The Pros And Cons Of Incarcerated Dogs

Since starting our small farm we have learned a lot of things about keeping animals. One thing that we learned was that you need some form of protection from predators for the livestock. When we first moved in we were the only humans on our road. The coyotes would sound like they were a rocks throw from the door when I would let our little Chihuahuas outside. I'm not normally afraid of a lot of critters, but coyotes do scare me. The loud, haunting yipping would cause the hairs on my neck to stand up and I would gather all of my small, yappy dogs to rush inside. I realized then that Chihuahuas, although they may think they are big, scary dogs, are not good farm dogs. We then got ourselves a farm dog. She is a black Labrador mixed with border collie. She's a great yard dog. She lays around outside all day and doesn't bother the chickens or the ducks. She runs around and barks and thinks she is chasing small critters

There is a big difference between a farm dog and a livestock guardian dog. There are a few different LGD breeds. There were a lot of pros and cons with having livestock guardian dogs, because they are very different than having any old farm dog. I decided on the Great Pyrenees. The Great Pyrenees is well known for being guardians for sheep and goats in the French Pyrenees mountains. The breed was considered the royal dog of France in 1675, decreed by King Louis XIV. History shows the Great Pyrenees, although not named Great Pyrenees at that time, dating back to 10,000 b.c in Asia minor as a flock guardian dog. Their loyal, calm disposition makes them great family guard dogs, and their ability to think on their own and make decisions that pertain to their flock make them extraordinary livestock guardians. They are fierce protectors of their flocks and are able to fight off coyotes and wolves and I even read they can take on a bear if