The weather is getting cooler, and fall is upon us. Now is the time to ensure your LGDs are in proper body condition. If they have lost their condition from the summer heat, add more fat and protein to their diet. Changing feeds or adding extra calories through supplements can help increase your dog’s BCS in time for spring lambing and kidding. Your LGD should have a body condition score of 4.5 to 5 by the spring season.  AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events Please mark… Read More →

Roaming is one of the most significant issues with LGDs, but there is very little published literature on this topic. Many research articles are available on the dogs’ movements about livestock or their general movements in a pasture, but not on roaming. Roaming is the random travel of LGDs outside their pasture boundaries away from livestock. The reason for their trip may be predators, but often, the dogs travel in a straight line as if they are headed to a particular location over many miles. The reason for… Read More →

Summer heat and high humidity can be a severe problem for LGDs, especially the long-haired breeds. Heat exhaustion (hyperthermia) and heat stroke can occur rapidly in LGDs and can even lead to death. I recently lost my lead male LGD Brutus to heat stroke on a not overly hot or humid day. Brutus was a 7 ½-year-old male Maremma x Akbash x Great Pyrenees. He had suffered heat exhaustion last summer. After that incident, we watched the heat index daily for any spikes. We also ensured he was… Read More →

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 →

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 →

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 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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →