How to Select an LGD Puppy – Part 2 This is the final part of a two-part series on selection of a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) puppy. Hopefully after reading this article producers will be able to make a more informed decision on selecting an LGD puppy. I would again like to thank all the LGD breeders in our local area, AgriLife Staff and other university staff across the nation for providing input into this valuable project for livestock producers. Look for a pup with a calm temperament… Read More →

How to Select an LGD Puppy – Part 1 This is the first part of a two-part series on selection of a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) puppy. I frequently get questions from producers new to LGDs about how they should select a puppy. Many of them have purchased yearling or older dogs for their first LGD and now want to train their own LGD. I would like to thank all the LGD breeders in our local area, AgriLife Staff and other university staff across the nation for providing… Read More →

Proper Diets for LGDs Don’t be penny wise and a pound foolish when it comes to feeding your LGD!  Proper nutrition for you LGDs is extremely important if you want them to consistently perform at their optimum level while protecting your herd.  We recommend that you feed your LGD a high-quality dog food with animal protein as the first ingredient with a high protein and fat content.  This type of kibble will provide your LGD a balanced diet to meet their daily requirements throughout the year. According to… Read More →

Feeding Systems for LGDs: One of the most common questions that producers with LGDs have is about is feeding their dog/s.  Most owners choose to use self-feeders for convenience.  There are several options available in a range of prices with and without automation.  Using a self-feeder will keep you from being locked into a specific time to feed the dogs.  It also means there is always free choice food available to the dogs, so they’re never away from the herd looking for food.  They seem to stay quite… Read More →

How LGDs Interact with Predators Many producers complain that all their LGD does is bark from early evening through the night and into the early morning.  Why do LGDs bark all the time? As reviewed last month in the article “Do LGDs Need to be Aggressive?”, LGDs use three different methods that have been bred into them for 1000’s of years to control predation.  According to research by Dr. Van Bommel of the Australian National University, LGDs control predators in three ways: territorial exclusion, disruption and confrontation.  … Read More →

Do LGDs need to be aggressive? If producers feel like they need to find more aggressive dogs they first should determine if they have predators that normal LGDs can’t control.  From our experience and discussion with Texas ranchers using LGDs, this is not a problem.  On the other hand, issues that are problems with many LGDs, such as roaming, being too fearful of humans, and rough behavior with livestock could be made worse by selecting more aggressive LGDs.  While it is important for an LGD to protect their… Read More →

Why LGDs harm livestock Fall has arrived and winter is coming soon! This typically means breeding season for many sheep and goat producers.  Make sure that you keep an eye on your dogs if this is their first breeding season.  Breeding rams or billies introduced to a flock/herd of females may be perceived as a threat by LGDs.  They may try to keep their females away from the males or attack the bucks.  By keeping a watchful eye on your young dogs, you can discourage this behavior and… Read More →

Update: October 4, 2019   October tends to be a slow month for most LGDs.  But it may be the best month to do a little “housekeeping” and get ready for some challenging months to come.  Check out our timely tips at the end of this blog. On September 17 Scott Anderson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension agent in Brown County, held a workshop on predator control in Brownwood.  He had over 60 people attend the event and had a great set of guest speakers.  I presented on “Improving… Read More →

Texas A&M AgriLife Research currently has 22 livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) to protect sheep and goats at  four separate locations.  The amounts of LGDs at each site vary based on predation, stocking levels, terrain and research projects.  These LGDs are located in Crockett, Menard, Sutton and Tom Green counties.  Six of these LGDs are puppies that are part of a bonding project located at the AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo. The six puppies are split into four one-acre bonding pens.  Two of the bonding pens… Read More →

This page will be updated monthly with information about livestock guardian dogs, and it will also provide regular updates on the livestock guardian dog program at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center in San Angelo TX.  You will be able to sign up for automatic updates via email which will be sent to your inbox every time the blog is updated. Read More →