In Cathy Isom’s previous report, she told us about livestock guard dogs. Today’s report, Taylor Hillman, sitting in for Cathy, gives us a little information about the best breeds for Livestock Guard Dogs and where to find them. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Best Breeds of Livestock Guard Dogs
Not just any dog can take on the task of being a true work animal, guarding livestock and keeping predators at bay.
There are several dozen breeds, actually. But the absolute very best L-G-D’s to keep tabs on ranchers most valuable resource 
include:
- The Great Pyrenees. The most widely used in America.
- Anatolian Shepherds. A breed which is historically known to be left alone with livestock for extended periods of time.
- Akbash. A Turkish breed with notably fluffy hair and a smaller frame than other LGD’s.
- And also Maremma Sheepdogs. Which is fiercely loyal to the herd but could care less about people.
The key to finding these breeds depends on how you do your homework. The best places to start are breed association websites, which can provide a list of reputable breeders throughout the country.
By contacting farmers who own LGD’s to see how they found their dogs. If they are selling puppies or perhaps even a mature, trained animal. Even better if you could find a dog that has been raised by a working Livestock Guard Dog among livestock. Preferably the same species that you intend for it to work with.
Expect to pay a minimum of $500 dollars for a puppy or $1,000 for an adult, and even twice that for some of the less common breeds.
For Cathy Isom, I’m Taylor Hillman…
Image credit: (lower right) A Great Pyrenees named Tavish./Source=Flickr /Author=Flickr/Mike Baird