Category Archives: Guardian Dog
The Guardian Way – August 2024
The summer heat and some moisture across the state have increased the number of flies in many locations. It is important to watch your LGDs for signs of a fly strike. We see it very often in short-haired LGD breeds, but it can also occur in long-haired LGDs. We use three products on our dogs that are susceptible to fly strikes. All three products from Farnam are commonly found in feed and farm stores. We use Swat ointment and a long-acting fly spray as preventative measures for dogs…. Read More →
The Guardian Way – July 2024
This blog has often emphasized the importance of tick control, particularly for controlling Ehrlichiosis, a bacterial disease, spreading farther north of I-10 every year. While we use regular flea/tick control products, it’s crucial to note that not all products control all ticks for the same length. I urge you to read all the product inserts and do your due diligence to inform yourself of what a product does and does not control for a specified period. We tragically lost Johnny from round two of the bonding project in… Read More →
The Guardian Way – June 2024
A friend recently shared a thought-provoking Facebook post with me, which I found deeply resonating with the spirit of LGDs. I shared it on our Facebook page in May, and I thought it would be fitting to include it in this month’s blog, as it beautifully captures the essence of these remarkable animals. “An LGD Never Retires” – author unknown. At some point in time, the young LGD becomes the old LGD. He can’t run as fast anymore, if at all. His claws have been worn smooth, and… Read More →
The Guardian Way – May 2024
The 2nd Annual Trapping Clinic hosted by the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board and TSGRA was held at the Williams Ranch in mid-April in Goldthwaite, TX. The three-day seminar was an excellent training event on how to trap and snare predators. Presentations on predator ID, drones, site selection, and types of traps were given, along with direct demonstrations by the instructors. Participants were encouraged to practice setting traps independently on the event’s second day. All the instructors at the event were well-versed in predator control, and… Read More →
The Guardian Way – April 2024
Rainy days in February and March have led to spring flowers across pastures and roadsides in Texas. It’s the prettiest time of the year in the Lone Star State. Spring lambing and kidding are underway, and predators are on the prowl. Ensure you adequately feed your LGDs during this time, as they burn many calories, protecting lambs and kids from predators. Afterbirth and dead newborns are not adequate nutrition for your LGDs during this season. Purchase a good quality kibble with animal protein as the first ingredient. AgriLife… Read More →
The Guardian Way – March 2024
Rain has been falling regularly across the state’s eastern side, which is a welcome sight for ranchers. We received over 5 inches of rain in one day, which caused a lot of flooding and mud to deal with afterward. This is a good problem to have for thirsty pastures. I hope that these rain events will occur in all regions of the state. AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events Our next event will be our annual LGD Field Day on April 26. from 8 a.m.-4 p.m…. Read More →
The Guardian Way – February 2024
Winter has arrived in Texas! Severe freezing weather and rain hit parts of the state last month, closing businesses and schools. More wet, wintry weather is expected this month. It is essential to make sure you are prepared for the weather and have shelter ready should you need it for your LGDs. All purebred LGD breeds have a double hair coat, and the long-haired dogs can withstand extreme temperatures. However, if your dogs are wet from heavy rains and exposed to below-freezing temperatures along with strong wind, the… Read More →
The Guardian Way – January 2024
I received some sad news one afternoon last month. One of our LGDs, Doc Holiday, aka “Doc” from round three of the bonding project, was hit and killed by a vehicle outside of the AgriLife Center on Highway 87 N. Those following our Facebook page may remember seeing posts about Doc and Thelma hugging as puppies, roaming long distances from the ranch in Menard, and finally receiving invisible fence training to stop the roaming. The invisible fence training worked well for these LGDs, and their wandering almost completely… Read More →
The Guardian Way – December 2023
Hunting season is underway, and reminding hunters that LGDs are in use on your ranches is essential. Frequent reminders to your hunters to not feed or socialize with your LGDs will help keep conflicts to a minimum. Move LGDs to other pastures that hunters may not use or kennel the dogs on weekends when possible. Your dogs could use the rest and extra food in the winter months ahead. Reminding hunters to clean deer and leave carcasses in designated areas also helps keep the dogs away from the… Read More →
The Guardian Way – November 2023
The cooler days of fall have finally arrived, and it appears we are headed out of the drought! Long-range forecasts continue to show above-average rainfall this spring and slightly below-normal temperatures. Now is the time to ensure your LGDs are in proper body condition to handle the cooler winter temperatures and the stress of spring lambing and kidding that will quickly follow in the spring. An excellent body condition scoring sheet can be found online that we use to score our dogs. AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update… Read More →