Great idea for larger livestock, such as sheep, goats, cattle, etc.; but generally not such a great idea for chickens. Even trained livestock guardian dogs that are good with other animals have been known to kill chickens and other small fowl.
Our dog Lolo is half Great Pyrenees, a commonly guardian breed in our area, but apparently he never read the part where he was supposed to protect the chickens, and not chase and kill them.
He's already killed one of my chickens and a breeding rabbit, though I blame myself, as in both cases they had gotten out of their enclosures, without which he wouldn't have been able to reach them.
I'm not about to blame a dog for being a dog.
We would like to get milk goats, and eventually a milk cow or two, and at that point we will invest in a pair of LGDs, as they are far better protection against large predators than is fencing alone.
And the livestock is happier - and less stressed - knowing that they are protected.
I have a friend who lives in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, and she used to have a male Llama as a livestock guardian for her herd of alpacas and sheep; and one day when she had taken her daughters to town, a neighbor videoed the llama literally chasing away a large black bear that was menacing her herd. It even made their local paper.
Great idea for larger livestock, such as sheep, goats, cattle, etc.; but generally not such a great idea for chickens. Even trained livestock guardian dogs that are good with other animals have been known to kill chickens and other small fowl.
Our dog Lolo is half Great Pyrenees, a commonly guardian breed in our area, but apparently he never read the part where he was supposed to protect the chickens, and not chase and kill them.
He's already killed one of my chickens and a breeding rabbit, though I blame myself, as in both cases they had gotten out of their enclosures, without which he wouldn't have been able to reach them.
I'm not about to blame a dog for being a dog.
We would like to get milk goats, and eventually a milk cow or two, and at that point we will invest in a pair of LGDs, as they are far better protection against large predators than is fencing alone.
And the livestock is happier - and less stressed - knowing that they are protected.
I have a friend who lives in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, and she used to have a male Llama as a livestock guardian for her herd of alpacas and sheep; and one day when she had taken her daughters to town, a neighbor videoed the llama literally chasing away a large black bear that was menacing her herd. It even made their local paper.
I'd LOVE to have seen that!