• Home
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Family
    • Frenchies
    • Meet the gang
  • Blog
  • Farm Class
    • About Farm Classes
    • Summer 1 Farm Classes
    • Summer 2 Farm Classes
  • Online Courses & Consulting
  • SHOP
    • Farm Store
      • Farm-to-Table Goods
      • Apparel
      • Amazon Favorites
  • Modern Homesteading
    • Homesteading Tips
    • Goats
    • Chickens
    • Ducks
    • Livestock Guardian Dogs
    • Gardening
    • Farmhouse
    • Recipes
  • Essential Oils
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

FRENCHIE FARM

Regenerative Farming & Farm Classes

in Livestock Guardian Dogs

Raising livestock guardian dogs: what you need to know

Thinking about raising livestock guardian dogs on your farm, but not sure where to start? I’m sharing some of our favorite items to make raising livestock guardian dogs as easy as possible.

Frenchie Farm raising livestock guardian dogs

Raising livestock guardian dogs

Soon after moving to the farm, we noticed a significant amount of coyote behavior in the pastures. We weren’t surprised – coyotes are extremely brazen in our area and are known to casually walk through neighborhoods completely unfazed by humans. Our farm was also vacant for 15+ years, so the wildlife activity was extremely high. Finding a coyote here and there is inevitable, but finding one lurking in the back pasture multiple mornings per week in clear sight of the chicken coop while staring at me? No thanks. Finding hundreds of coyotes tracks right outside our fencing every time it snowed? I’ll take a pass.

I wanted to feel safe and confident with our kids running around on the farm, but the amount of coyotes made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Not to mention, our almost 100 animals clearly needed some extra protection from predators! After spending months attempting to convince my husband, we finally decided to start raising livestock guardian dogs on our homestead. Since adding our two Great Pyrenees to the farm, our coyote problem has virtually been eliminated. I haven’t seen a coyote in months, and I’ve seen perhaps a total of two since bringing our pups home. I’m not naive to the fact that coyotes still roam the farm at night, and sometimes I can still hear them yipping. But now when I hear our LGD’s barking at 2AM, I know it’s because they can either see or sense that something is out of place on the farm, and that gives me a whole lot of comfort.

Frenchie Farm

LGD’s are working dogs

When raising livestock guardian dogs, it’s important to remember that they take their jobs very seriously. Their primarily responsibility is to protect their pack. This not only includes livestock, but also includes their humans. I highly discourage approaching a livestock guardian dog for the first time without the owner present. Remember – their job is to protect, so they may perceive you as a threat. The way our pups watch their humans while we do chores and the kids run around makes my heart so happy. They are simultaneously the most gentle, yet ferocious, dogs around.

Okay, did I convince you to start raising livestock guardian dogs on your farm yet?! If yes, then check out some of our favorite items to make the process go smoothly below.

Raising livestock guardian dogs: Grooming & Health Maintenance

  • Shedding Brush: Great Pyrenees grow a thick coat for winter, which means they shed A LOT come spring time. Their coat easily becomes matted, so it’s important to brush them regularly. Skip the fancy brushes in favor of this Wahl option. (slightly different than ours, but Amazon option here.)
  • Grain Free Food: When raising livestock guardian dogs, it’s important to feed a high quality, grain free food. (If raw food is in your budget, then even better.) We’ve been using the WholeHearted grain free food with good results.
  • Heartworm: As always, dogs need a monthly Heartworm preventative. Be sure to take your new pups to the vet as soon as possible after bringing them home to your farm, and don’t forget to get a fecal test done. Both Otis and Leroy tested positive for intestinal parasites immediately after we picked them up, which could have caused long-term health consequences if they weren’t treated properly. Thankfully, our pups tested negative for parasites during their follow up test. Not only does Heartguard protect against Heartworm, but it is also used a preventative (and treatment) for various intestinal parasites as well. Your vet will prescribe this medication.
  • Flea/Tick: Our LGD’s live outside 100% of the time, which means that it’s extra important for them to have monthly flea/tick prevention.

Raising livestock guardian dogs: Training

  • GPS tracker: Great Pyrenees are known roamers and love exploring their boundary lines. Although we have electric fencing, I worried that our pups would escape the fencing (it happened immediately after we brought them home), so we started putting a GPS tracker on them at night. A few cons – the tracker is not overly-secure on the collar and has fallen off (and consequently, became a chew toy for our curious puppies.) Sometimes the GPS tracker also loses signal and shows that your pup left the boundaries, when in actuality they didn’t. It’s not perfect, but also calmed my nerves the first few weeks.)
  • Shock collar: when using a shock collar for training purposes, please be responsible. We have not needed to use our shock collars in month.

And that’s it! Raising livestock guardian dogs is such a wonderful experience. Watching your pups come into their own and become the primarily protectors of their pack is so rewarding!

Leave a Comment

Previous Post: « Preserving food at home & best gardening tools
Next Post: Farm Classes for Kids at Frenchie Farm »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Footer

Frenchie Farm

Frenchie Farm

Follow Frenchie Farm

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Looking for something?

Amazon Disclosure

Frenchie Farm is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Follow along on Instagram

the_frenchiefarm

Colleen 🐐🐓🐶
Well, despite my denial, I suppose that it’s off Well, despite my denial, I suppose that it’s officially fall 🍁 I tend to hold onto summer time as long as possible, especially because the bitter cold winter months are brutal in Chicago. With that being said, I’m learning to appreciate all of the seasonal changes that naturally occur on the farm, even if they aren’t my favorite 😉 Early morning chores are filled with brisk air while fog covers the rising sun. It’s beautiful in its own unique way, and maybe one day I’ll love the changing seasons as much as I love the summer heat. Or maybe I’ll move somewhere warmer in another life, who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️
.
.
Do you prefer the heat or cold fall days?
After such an emotional weekend, I woke up feel ex After such an emotional weekend, I woke up feel extra drained today. I wanted to press snooze when my alarm went off, but I decided to get up early for a quick workout and chores instead. And gosh, isn’t it crazy how those simple decisions turn your day around right from the start? Plus, seeing these boys run toward me every morning is simply the best.
.
.
What are some things that energize you after a rough few days?
Today was hard. . . Today was processing day for o Today was hard.
.
.
Today was processing day for our first round of meat chickens, and I’ve spent much of the last 24 hours crying. I said my good byes this morning, and I feel grateful for Ben taking care of the logistics. Does it get easier? Is it supposed to? I don’t know.
.
.
I usually share the fun, light hearted parts of homesteading. This part just feels hard. And sad. And I feel a lot of guilt. I feel comforted by the life we gave to our birds, but also guilty that we’re the ones who took it away. 
.
.
Homesteading is just really hard.
Tomorrow is the day that I’ve been dreading for Tomorrow is the day that I’ve been dreading for quite some time - processing day for our first ever round of meat chickens. As a previous vegan, I’m struggling. I’d be lying if I said that I’m not tearing up typing this, or that I didn’t tear up while walking by their pasture during chores tonight. This part is really hard.
.
.
But here’s the thing - I don’t think “hard” is a bad thing. Actually, it’s a good thing. Because if we don’t have a level of guilt and appreciation for animals, then there’s something seriously wrong ... and that’s exactly what’s wrong with our current food supply system. 
.
.
So I’ll continue to feel guilty, because I SHOULD. And I’ll continue to feel grateful, because I SHOULD. And I’ll continue to feel really sad knowing that I’m responsible for loss, because I SHOULD.
.
.
And the second I lose sight of that guilt and gratitude? Well, that won’t happen. Trust me ❤️
Nope, that’s not my incredible white farmhouse, Nope, that’s not my incredible white farmhouse,  but maybe one day ours will looks similar! 🙌🏼 Have you met my friend Maddy over at @addisonfarmssc? We’ve been friends on these little squares for quite some time, and holy moly, she’s definitely #onetofollow ! 
.
.
From her perfectly beautiful farmhouse to her darling farm with a major swoon worthy garden and beautiful horses, I’m just in love. Plus she’s the sweetest, so you should head over to her account and give her a follow! ❤️ Happy Friday, friends!
The face your LGD makes when the bucks try to flir The face your LGD makes when the bucks try to flirt and blubber at them 🤣 MOM?! HELP ME!
.
.
Swipe to see the progression 🤣 These sweet boys are simply the most patient, yet ferocious pups around! What are your LGD’s like?
The moment you realize that you literally have the The moment you realize that you literally have the most handsome buck ever 🙌🏼 Chester is a rather refined buck - he prefers to stand majestically while the other two crazy boys do all sorts of weird things, including but not limited to, flaring their lips, blubbering, flirting, and drinking pee 🤢 What kind of questionable things do your bucks do?
Tomorrow marks our first (official) day of homesch Tomorrow marks our first (official) day of homeschool preschool, but when you live on a farm, aren’t you always “schooling” one way or the other anyway?
.
.
Well before COVID, I started thinking about homeschooling our kids. I didn’t understand the reason for being drawn toward homeschooling, but now it all makes sense and feels like the perfect decision for our family. I’m loving how sweet and cozy this homeschool room feels, and I hope our little ones grow to love learning here too ❤️ I know some of you are homeschooling pros, so I would love to hear any tips!
When the new @beekman1802 Bloom Cream is incredibl When the new @beekman1802 Bloom Cream is incredibly moisturizing, formulated with goat milk, AND packed with probiotics, the goats can’t help but check it out! #ad 🐐 I’ve been using the newest Bloom Cream moisturizer for the past few weeks and I’ve been LOVING it! It’s an incredible mix of super hydrating, gentle, and light weight all mixed into one. Perfect way to re-hydrate after long days on the farm.
.
.
@beekman1802 also recently launched at @ultabeauty, so it couldn’t be any more convenient to try out a few new clinically kind goat milk skincare products! Shop in store or online - you’ll thank me later 😉 What are some of your favorite skincare products? @beekman1802 @ultabeauty #beekmanblooms
Eggs, eggs, eggs! Between beautiful duck eggs and Eggs, eggs, eggs! Between beautiful duck eggs and rainbow chicken eggs - give me all the eggs 🙌🏼 We’re drowning in eggs, which means we have more than enough to share with our farm class friends during their final week of class. 
.
.
So much to be grateful for, and so many scrambled eggs, frittatas, egg bakes, paleo pancakes, etc! What are some of your favorite ways to use up extra eggs?
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. Your server might also be unable to connect to Instagram at this time.

Copyright © 2021 · Market theme by Restored 316