Post by gardengranny(KS) on Jul 25, 2011 22:54:32 GMT -5
I would love advice on this. I had posted awhile back on whether or not I may need a LGD. It seems that most thought an older dog would be best for my situation.
To refresh, we live on the edge of a very tiny rural town and I have chickens and so far just two dairy goats. We have a family of fox living across the road which have been eating very well (my pullets). Last winter before I got our goats I saw two coyotes in the back yard, just recently my daughter was out closing up the chickens and a racoon was wandering into the yard. The neighbor saw a young cougar early one morning on her way to work.
My concern is that when the goats kid will they be targets for the predators. The pen I have made for the kids is a 4 foot chain link fence. The goat pen is made with cattle panels. The fox has been in the goat pen.
Now for my question, I have found a 2 year old female Gr. Pyr. I called and asked about her. She is out of working parents and the people who have her live in the city. Please let me know if this is something that I may want to consider.
Below is the letter they sent to me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holly, Guennivere has been a city dog so far so I don't have a perfect answer about how she would do with livestock, she has been around chickens before and does fine with them, but I don't know how she would do with goats (never been exposed to them). She has cats and children that she feels are her responsibility and watches over them very carefully and lovingly (gets very nervous if the kids are outside and she is inside. She is a very very good watch dog, she has notified us of 2 small fires, and is always on the alert, and notifies us anytime someone/something is near the house even across the street. She is very friendly with new people and is always excited to meet someone, she can be a little scary for kids because of her size (she is small for a great Pyrenees at about 110lbs) but has been great with kids the 2 years we have had her. She likes to find a cool quiet spot and "nap" with 1 eye open all day. A hobby farm is the ideal place for her in my mind as she would really thrive with more space than she has here in town, our neighbors call the police every time she barks at anything so she is cooped up a lot.
To refresh, we live on the edge of a very tiny rural town and I have chickens and so far just two dairy goats. We have a family of fox living across the road which have been eating very well (my pullets). Last winter before I got our goats I saw two coyotes in the back yard, just recently my daughter was out closing up the chickens and a racoon was wandering into the yard. The neighbor saw a young cougar early one morning on her way to work.
My concern is that when the goats kid will they be targets for the predators. The pen I have made for the kids is a 4 foot chain link fence. The goat pen is made with cattle panels. The fox has been in the goat pen.
Now for my question, I have found a 2 year old female Gr. Pyr. I called and asked about her. She is out of working parents and the people who have her live in the city. Please let me know if this is something that I may want to consider.
Below is the letter they sent to me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Holly, Guennivere has been a city dog so far so I don't have a perfect answer about how she would do with livestock, she has been around chickens before and does fine with them, but I don't know how she would do with goats (never been exposed to them). She has cats and children that she feels are her responsibility and watches over them very carefully and lovingly (gets very nervous if the kids are outside and she is inside. She is a very very good watch dog, she has notified us of 2 small fires, and is always on the alert, and notifies us anytime someone/something is near the house even across the street. She is very friendly with new people and is always excited to meet someone, she can be a little scary for kids because of her size (she is small for a great Pyrenees at about 110lbs) but has been great with kids the 2 years we have had her. She likes to find a cool quiet spot and "nap" with 1 eye open all day. A hobby farm is the ideal place for her in my mind as she would really thrive with more space than she has here in town, our neighbors call the police every time she barks at anything so she is cooped up a lot.