our goats. 

We do separate our dogs and goats at feeding time, as the goats prefer the dog food and the dogs will eat the goat food.  So twice a day the dogs go to the lower pasture to eat and the goats come up to the barn to eat.

Samson

Abbie and Delilah

Delilah

If you are starting out with puppies for future guards I highly recommend you start out with at least two of them.  One puppy on it's own in your goat pasture or your chicken coop is NOT a good thing.  All puppies chew and play and if they don't have someone else to play with guess what they are going to play with?  Your goats, chickens etc., then it's to late.