Author Archives: bill.costanzo
The Guardian Way – November 2022
The cooler temperatures of fall are here, and it has brought some much-needed rain to the San Angelo area. Hunting season has started as well and with that comes plans for dealing with LGDs. Make sure you talk to your hunters about the LGDs on your ranch. Remind them not to feed the dogs or encourage them to hang out near camp or hunting blinds. It can also help to focus hunting efforts on pastures away from livestock and LGDs, although this is not always possible. Try to… Read More →
The Guardian Way – October 2022
Daily temperatures are starting to decline, and fall is coming soon. A chilly winter with normal rainfall is predicted for Texas this year. With fall approaching, now is the time to body condition score your LGDs to make sure they have enough fat cover to keep them in adequate condition through the winter. Dogs have a one to nine body condition scale, and the ideal score is a five. Your LGD should be at least a BCS of four going into the winter months so that it can… Read More →
The Guardian Way – September 2022
Some cooler days finally showed up in late August around San Angelo. There were also a few scattered showers across the area too which were a welcomed sight. They weren’t enough to bring us out of the drought but at least they settled the dust for a day or two! Hopefully we will continue to get some rain to quench the dry fields and grow some feed for the hungry livestock. AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update We will be holding our Fall LGD Field Day… Read More →
The Guardian Way – August 2022
Summer is in full swing with lots of hot days and little rain this year. Many producers are reducing their herds to have feed resources available for the stock they keep. Now would also be a good time to do some health checks and body condition scores of your LGDs. Dogs have a body condition scoring system like livestock. However, instead of five levels, dogs have nine levels of condition scoring. Ideally, LGDs should be kept in a 4 to 5 body condition score (BCS). If your dogs… Read More →
The Guardian Way – July 2022
With lots of 100-degree days ahead of us, it’s important to make sure that your LGDs have access to plenty of cool clean water and trees to lay under for shade. Long haired dogs should be brushed out and/or have their hair trimmed on their chests, bellies, lower sides, and inner legs. Make sure to leave at least ½ inch of hair so that they don’t get sunburned. It is not recommended to clip any other areas of your LGD as clipping can interfere with their coat’s natural… Read More →
The Guardian Way – June 2022
Summer has arrived and I think we have had more days over 100 degrees already than all last year. While the drought hasn’t broken, several of the ranches we manage have received some rain bringing a little bit of optimism. We could still use a lot more rain (or optimism), however. With hot conditions and wet weather, make sure to check your LGD’s neck for hot spots under their collars. They can lead to serious infection if not treated quickly. It’s also that time of the year that… Read More →
The Guardian Way – May 2022
April showers in some parts of Texas helped the beautiful blue bonnets and Indian paintbrush flowers bloom! While the area south of San Angelo got a good soaking the last week of April, San Angelo did not receive as much. We are still anxiously awaiting a good storm at the Center so we can stop buying livestock feed, other than dog food. AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program Events and Update We held our second LGD question and answer session on Facebook in early April. It was great to… Read More →
The Guardian Way – April 2022
Springtime is here, and we are anxiously awaiting April showers to grow May flowers at the AgriLife Center. Lambing and kidding season is upon us. Seasoned LGDs love this time of year. They seem to be quite curious and interested in newborns. Maybe they are developing a connection with the animals that will require a lot of attention to keep predators away. Or maybe they are just anxiously awaiting the opportunity to clean up the afterbirth and placenta. Likely both. Unfortunately, younger dogs can be a bit too… Read More →
The Guardian Way – March 2022
AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program Update Our Spring 2022 LGD Field Day is scheduled for May 13 from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. in Crockett County. The event will be held at the Crockett County 4-H Barn at 1301 Avenue AA, Ozona, Texas. Contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Crockett County at 325-392-2721 to register for the event. Presentation topics will include health care, nutrition, and GPS trackers. There will be a producer panel and tours of ranching operations utilizing LGDs to protect small ruminants. Check… Read More →
The Guardian Way – February 2022
AgriLife LGD Program Update On Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at 3 p.m. Lauren Stump, DVM, from Nestle Purina will be the featured guest speaker for the LGD webinar series, titled “Canine Nutrition for Working LGDs.” Here is the link to register for the webinar. In addition, the webinar will be broadcast live on our k page. The video will be recorded and posted to our YouTube Channel as well. We have scheduled our Spring 2022 LGD Field Day for May 13 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in Crockett County. … Read More →
