Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo

Johnny in 2022 with some of his goats in Menard. AgriLife picture courtesy of Costanzo 2022.

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 2020 (Male Legends of Country Music) last month to complications from the tick disease Ehrlichiosis. Even though Johnny was current on his tick control product last year, he still contracted the infection. Some strains of the disease attach to the spinal column and can cause the dogs to have difficulty walking. We discovered Johnny could not use his back legs on the morning of June 12th. We immediately took him to the vet. After a complete examination, our veterinarian determined that his prognosis for recovery was extraordinarily slim and recommended that we euthanize him as he was in pain.

Johnny, a beloved member of our LGD group, always had a silly smile. He was a friendly dog who hated feral hogs, a trait that endeared him to many. You may remember his multiple trips to the vet over the last few years from getting gored on his sides and shoulders. His last day on guard was 6-12-24.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events

Please mark your calendars for our next online seminar on September 19th at 3 pm CST. We’re thrilled to have Dr. Julie Young from Utah State University, a renowned expert in LGDs, share her extensive knowledge, research, and insights. This enlightening event is a golden opportunity for all LGD enthusiasts to learn about her research. To secure your spot, watch the events page on our website in late July. The workshop will be hosted on Zoom, ensuring easy access for all, and as always, it is free!

Get ready for the annual AgriLife Center Field Day, a day filled with informative sessions and engaging activities, to be held on Aug.16 at the Center in San Angelo. This will be followed by the highly anticipated Texas Sheep and Goat Expo at the Spur Arena on Aug. 16 – 17. As part of the Expo, we’re hosting an LGD workshop on Aug.16, a fantastic opportunity for producers to enhance their knowledge and skills.  Producers can register for the field day and expo on the AgriLife Center – San Angelo’s events page. And don’t forget; the Texas LGD Association will hold its annual in-person meeting after the Expo ends on August 17th in the lobby of the Spur Arena.

If you are looking for information on LGDs, make sure to check out our website. It contains factsheets, research from around the world on LGDs, and case studies we have conducted.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

The “Old-Fashioned Gals,” “Gun Dogs,” and “Top Guns” dogs will all graduate from the bonding project this month. Except for Mabel, the producers are happy with how the dogs have turned out.  Mabel is not staying with the herd of goats the producer wanted her to guard.  She is not roaming off the ranch, but she is staying with a different group of animals and spending a lot of time near a barn and a set of corrals. The producer had the same issue with two previous dogs, which leads me to believe that something is drawing the dogs to this location for some reason. It’s not the ranch headquarters. No one frequents the area other than to feed a couple of horses. Mabel is not fed at the location and leaves to get fed at her feeding station on the other side of the hill. Livestock only come to the area to get water and then leave. We installed trackers on her and the livestock she is supposed to guard, but she is rarely with them. I’ve contacted a couple of canine behaviorists, but we can’t determine why the dogs continually return to this area.

Round Six Dogs

The pups have been out of their bonding pens since mid-June and are doing well. The “Santas Reindeer” and “L girls” pups were placed into

Picture of the four bonding pens, (red rectangles) and the two training pastures (blue polygons). AgriLife picture courtesy of Google Earth 2020.

training pastures of approximately 100 acres. Both sets of pups are wearing either the Invisible Fence Brand or the SpotOn Fence e-collars to continue teaching respect for fence boundaries. Both current systems have pros and cons to the units. The companies have taken our recommendations to develop new, more user-friendly systems for livestock guardian dogs. Check our Facebook page and this blog for more updates on the invisible fence systems used in the bonding project.

 In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please remember to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

If you have feedback on this article or would like to suggest topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311. The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

 Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Remember to check out the Texas LGD Association online! You can follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation or visit its website.

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 perched on a high spot overlooking his charges. AgriLife picture courtesy of Becky Wofford 2023.

“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 his few teeth are no longer sharp. His joints ache, he is no longer slender and muscular, and his hearing and eyesight are no longer acute and keen. He has passed his watch over the flock to the younger pups he taught and raised. Occasionally, he passes some of his pups while he wanders amongst the flock; those pups who remember him present themselves with courtesy and respect. Other young pups ignore him, not knowing who he is or recognizing the scars he has earned from fighting predators over the years.

But, when the wolf arrives, the one thing that has not left the old LGD is his indomitable spirit; he still yearns for the fight with the wolf. The younger LGDs rush to protect the flock, and despite the wear of time and age, the older LGD runs in alongside them, a testament to his unwavering dedication.

There are times when the old LGD confronts the wolf alone by himself. The wolf appears, and the younger LGDs, for whatever reason, are not around – they can’t be everywhere at once. The wolf circles and snarls; he isn’t afraid of the old dog. Yet, it is still within the old LGD to rise up, take a stance, bare his teeth, and growl. He will still take on that wolf, for he still protects the flock and will, as he always has, to the end of his life if necessary. He does this because it is who he is, what he is, an LGD!

This unwavering determination is a testament to the indomitable spirit of the LGD that protects our livestock daily.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events

Our next online seminar, scheduled for Aug. 22, will feature Dr. Julie Young, who will share her extensive knowledge, research, and insights on LGDs. This enlightening event is a must-attend for all LGD enthusiasts. To register, please check the events page on our website in late July. The workshop will be hosted on Zoom, ensuring easy access for all, and as always, it is free!

The annual AgriLife Center Field Day will be held on Aug.16 at the Center in San Angelo, followed by the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo at the Spur Arena on Aug. 16 – 17. This year, an LGD workshop will be held during the Expo on Aug.16.  Producers can register for the field day and expo on the AgriLife Center – San Angelo’s events page. The Texas LGD Association will also hold its annual in-person meeting after the Expo ends on Aug. 17 in the lobby of the Spur Arena.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

Pearl anxiously runs to greet us! AgriLife picture courtesy of Costanzo 2024.

I visited all the producers recently to check on the dogs and see how the pups are progressing. Pearl is doing much better and has stopped chasing the goats at her ranch. The Komondors seem to be maturing slightly slower than the other breeds we tested. I hope to try some more in the future to see if this is a breed tendency or just this line of pups. Mabel is doing well, but she often hangs out near a set of corrals and a barn where the producer has some horses.  We aren’t sure why she is doing this yet. No other animals are at the location, and no one but the producer comes by to feed the horses. The producer is concerned that she is not staying with her charges. We placed several GPS trackers on his goats to monitor Mabel and the goat’s locations.  I believe she is following them based on her past tracker data, but we will see for sure next month.

Viper waiting to go back to his charges after getting new batteries in his GPS tracker. AgriLife picture courtesy of Costanzo 2024.

Viper is doing great in Ft. Davis and has helped a fellow LGD learn to stay with the livestock and not hang out at the ranch headquarters.  Smith and Wesson have helped their producer in Sonora raise his largest number of kids since the ranch started.  Maverick and Goose have moved to the Texas A&M Sheep Unit and are adjusting well to their new homes. The invisible fence training for the Top Gun pups appears to have worked extremely well, with none of the dogs leaving their pastures since they left the Center.

Round Six Dogs

The pups will leave their bonding pens early this month and join the other pups and livestock in their training pastures. All pups will enter invisible fence systems this round when released from the bonding pens. We will test the Invisible Fence Brand and the Spot On Fence GPS-based containment systems.  All livestock and puppies will have GPS trackers placed on them to help determine if any pup prefers a specific livestock species and to monitor the pups for bad behaviors such as chasing.  We have activated the speed alerts on the tracker to help monitor the puppies for chasing behavior when we are not in the pastures.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

If you have feedback on this article or would like to suggest topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Remember to check out the Texas LGD Association online! You can follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation or visit its website.

The 2^nd 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 most had 20 or more years of experience in trapping. Two of the presenters had over 40 years of experience! All of them were more than willing to share tips and tricks to set traps for various varmints and predators. I would strongly recommend attending the event next year if you need to brush up on your trapping skills or are a novice starting out.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events

Our next online seminar, scheduled for May 16th at 3 pm, promises to be an educational session. This time, we will delve into the world of the Anatolian Shepherd breed, a topic of great interest and relevance. The online seminar will be presented by Heidi Krol, a long-time preservation breeder from Stonecoat Farm, who will share her extensive knowledge and insights. To register for this enlightening event, please check the events page on our website in late April. The workshop will be hosted on Zoom, ensuring easy access for all, and as always, it is free!

Our annual LGD Field Day, a unique opportunity for LGD enthusiasts, was held on April 26 from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the AgriLife Center in San Angelo. The field day featured workshops on Canine Behavior, Canine Health, and Tech to Help Manage LGDs, providing a comprehensive understanding of these crucial aspects. The event also included a producer panel and a tour of the bonding facilities, offering participants an exclusive behind-the-scenes look. With LGD breeders and vendors on site, this was our sole in-person event until spring 2025, making it a must-attend for all LGD enthusiasts.

We want to thank the following sponsors for helping to make the field day a success:

Platinum

Nestle Purina                     Texas Sheep & Goat Predator Board

Gold

Capital Farm Credit          Diamond Pet Food           Invisible Fence Brand          Palmer Feed

Regal Oil Company

Silver

Angelo Pellets                   First State Bank of Paint Rock                     Lone Star Tracking

SpotOn Fence                   Texas Farm Bureau                                        Tractor Supply – San Angelo

Trans Texas Southwest Credit Union                                                     Twin Mountain Fence

West Texas Steel & Supply

This was the last field day for my student assistant, Katherine Saldana. She is graduating from Angelo State University this month and will

AgriLife Field Day 2024 workshop. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 2024

attend Texas A&M this fall to work on her master’s degree. Katherine has been an enormous help to me while she has been employed at the Center. She has often gone above and beyond her job duties to assist me or care for the dogs. I wish you the best of luck in your continued education and future career.

I would also like to welcome our new student assistant, Irene Sustaita, a first-year student at Angelo State University. Irene has taken over for Katherine and has quickly learned her duties of caring for and training the puppies in the bonding pens. She also helps with the adult dogs on all the ranches. Irene is also a sergeant in the Army National Guard.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

All the dogs in Round Five are still doing well. Maverick and Goose will not be going to the Stephenville Center after all. They will go to the Texas A&M University Sheep Unit in College Station later in May. The sheep unit has had some issues with predation, and the pups will be a perfect fit for the operation there on campus. Check out our Facebook page for more information on all the pups in this round.

Round Six Dogs

Lamb with a chewed ear from adolescent LGD puppies. AgriLife picture courtesy producer, 2023

The pups are doing well. We have separated them from some of the ewes and nannies, as they are starting to lamb and kid. We are having issues with the Karakachan pups chewing on their ears if we do not remove the lambs and kids quickly enough from the bonding pen area. We started all the pups a little later than originally planned, and the bonding animals were bred a little earlier than we wanted last year. Supervising your young pups as often as possible is important to minimize issues with young lambs or kids. Chasing behavior leads to other rough play, such as biting and chewing, which can lead to deaths or severe injuries of young livestock. If you have an issue with rough play, you may need to add more mature females or males to the mix.  Mature rams and billies will not tolerate puppies chewing on them or chasing them. Placing adolescent pups in a pen with several mature males for two to three weeks trains dogs to be submissive to livestock. Producers can also try things like dangle sticks and drags to slow pups down and allow young stock to get away from them.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

If you have feedback on this article or would like to suggest topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Remember to check out the Texas LGD Association online! You can follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation or visit its website.

Spring flowers in a pasture in Independence TX. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 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 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. at the AgriLife Center in San Angelo.  In 2024, we will be moving to only one field day hosted by the LGD program, which will be held at the Center in San Angelo. This should allow us to provide a better variety of speakers and a set month and location that ranchers can plan for each year. The field day will include workshops on Canine Behavior, Canine Health, and Tech to Help Manage LGDs. The event will include a producer panel and a tour of the bonding facilities.  LGD breeders and vendors will also be on site. You can register for the field day on the AgriLife events page.  We also work closely with county extension agents to provide LGD presentations and updates at their local county meetings.

Our next webinar will be on May 16^th at 3 pm.  The webinar will cover the Anatolian Shepherd breed by long-time preservation breeder Heidi Krol from Stonecoat Farm STONECOAT FARM.  To register for the event, check the events page on our website in late April. The workshop will be hosted on Zoom and free as always!

LGD First Aid Kit

An extensive LGD first aid kit is essential for all producers using LGDs on their ranches. I have attached a link to our list, which is a good

Tool bag for an LGD first aid kit. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 2024

starting place for producers acquiring their first LGD or those assembling a kit. We have found that a large canvas tool bag from a hardware store works well to keep some supplies in trucks should workers encounter a dog in the field that needs immediate attention.  An extra collar and leash should always be in your kit if you need to restrain your LGD while applying medication or attempting to load them in the truck.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

Belle in the kennel after having two toes amputated. AgriLife picture courtesy Saldana, 2024

Overall, the dogs from Round Five are all doing well. Maverick and Goose are still waiting with the AgriLife Cedar Eating (ACE) goats at the Center in San Angelo.  The Stephenville Center has been having difficulty getting all the paperwork approved to have goats and dogs on their new research ranch. Smith and Wesson are doing well in Sonora and Viper in Ft. Davis.  Pearl is giving her producer some challenges on and off with chasing young goats.  He placed a dangle stick back on her.

We had an accident with Belle last month.  While being rebonded to some new livestock on a producer’s ranch, she decided to jump or climb out of the bonding pen to go with Mabel and her charges.  Belle caught her right rear foot in the fence and hung from it for several hours. Luckily, the producer had a neighbor checking on things while he was on vacation for a few days.  The neighbor quickly cut her down, but the damage was already done.  Our vet was able to save her foot but had to amputate two toes on the injured paw. She had her two middle toes amputated from her right rear foot. She’s doing well at the kennel in San Angelo, and our vet feels she will fully recover and be able to return to guarding livestock in Comstock soon.

Round Six Dogs

The puppies are all doing well in the current round.  They were released from the 60’ x 60’ bonding pens

Lady getting in trouble for trying to get the Pup-Peroni treat bag. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 2024

into the one-acre pens last month.  The Santa’s Reindeer pups (Anatolian Shepherds) are getting three days a week of socialization, and the “L” Girls (Karakachans) are getting one day a week of socialization.  You wouldn’t know that when you go out to check on them, as the Karakachan pups are very friendly and come running up to you.  Lulu and Lady are a little more friendly than Lilly, which is typical since they are pair-bonded. The pair-bonded pups always seem more friendly than the single-bonded pups in the project. We believe it’s because they have a partner to play with, and the single pup must bond to the livestock for companionship.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

If you have feedback on this article or would like to suggest topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Remember to check out the Texas LGD Association online! You can follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation or visit its website.

A rain gauge in Washington County mid-February 2024. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 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. at the AgriLife Center in San Angelo.  In 2024, we will be moving to only one field day hosted by the LGD program, which will be held at the Center in San Angelo.  This should allow us to provide a better variety of speakers and a set month and location that ranchers can plan for each year.  You can register for the field day on the AgriLife Events page.  We also work closely with county extension agents to provide LGD presentations and updates at their local county meetings.

AgriLife bonding pens in San Angelo. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 2019

LGD Bonding Procedures

We often get asked how we bond livestock guardian dog puppies and how the pens are designed. Ranchers do not have to have pens designed like ours, but square footage is essential to allow pups to burn off playful energy without hurting livestock. Single-bonded pups in hot wire pens have roamed the least as adults, followed by pair-bonded pups in hot wire pens during the bonding project. Here is a list of steps we follow for each round of pups.

1. Acquire a well-bred 8-week-old pup from a reputable breeder that meets the ranch’s needs.
2. Place the pup immediately into a bonding pen with a hot wire and 4-6 head of livestock. Our pens are approximately 60’ x 60’ in size. Yearling animals work best for the first month, then replace them with fully mature ewes/nannies.
3. Ensure the puppy has a safe area to retreat into if bullied. Bullied pups will become aggressive towards livestock. They should have feed but no water in the safe space. A panel across the pen corner works well or use a feeding station the livestock cannot enter to train the pup to use it with a self-feeder.
4. Make sure to fully vaccinate, deworm, ID chip, and provide flea and tick medication regularly as recommended by a veterinarian.
5. Socialize, leash train, tether train, and provide truck rides three to four times a week for approximately 15 minutes until the pups are six months old. Dogs at six months old should be able to walk on a leash for five minutes straight and remain calmly tethered for at least 20 minutes.
6. Keep pups in this 60’ x 60’ area for one month.
7. Next, move the pup and livestock to a one-acre pen with hot wire. Add a few more head for the pup to guard during this time. Continue
   

   Goose is receiving tether training one day. AgriLife picture courtesy Saldana, 2023

   the training listed in number four. Ranchers licensed to use M44s may train pups during this time.

8. Keep the puppy in the one-acre pen with livestock until they are six months old. Remember to rotate livestock out every three to four weeks so the puppy bonds to a species and not a set group of animals.
9. Next, move puppies and livestock to a small trap of 25-50 acres until they are 10 months of age. Add more livestock of different ages, or use rams/billies in this trap. If observed, try correcting rough play or chasing with a dangle stick or drag. Invisible fence collars may be needed to continue teaching fence respect.
10. Spay and neuter all pups at 10 to 11 months to prevent roaming and unwanted pregnancies. Producers should continue to monitor rough play and other teenage behaviors.
11. Next, move pups into a small pasture with closely monitored animals until the dogs are 18-24 months of age. Ranchers should continue to monitor for rough play and other teenage behaviors. Invisible fence collars may be needed to continue teaching fence respect. Shock collars may be needed if teenage behaviors have not stopped with other correction methods.
12. Dogs are adults at 24 months of age. Dogs that are not working correctly at this time are failures and should become pets. Until they are adults, a producer cannot know if the dog will turn into a good LGD!

We hope this list helps everyone better understand how we bond and train the puppies in our project.  Feel free to reach out via email at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu with any questions or comments.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

The pups in round five are all doing well.  Belle has been doing well at her new ranch with mature Angora goats.  All the pups were scored for socialization last month.  Overall, everyone scored well.  We have seen some scores drop at the 12-month mark in the past and then rise again at 18 months of age.  We will have to wait and see how this round turns out.  A couple of the dogs have been patrolling outside their boundaries, short distances, but they have always returned to their livestock.  Some of these alerts could be tracker drift, as we have seen stationary trackers drift over 35 feet in the past. During these alerts, we are working with producers to verify whether the dogs have left the pastures.

Round Six Dogs

Lulu and Lady in the bonding pen with their stock. AgriLife picture courtesy Saldana, 2024

We received all six puppies last month for the next round of the bonding project.  Three puppies are purebred Anatolian Shepherds, and the other three are Karakachans.  The Anatolian puppies will be Santa’s Reindeer pups (Dasher, Comet, and Blitzen).  The Karakachan pups will be the “L” Girls (Lilly, Lulu, and Lady).  The puppies will all continue to be single, or pair bonded with all pups in hot wire pens for this round.  We will look at the dogs’ socialization levels during this round.  The Santa’s Reindeer pups will be socialized thrice weekly, while the “L” Girls will only be socialized once weekly.  This will be the only round to have these criteria.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation, or check out their website.

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 windchill can cause rapid hypothermia.

Your livestock and LGDs should have plenty of dry bedding and shelter from the wind to prevent a disaster from occurring if this situation occurs in your area. Make sure also to have an emergency kit for your dog should an emergency occur.  We have a first-aid guide on our website that may be helpful. We keep most of it in an inexpensive tool bag. As always, check with your veterinarian beforehand to see what items are appropriate for an emergency kit.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events

Maremma LGD. AgriLife picture courtesy of Maremma Sheepdog Association of America, 2023

Our next online seminar will be on Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. The online workshop will be on the Maremma Breed and will be presented by long-time breeder Sarah Letts, owner of Sky Island Farm LLC in California. Letts is a past board president of the Maremma Sheep Dog Club of America and will discuss the distinct types of Maremma dogs and their characteristics in the online seminar. Check out the events page on our Facebook page for more information and to register for the event. You can also register for the online workshop on our website.

The Texas LGD Association (TLGDA) has added a Facebook Group Page so that producers can access help and information directly from the membership. Members can also post advertisements for pups and dogs directly instead of first submitting the information to board members. The group page is currently open to anyone interested in LGDs but will become a member-only resource in the future. The TLGDA website will soon be set up for member-only access. If you have not joined the association, now is the time to ensure you can access breeders and resources from the organization on Facebook, YouTube, and the website!

LGDs and Roaming – Part II

Devices to Control Roaming

LGD owners can use various methods to prevent their dogs from wandering off. One option is a dangle stick, which consists of a lightweight

LGD wearing a dangle stick. AgriLife picture courtesy producer, 2020.

wooden or metal pipe attached to a collar with a swivel and chain. When the dog runs, the stick bangs against its chest or legs, causing discomfort and making it difficult for the animal to move quickly. Another option is drags, which involve attaching a chain to a tire or log to slow the dog down. Portions of snowmobile tread and 55-gallon plastic chemical barrel sections also work well as drags for LGDs.

Other effective methods to control roaming include hotwire and invisible fencing. The multi-year AgriLife Bonding Project has assessed dogs bonded in hot wire pens vs. those bonded without hot wire pens. The study has shown that dogs bonded in hot wire pens as puppies roam less as adults than dogs not bonded in hot wire. We have evaluated two invisible fence systems and found that they work well to correct roaming behavior and change the dogs’ behavior for months. However, the battery life of both systems needs to be improved for large producers to use this technology.

Tethering can be a helpful corrective measure for roaming. Tethering should be done under the direct supervision of the handler to avoid injury or death. Tethering should only be used on adolescent dogs for short training periods and not to stop an adult dog from roaming. Laws in many states now regulate the tethering of dogs. Texas does provide an exemption to its tethering law for dogs used for agricultural purposes.

Kenneling dogs is another method that producers can use to correct roaming and other harmful behaviors in LGDs. Placing an LGD in a kennel with minimal human or livestock contact for three to four days may help correct unwanted behaviors. It is important to increase the kennel time by one day each time injurious behavior is noticed in the dog.

One of the most significant challenges of employing LGDs to safeguard livestock is their tendency to roam. To mitigate the issue, herders can be utilized, and roaming LGDs should not be bred and culled from the pack. Still, it is worth noting that certain types of LGDs are more prone to wander than others. Livestock producers should conduct thorough research on LGD breeds before acquiring a dog for their operation to reduce the likelihood of roaming.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

Pearl is waiting to give us a muddy, wet greeting at the gate. AgriLife picture courtesy Costanzo, 2024

Overall, the puppies from this round are all doing great. We visited all the cooperating producers at the beginning of January and spoke with them about any concerns or issues with the pups. Belle was removed from her ranch in Uvalde and returned to the Center. She was rough playing with kid goats, and measures suggested to the producer to stop the rough play were not working. Belle will be placed with a producer in Comstock that has a large herd of mutton Angoras. Hopefully, once Belle fully matures at 18-20 months of age, she will be safe to place with young animals.

Maverick and Goose are still spending time together at the Center for several more weeks. They are bonding with the AgriLife Cedar Eating (ACE) goats that will be transferred to the Stephenville AgriLife Center in February.

Round Six Dogs

Puppies for round six will arrive in early February. We were lucky to get two sets of purebred dogs for this

Dasher is one of the Anatolian Shepherd pups in round six. AgriLife picture courtesy Dr. Gracia, 2024

round. We are purchasing three purebred Karakachan female pups and three Anatolian Shepherds for this project. This will be the final round of our research criteria that we started using in 2019. We will bond dogs to cattle in 2025 for a project to help protect swift foxes in the Rita Blanca National Grasslands. After that, we will continue bonding pups with sheep and goats. We will potentially acclimate LGDs to deer in 2026.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation, or check out the

Doc hugging Thelma when they were pups. AgriLife picture courtesy, Costanzo, 2021

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 stopped for over a year.

Doc and Thelma found a hole in their pasture fence last month and traveled across another pasture and through its boundary fence to a deer carcass on the side of the highway.  A dead deer’s aroma on the highway median was too tempting for them.  Doc was struck while he was eating the deer carcass and killed.

Luckily, Thelma was not injured, and she returned to her pasture immediately after the event

Doc guarding sheep in the spring of 2023. AgriLife picture courtesy, Saldana, 2023

based on her GPS tracker data.  While geofences and alerts are set up to notify us when dogs leave their pastures, the event happened too quickly to receive a timely notification that they had left.

We are in the process of switching over to the LoRa tracking system at the Center, but it was not soon enough to stop this event from occurring.  I encourage producers to use the latest GPS trackers and software to help prevent the loss of good LGDs like Doc. Doc was a favorite LGD of many of the employees at the AgriLife Center.  You will be missed, Doc! Last day on guard 12-5-23.

 AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events

Maremma LGD. AgriLife picture courtesy of Maremma Sheepdog Association of America, 2023

Our next online seminar will be on Feb. 15 at 3 pm. The online workshop will be on the Maremma Breed and will be presented by long-time breeder Sarah Letts, owner of Sky Island Farm LLC in California. Letts is a past board president of the Maremma Sheep Dog Club of America and will discuss the distinct types of Maremma dogs and their characteristics in the online seminar. Check out the events page on our Facebook page for more information and to register for the event. You can also register for the online workshop on our website.

The Texas LGD Association (TLGDA) has added a Facebook group page so that producers can access help and information directly from the membership. Members can also post advertisements for pups and dogs directly instead of first submitting the information to board members. The group page is currently open to anyone interested in LGDs but will become a member-only resource in the future. The TLGDA website will soon be set up for member-only access.  If you haven’t joined the association, now is the time to ensure you have access to breeders and resources from the organization on Facebook and the website!

The TLGDA is also adding directors at large to increase awareness of the association at livestock and agriculture events across the state. Three of the five regions have been filled, but the association is still looking for two more directors. If you are a member of the association and are interested in taking on a leadership role, please get in touch with one of the board members or myself.

LGDs and Roaming – Part I

In certain regions, roaming livestock guardian dogs can pose a significant problem for producers, resulting in the loss of LGDs. But why do these dogs roam, and is there a way to prevent it? LGDs roam for patrolling, marking territory, and keeping predators at bay. Some breeds, including the Pyrenean Mastiff and the Maremma, have been observed to roam less based on anecdotal evidence. During bonding, boundary training with hot wire and invisible fencing can effectively prevent excessive roaming. However, it’s crucial to note that each dog is unique, and the behavior of a particular breed may not be consistent across all individuals.

Why Do Livestock Guardian Dogs Roam?

Livestock guardian dogs were specifically bred to cover extensive distances, mark their territory, patrol for predators, and gather information about their surroundings. These dogs protect livestock and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Roaming is a significant part of their strategy for deterring predators, as they mark their territory and leave their scent to warn potential threats, engaging with them from a safe distance away from the livestock. However, in modern times, roaming can be incredibly hazardous for livestock guardian dogs. Many ranchers no longer require them to roam far and wide due to the potential dangers involved.

Livestock guardian dogs that do roam typically patrol the perimeter of their territory, marking it as their own and investigating anything that seems out of the ordinary. They may even chase down predators that pose a threat to their livestock. Some breeds of livestock guardian dogs can roam for miles, covering over 5,000 acres of land. This characteristic makes them very effective at protecting the animals under their care. Ranchers with large properties, high predator loads, or scattered livestock may need roaming guardian dogs to keep their animals safe. It is better to consider having a pack of dogs that includes roaming and close-guarding breeds for maximum protection.

Check back next month for the rest of this article on LGDs and roaming!

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

Maverick waiting for his invisible fence collar batteries to be changed. AgriLife picture courtesy, Saldana, 2023

The pups from round five have all been doing well on their ranches.  None of the dogs have left their pasture boundaries to date, which is normal now.  The non-hot wire bonded pups usually start roaming or patrolling outside their boundaries after being at their new ranches for about six weeks.  I’m hoping that none of this round of dogs roam. The Komondors were bonded without hot wire and were generally with their livestock when observed in the field and when GPS data was reviewed.  Hopefully, this is a breed characteristic that would be helpful to know for producers.  The Komondors were separated, with Belle and Pearl being sent to Uvalde and Mabel being sent to Comstock.  Viper is on a ranch in Ft. Davis.  Goose and Maverick are still at the AgriLife Center, waiting to go to their new home at the Stephenville AgriLife Center.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation, or check out their website!

LGD eating a deer carcass. AgriLife picture courtesy of producer, 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 hunter’s trailers. Properly securing trash and keeping clean campsites will also keep the dogs from interacting with your hunters. I am currently working on a factsheet about using LGDs with hunting leases that should be ready before next fall. Keep an eye out for it on our website!

The AgriLife Center in San Angelo will be closed for the holiday break from Dec. 25 thru Jan. 1. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year’s holiday!

 AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Update and Events

Our next online seminar will be on Feb. 15 at 3 pm. The online workshop will be on the Maremma Breed and will be presented by long-time

Maremma LGD. AgriLife picture courtesy of Maremma Sheepdog Association of America, 2023

breeder Sarah Letts, owner of Sky Island Farm LLC in California. Sarah is a past board president of the Maremma Sheep Dog Club of America and will discuss the distinct types of Maremma dogs and their characteristics in the online seminar. Check out the events page on our Facebook page for more information and to register for the event. You can also register for the online workshop on our website.

The Texas LGD Association (TLGDA) has added a Facebook Group Page so that producers can access help and information directly from the membership. Members will also be able to post advertisements for pups and dogs directly instead of having to submit the information to board members. The group page is currently open to anyone interested in LGDs but will become a member-only resource in the future. Now is the time to join the association to ensure you can access breeders and resources from the organization on Facebook and their website!

The TLGDA is also adding five directors at large to increase awareness of the association at livestock and agriculture events across the state. If you are a member of the association and are interested in taking on a leadership role, please contact one of the board members or myself.

Does the sex of an LGD influence guarding ability?

Producers often ask whether to choose a male or female dog to guard their livestock. Anecdotal evidence suggests that males are more aggressive towards predators, and females stay closer to the herds. In a 2017 study, Dr. Julie Young found no difference in the guarding ability of males vs females or between intact and fixed dogs. A producer survey done in 1988 of over 940 ranchers by Dr. Green and Dr. Woodruf also showed no differences in LGD guarding abilities. A study done in 2015 by Dr. Stacey-Lee Leijenaar in South Africa also showed no differences in guarding abilities between male and female dogs. The study indicated that intact male dogs tended to roam and leave stock unguarded. A study performed in 2005 by Dr. James Serpell using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ©) showed no differences in trainability between fixed and intact dogs. Only two breeds of the eleven tested showed slight statistical differences between the trainability of males and females. However, no specific LGD breeds were evaluated in the study.

These studies may not be directly comparable to your operation; neither those studies nor our own research has shown any major differences in guarding abilities between males and females. All pups in our project are fixed before they are placed on ranches to alleviate roaming and unwanted litters of puppies. Producer interviews have shown that intact males roam more, are aggressive towards other LGDs, and tend to resource guard more often. The articles cited above tend to agree with these findings as well. Fixed dogs tend to live longer and stay on the job more because they are not preoccupied with mating or caring for a litter of pups. Hopefully, this information will help producers make a more informed decision when picking a male or female pup as a future LGD for their operation.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

Smith and Wesson meet their new livestock at a ranch in Sonora. AgriLife picture courtesy of Costanzo, 2023

Six of the eight pups from round five of the project were placed with cooperating producers in late November. So far, all the pups are doing well at their new ranches and are adjusting to their new livestock. We will track each pup with Oyster 3 cellular GPS trackers until they are 18 months of age.  We will keep track of any roaming that may occur at the ranches. Make sure to follow our Facebook page for updates on the pups as they begin to mature over the next 10 months.

Round Six

We plan to start round six of the bonding project in early 2024. We didn’t receive funding to test different methods to train pups to be more attentive to aerial predator threats.  Our contingency plan is to test levels of socialization and potentially include deer in boding pen to reduce conflicts with deer hunting operations. We will look at different amounts of socialization of the dogs to attempt to determine the least amount of time required during bonding to train a puppy and still achieve a catchable adult dog in the field. We are currently looking for three Karakachan pups and three other pups for that round of the project. If you have a litter of pups we could purchase during that period, feel free to reach out.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

LGD at Farmhouse Vineyards cotton field protecting ewes. AgriLife picture courtesy of Costanzo, 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 and Events

We hosted the AgriLife Fall LGD Field Day on Oct. 27 at the Farmhouse Vineyards Armory in Brownfield, TX. The event included workshops, a producer panel, vendors, dog breeders, and a ranch tour of the Farmhouse Vineyard’s sheep operation. We want to thank the generous sponsors of the event in Brownfield.

 Gold Sponsors                                                                                             Silver Sponsors

Brownfield Farmers Co-Op                                                                       State Farm Insurance

Diamond Pet Foods                                                                                    Texas Farm Bureau Insurance

Invisible Fence Brand                                                                                 Tractor Supply – San Angelo

Lone Star Tracking

Nestle Purina

Predator Management Board

Terry County Tractor

Terry County Abstract & Title Company

Our fall webinar was held on Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. The webinar discussed the Karakachan LGD breed and was be presented by Dr. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM founder of the American Karakachan Dog Association. You can view the webinar on our YouTube channel

Karakachan dog guarding sheep. Picture courtesy of Kid Hollow Farm, 2023

@TAMUlivestockguarddog.

Scoring of Puppies in the Bonding Project

Recently, a few producers asked me how we scored our puppies for the bonding project.  The scoring system that we use is one that we developed in-house for our bonding project.  It uses a rubric to score the pups based on different criteria that we felt were important to the training and handling of livestock guardian dogs as adults.  We score the pups on direct handling, leash training, tether training, vehicle rides, and handling for socialization. The pups receive a score for each area. Puppies also receive a roaming score.  Each pup receives a score based on the times they may have roamed or patrolled outside their pasture boundaries.  Each group of puppies is scored at 8, 12, and 18 months of age. The socialization score, roaming score, and predation levels found on the ranches are combined to form an overall successful LGD score when the puppies graduate from the program at 18 months.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

The puppies are all doing well and have moved to different pastures in the last few weeks to accommodate other research projects in the bonding pastures.  Pearl was limping one day on her right front leg last month when the puppies were checked after a weekend.  No injury was seen on the outside of her leg.  After a vet visit, it was determined to be either an injury to the growth plate in her elbow or a genetic defect.  She has been kenneled for a few weeks and given several medications to reduce inflammation and pain.  The breeder Pearl came from performs hip and elbow dysplasia testing and has not discovered any genetic issues in her puppies.  Hopefully, Pearl will recover and be able to join her sisters in early November in the pastures at the Center.

Viper headed to his new ranch in Ft. Davis. Picture courtesy of Costanzo 2023

All the puppies except Maverick and Goose will go out to cooperating producers this month.  The puppies will go to four locations from Uvalde to Ft. Davis.  The puppies will be tracked using Oyster 3 GPS trackers until they are 18 months old.  Producers will be visited every 4-6 weeks to discuss issues and see how the puppies are doing at each location.  When the pups are 18 months of age, the cooperating producers can purchase or return the puppies to the Center.  This will be our last round of the bonding project using the original criteria we used when the project started in 2019.  We will continue to bond LGD puppies at the Center using various training methods to help ranchers improve the use of their dogs.

Maverick and Goose will head to the AgriLife Center in Stephenville after the first of the year.  They will guard a cedar-eating goat herd of yearling nannies split off from the Sonora Station herd.  The goats will be placed on a ranch donated to the Stephenville AgriLife Center for research.  Splitting the Sonora herd will allow more research than currently performed on the AgriLife Center – San Angelo research ranches.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation, or check out their website!

Rain gauge from September in San Angelo. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Redden 2023)

We have finally received some long-overdue rain across the state, quenching the dry soil. We recently got over four inches in a single day at the AgriLife Center, creating a lot of mud in the pastures. Long-range forecasts show that we will have a wetter-than-normal winter this year due to El Nino. Hopefully, enough rain will fall this winter to relieve the drought and allow the grasses to repopulate our sparse rangelands.

On another note, make sure to use tick preventatives year-round.  On Sept. 17, we lost a three-year-old dog, Squiggy, to Ehrlichiosis complications.  Squiggy was a Great Pyrenees from our bonding project’s third round of dogs.  He was a friendly dog that never left his goats from the time he was a puppy.  Squiggy learned the ropes from our old matriarch of the program, Queenie, who is now retired.  Both dogs

Squiggy smiling in the pasture. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

worked well together.  We will miss your smile, Squiggy!

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

We will host the AgriLife Fall LGD Field Day on Oct. 27 at the Farmhouse Vineyards Armory in Brownfield, TX. The event will include workshops, a producer panel, vendors, dog breeders, and a ranch tour. Check out our Facebook page for more information.  Early registration is $25 for a single and $40 for a couple. Make sure to register before the price increases on Oct. 20!  Contact the Terry County AgriLife Extension office at 806-637-4060 or email Debbie.cruz@ag.tamu.edu to register for the event.

Our next webinar will be held on Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. The webinar will discuss the Karakachan LGD breed and will be presented by Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, founder of the American Karakachan Dog Association. Check out the events page on our Facebook page for more information and to register for the event. You can also register for the webinar on our website.

Invisible Fence Containment Systems

Anyone who has used an LGD knows that roaming can be problematic with these dogs. As part of our bonding project, we have been studying the use of electric fences in bonding pens. Our research has shown that using hot wire in a bonding pen decreases the amount of roaming in adult dogs compared to pups bonded without hot wire in their pens as adults. We have also installed an Invisible Fence Brand GPS-based system on six pastures at the AgriLife Center ranging in size from 100 to 225 acres to further study the use of electric fence systems. Preliminary results have been positive from dogs placed in the system. When roaming adult LGDs have been placed into a pasture system with an invisible fence for three months and released back to a ranch, the dogs have decreased or stopped excessive roaming for over six months. We are also starting to test the SpotOn Fence system as well.

Both the SpotOn Fence and Invisible Fence Brand systems have pros and cons.  Hopefully, this chart below will help simplify those.

Hopefully, each company will address some of the cons we mentioned above to improve the use of these containment systems for LGD use.  Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments about either of the systems we are currently testing.  If there is another invisible fence containment system on the market that you believe we should investigate, please email me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu.

Bonding Project Update

Mable and Pearl during tether testing. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

Round Five Dogs

Each round of puppies in the project is scored for socialization, roaming, and overall guarding ability at eight, twelve, and eighteen months.  We recently scored eight puppies in this round, and everyone scored well overall.  However, two of the pups bonded at another location, following our protocols, scored low on vehicle rides.  The cause was most likely the ranch foreman being injured and unable to place the dogs into a truck for a ride each week.

Producers must acclimate their dogs to riding in a vehicle during the bonding period.  LGDs are often anxious and overly nervous when transported in a vehicle or trailer to a new location.  It may help to bring livestock that the dog is guarding with them to help them remain calm during the ride to a fresh pasture or the vet’s office.

Roaming is calculated for the pups using GPS trackers.  We are still using the Oyster 3 trackers from Digital Matters.  These units can be purchased from Lone Star Tracking.  Generally, roaming and patrolling outside perimeters is low at the Center because of good fencing. Still, it will increase once the puppies are placed on cooperating producer ranches at ten months of age.  Patrolling outside pasture perimeters is frequent when pups are first placed while establishing their territories and pushing predators

Oyster 3 GPS Tracker from Digital Matters. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

out.  It usually declines over time as the puppies mature and maintain their territories.

I have received regular questions about the Komondor pups from producers on our social media accounts.  The dogs are working well and always stay close to their charges.  Their hair is starting to form plates and dreads at this point to protect them from predator attacks.  One important thing to note is the Komondors can get ear infections easily due to their wire hair.  Regular inspection and removal of hair in their ears is important.  We recently removed a large mass of hair and ear wax from Belle’s ears.  The “Old Fashioned Gals” are always more excited to see people than the “Top Gun” dogs and must be disciplined for jumping.  As they mature over time, the behavior has decreased.

In closing

If you enjoyed this monthly LGD blog, please don’t forget to subscribe to it with this link: The Guardian Way | Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo.

To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, please get in touch with me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7311.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program is a cooperative effort by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Management Board. Follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube: @TAMUlivestockguarddog

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization on Facebook or YouTube at @TexasLGDAssociation, or check out their website!