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

Belle was cooling off in the water trough on a sizzling summer day in San Angelo. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

This summer’s extreme heat and lack of rain have been hard on ranches across the state. Hay prices are increasing as ranchers are starting to stockpile feed for the possibility of a dry fall and winter. The elevated temperatures have also been difficult for LGDs, especially the longer-haired breeds. Make sure to watch for excessive panting, drooling, vomiting, and dogs that are lethargic. Excessive panting, excessive drooling, and vomiting can lead to dehydration and are signs of heat exhaustion. Dogs can get heat stroke just like humans. If their temperature is over 105 degrees Fahrenheit, you need to cool them down immediately with cool water or towels soaked in cool water. Do not use extremely icy water as it can shock their overheated body and cause other issues. It is important to provide plenty of shade, cool fresh water, and water locations for your dogs to cool off in, if possible.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

The Texas LGD Association hosted the “Using LGDs with Poultry” webinar on September 14^th. Joy Combs from Providence Farm in North Carolina presented the workshop. You can watch the event on the Texas LGD Association YouTube Channel if you missed it.

We will host the AgriLife Fall LGD Field Day on October 27^th at the Farmhouse Vineyards Armory in Brownfield, TX. The event will include workshops, a producer panel, vendors, and a ranch tour. Check out our Facebook page for more information.  To register for the event, contact the Terry County AgriLife Extension office at 806-637-4060 or email Debbie.cruz@ag.tamu.edu.

NSIIC Grant Project

In late June, we completed the NSIIC grant comparing dogs bonded by producers vs. those bonded by AgriLife. The differences between the

Cindy relaxing after a GPS tracker battery exchange in May. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

two sets of dogs were subtle, with the amount of socialization being the main difference between the two groups. As in previous rounds, dogs bonded in hot wire pens were less likely to leave their charges than those bonded without hot wire pens. Agrilife-bonded dogs were also easier to catch than producer-bonded dogs due to longer socialization during bonding. All dogs were tracked with GPS trackers over the project duration. Five different producers were selected to receive one or two LGD puppies to bond in this project. The ranchers were selected based on the size of their herds and that they had not bonded any LGDs in the past, with a preference for having not used LGDs in the past.

The five cooperating producers saw lambing percentages increase from between 40%-100%! This increase was similar to what other producers have seen after using LGDs for just a year. Once the dogs fully mature, the producers may see even higher lambing percentages. Four of the five cooperating producers plan to keep the dogs and expand LGD use on their ranches. The other producer has decided to change over to cattle even though the dogs increased their lambing percentage. In addition, three of the five producers are also planning on keeping the GPS tracker service to monitor the locations of their dogs.

Sadly, just after the project ended, the producer that bonded and owned Cindy lost her to a snare set by a neighbor. Her GPS tracker notified him that she was on the fence line, but he could not reach her in time. Tethering is an important training procedure that we practice with all the puppies in the bonding project. It may have saved Cindy’s life if she had received the training.

For more information on each of the ranches in the project, go to our website to download the case studies. We plan to submit another NSIIC grant application this fall to train LGD puppies for aerial threats using drones. We are finalizing the application later this month. Check our Facebook page for more information on this project and other projects we are conducting using LGDs.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

“The Old-Fashioned Gals” Belle, Mable and Pearl (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

The pups are all doing well in their pastures with the bonding livestock, even in the extreme heat we have been experiencing. The Top Gun pups were bonded in pens with hot wire, while the Old-Fashioned Gals were bonded without hot wire. We are reinforcing the hot wire training in the bonding pens with an invisible fence system from the Invisible Fence Brand company now that the pups are in small pastures.  We have used the system in other pastures to retrain roaming dogs like Doc and Thelma from Round 3 of the project. Hopefully, using this system on the Top Gun pups will further decrease the likelihood that they will leave a pasture as an adult dog.

If you are interested in being a cooperating producer for this round of pups or a future round, please contact me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu.  The pups will be ready to go to work on ranches in late October or early November. To qualify for the bonding project, producers must have at least 250 head of sheep and/or goats, be within the sheep and goat checkoff area, preferably be within a 3-hour driving radius of San Angelo, pay for the care and maintenance of the dogs during the project time, be able to purchase successful dogs, regularly meet with AgriLife personnel for project visits and attend field days.

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. Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online! Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

The summer heat is in full swing in Texas and it’s very important that you provide a cool area for LGDs, especially your long-haired ones.  Proper grooming that cleans out dead hair allows the cooler morning air to get trapped in their coats to insulate them into the midday temperatures.  After that the dogs need shade and cool soil to lay in to help regulate their body temperatures.  Some LGDs like to relax in water troughs which may get filled with dirt and muck.  Remember that dogs can’t sweat, and they regulate their body temperature by panting.  If your dog is panting profusely, take steps to cool them down immediately.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Our next online seminar will be on Aug.17 at 3 p.m. on Zoom. Check out our Facebook page for more information. Dr. Katherine Lord from the University of Massachusetts will be returning to continue her discussion from November of 2022 on canine behavior and bonding.  This webinar will cover the development of predatory behaviors in LGDs.  Do not miss this great presentation!  The online seminar will be free as always. You can sign up on our events page.

Join us at the AgriLife Center on Aug. 18 from 8 a.m.–12p.m. for the 50^th Annual Sheep and Goat Field Day.  There will be workshops on the latest research being conducted at the Center along with local vendors.  The annual AgriLife Sheep and Goat Expo will follow the event at the Spur Arena in San Angelo starting that afternoon.

The Texas LGD Association will be hosting its annual membership meeting on Aug.19 at 1p.m. at the Spur Arena as part of the AgriLife Sheep and Goat Expo.  New or potential members are welcome to attend the meeting.

Common LGD Problems

This month we will cover a few common issues that producers contact me about regarding their LGDs and ways to solve them.

LGD with a dangle stick. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy producer 2023)

One of the top questions producers ask is how to stop chasing behavior in adolescent LGDs.  This is not related to any specific breed but rather adolescent behavior in all LGD breeds.  I generally provide a couple of suggestions.  The first tool to try is a dangle stick.  A dangle stick is a piece of wood or metal pipe that hangs from the dog’s collar and hits their front legs to slow them down when running.  This device either trips the dogs, makes them hobble around or makes their front legs sore so that they do not chase anymore.  Some dogs will get creative and pick up the stick in their mouth and still chase, but at least they can no longer bite which also usually occurs with this behavior as they are trying to get the goat or lamb to stop running away.  You can find more information on how to make a dangle stick on our website.

A second way that helps to stop chasing behavior is to place your teenage LGD in a pen for 2-3 weeks with some mature rams and/or billies.  These mature males will not tolerate an LGD chasing them or chewing on them.  This method teaches the young dog to be submissive towards the livestock they are guarding and allows a hands-off process for producers.

The third and final suggestion that I give for dogs close to maturity that are still chasing or for dogs that didn’t stop this behavior with the previous two methods is a shock collar.  I use this as a last resort as some people may incorrectly use the training tool and make dogs fearful of humans.  If you need to use a shock collar to correct unruly behavior, use it judiciously.  Set up an inexpensive pop-up hunting blind near a pen with the dogs to correct the chasing behavior.  That way they do not correlate the shock with seeing people near them.  Otherwise, you may create a dog that is fearful of humans and hard to catch.

The second question I often receive from producers is how to stop dogs from roaming away from their livestock.  This is a much more

Invisible Fence Brand collar and battery. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

complicated issue to stop.  We believe this starts at an early age with improper bonding of the dogs.  LGDs need to be with or in close contact with the type of livestock they are to protect from at least 3 weeks of age to 8 weeks of age.  At 8 weeks of age the dogs need to be in full contact with livestock until 14 weeks of age when the dog’s brain development of forming attachments closes.  Some devices that are helpful to track and control roaming in LGDs are GPS trackers, electric fencing, and invisible fence systems.  There are several types of GPS/invisible fence systems on the market today that producers can choose from.  However, most invisible fence systems have short battery lives that require recharging frequently so they may not be an option for larger producers.  Two systems we are currently testing are from the Invisible Fence Brand and the SpotOn GPS Fence companies.  Both systems have pros and cons and will require the use of pastures close to your headquarters to be used effectively.  Providing electric fencing in

SpotOn invisible fence collar. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy SpotOn Fence 2023)

the bonding pen or training pastures is an easy way to teach LGDs respect for fences. Preliminary data indicates a decrease in roaming for dogs bonded in pens with hot wire vs. dogs bonded in pens without hotwire.

The last question I receive frequently during the warmer month is problems related to LGDs getting into water troughs.  LGDs often like to cool down in the warmer months by climbing into water troughs for several minutes or even longer.  If this becomes an issue, producers can try grooming long haired LGDs during the late spring.  Proper grooming of all LGD haircoats will keep your dog’s cooler by allowing proper airflow over their bodies to keep cool.  If this doesn’t stop the issue, it might warrant constructing a barrier that will stop them from getting into the water trough but still allow livestock to water.  Alternatively, LGD owners might set up a separate temporary water trough for the dogs to cool off in that is independent from normal livestock water.  This allows the dogs the ability to cool off but not muck up the water system.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Dogs

All puppies have been released from the bonding pens and are doing well with the other dogs and extra livestock in their pastures.  The Top

The Top Gun (Maverick, Goose and Viper) pups spending time together in the pasture with their charges. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

Gun dogs have been placed into a pasture that is controlled by an invisible fence system to continue the use of an electric deterrent when they come close to the fence boundary.  We hope that the use of this system will further decrease the drive for the dogs to leave their home pastures as adults.  We have seen a decrease in adult dogs roaming that were bonded in pens with hot wire as puppies when compared to dogs that did not have hot wire in their bonding pens.  Using hot wire in bonding pens seems to teach LGDs respect for fences and to minimize the loss of dogs due to roaming as adults.

Round Four Dogs

All the dogs in round four of the bonding project have successfully completed the program.  The cooperating producers have all seen an increase of 40% to 100% in lambing percentages from previous years.  We anticipate these producers will continue to see lambing percentages increase as the dogs mature over the next year.

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.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

Proper grooming of your long-haired dogs is critical in the extreme heat we have been having in the state the last few weeks.  Dogs with coats that are properly cleaned out of dead hair will be cooler as their coats trap cool air in the night and early morning hours that helps cool them throughout the day.  Brushing the dogs with slicker brushes and deshedding combs is the best option.  Do not clip your LGD unless necessary as their coats cannot trap cool air properly and you will only make them hotter.  Provide lots of shade and places with cool water that the dogs can lay in to cool down in the hot weather.  Try moving livestock and dogs in the early morning hours so they can be down when temperatures rise.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Our next online seminar will be on Aug. 17 at 3 p.m. on Zoom. Check out our Facebook page for more information as the event gets closer. Dr. Katherine Lord will be returning to continue her discussion from November of 2022 on canine behavior and bonding.  Do not miss this great presentation!  The online seminar will be free as always. You can sign up on our events page.

The Texas LGD Association held its first annual LGD Field Day in Caldwell at the Burleson County Fairgrounds on June 10.  The event consisted of workshops on bonding LGDs with cattle, using LGDs with poultry, GPS tracking, ranch fencing and a breeder panel.  Vendors and LGD breeders were also on site as well.  The association would like to thank all of the generous sponsors that made the event possible!

Texas LGD Association Field Day in Caldwell. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

LGD FAQ’s

In May we started a three-part article on frequently asked questions that producers submit when they contact our program about LGDs.  Below is the third and final set of commonly asked questions and answers we provide to producers that contact us.

1. Should LGDs be socialized?

A: Yes, they should be socialized and handled regularly!  Just because LGDs are not pets does not mean they should never have any human contact, or even minimal human interaction.  LGDs need socialization and training just like any other working dog.  Coming when called, walking on a leash, staying calm while tethered, crate training and traveling in vehicles are important skills for a working LGD. These things allow the dogs to be easily moved from one location to another and to be examined and treated for any injuries.  A fearful guardian dog is difficult to handle and a liability to the owner.  Appropriate handling, done in the pasture with livestock, reinforces positive interaction with humans and does not turn LGDs into pets.

2. What is the best age to get an LGD puppy?

A: A puppy should stay in a litter environment with its mother until 8 weeks of age. This way the puppy learns appropriate dog manners, bite inhibition, livestock manners and guarding behavior from its mother.  Some breeders keep LGD puppies up to 12-16 weeks of age for maximum learning benefit.  It’s very important that LGD puppies are raised in direct contact with the livestock species in which you intend them to guard on your ranch.  If a puppy is not bonded to livestock by 14-16 weeks of age, the chance of it being a good guardian dog decreases which may be a cause of roaming.

3. Q: Are LGD’s the same as herding dogs?

A:  No! While both types of dog’s work with livestock, they are not the same.  Herding dogs use prey drive instincts to round up and move livestock by command from a rancher.  LGDs have been bred for thousands of years not to have prey drive instincts and are used to protect livestock from predators generally independent of humans. Both types of dogs look and act differently with livestock.

4. Q: Can I get one dog that will guard and herd my livestock?

A: While this idea sounds like a great one, it is not!  LGDs do not have prey drive instincts.  Herding dogs use prey drive instincts such as eye, stalk, chase, etc. to make livestock move for them.  Breeding LGDs and herding dogs will likely result in offspring that have prey drive and guarding instincts which can causes issues with chasing, biting, and killing livestock as the dog matures.

5. Q: Can any breed of dog make a good LGD?

A: In most cases, no! LGD breeds of dog have been bred for thousands of years to have the innate ability to effectively guard livestock. Only a small portion of the job of an LGD is taught, the vast majority is natural instinct that the dogs use to do their jobs.

6. Q: What breed is ​best for my operation?

A: That depends on the type of terrain, predator load, size of pasture, quality of fencing, management style and type of predators.  Great Pyrenees, Anatolians, Kangal’s, Maremma and Akbash are all common breeds in Texas.  Each of these breeds have different physical characteristics, such as size, color, and hair coat.  Each breed tends to have slightly different behavioral characteristics, although a lot of variation exists within a breed.  Matching the right physical and behavioral characteristics to your operations is important to the success of your LGD program.  It is advisable to talk with several LGD breeders to find the best fit for your operation.

7. Q: How much training time is involved in teaching a puppy during the bonding phase?

A: While having an older dog who can help train a younger one is ideal; you will still need to supervise and teach your pup how to properly act around livestock.  This process will start at 8 weeks of age and take many months of supervision and correction to achieve a trained LGD.  Most dogs settle down and mature at 18-24 months of age.  Extra supervision is needed from 8-18 months of age during adolescence.

8. Q: What about using a donkey or llama instead of an LGD?

Guard donkey with sheep. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy www.treehugger.com 2023)

A: Llamas and donkeys are prey animals and reactive to threats they encounter.  In some situations, they work well and others they do not.  They generally only work for canine predators and only work as a single animal per pasture/herd.  When more than one llama or donkey is used in the same pasture, they often form a herd of their own and leave livestock unprotected from predators.  LGDs are proactive to threats– setting up perimeters and constantly patrolling those boundaries.  And more than one LGD can be used in a pasture to protect larger areas and higher densities of predators.

9. Q: Is it better to use a pair ​of LGDs or a single?

A: Having dogs at different ages can be helpful so that the older one can help teach the younger dog.  This can provide some insurance in case something happens to one of your dogs.  Singles tend to have stronger bonds to livestock while pairs of dogs tend to form a bond with each other and the livestock.

10. Q: Do males or females guard better? What about fixed vs. intact?

A: Based on research male and female dogs work the same.  Research also shows that there is only a very slight difference in guarding ability of intact males vs. fixed males.  There is no difference between intact females and fixed females guarding abilities.  Dogs that are spayed or neutered are not preoccupied by breeding instincts during the year.  Also, intact males can be more aggressive with other LGDs, guard resources and roam looking for a mate.

Bonding Project Update

The pups in Round 5 will be released from the bonding pens this month into 100-acre pastures at the Center with other pups and livestock.

Maverick (left) and Goose getting some shade inside their feeding station. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Saldana 2023)

We will be adding in bonding animals that have lambs and kids to observe the dogs’ interactions with young animals.  If you recall from the May blog, we had issues with several of the pups in this round biting and chewing on the ears of young animals in the bonding pens.  Leash and tether training are all proceeding well with the pups along with truck rides.  The Komondor pups are still larger overall than the Great Pyrenees X Anatolian Shepherd pups.  Maverick has gained weight since his blocked digest track from eating cottonseed.  Switching the animals in his pen to livestock cubes helped break this behavior.

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.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

Maverick and Goose spending time together in the bonding pen. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Saldana 2023)

Some much-needed rain has been falling across parts of West Central Texas, a welcoming site on the ranches that have received it.  In some areas, this has led to the Texas winter grass going to seed with the warm weather we have also been having.  While a valuable feed resource for livestock most of the year, this grass produces the dreaded “spear grass seeds” that burrow their way into the coats and soft skin of LGDs.  These seeds can cause infections all over LGDs, but especially in their legs.  Make sure to groom your dog’s regularly with de-shedding brushes during this time of year to help minimize the impact of the seeds on your dog’s health.  Mats in long haired dog coats can often hide the seeds which can lead to lameness in your LGD and a costly vet bill to cure the infection!

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Our next online seminar will be on August 17th at 3 p.m. on Zoom. Check out our Facebook page for more information as the event gets closer. Dr. Katherine Lord will be returning to continue her discussion from November of 2022 on canine behavior and bonding.  Do not miss this great presentation!  The online seminar will be free as always. You can sign up on our events page.

The Texas LGD Association will be hosting its first annual LGD Field Day in Caldwell at the Burleson County Fairgrounds on June 10.  Check out their Facebook Page for more information on the event and how to register.  The event will consist of workshops on bonding LGDs with cattle, using LGDs with poultry, GPS tracking, ranch fencing and a breeder panel.  Vendors and LGD breeders will be on site as well.  Contact bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or call 325-657-7311 to register for the event.

Our 2^nd Annual LGD Photo Contest will be held July 3-7 this year.  The contest categories will be – Artistic, Publication Worthy, Cuteness, Puppies at Work, Dogs at Work.  We will also have subcategories of sheep, goats, poultry, and other animals this year.  Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category.  The contest is open worldwide, but only US residents will be receiving prizes this year.  Check out our Facebook page for more information.  Photos can be submitted via Facebook during the contest dates or emailed to me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu.

LGD FAQ’s

Last month we started a three-part article on frequently asked questions that producers submit when they contact our program about LGDs.  Below is the second set of commonly asked questions and answers we provide.

1. Are my grandkids safe around LGDs and are they good with children?

A: Most LGDs that are well socialized with people will be fine with children around, especially if the dogs are raised with the children.

Exceptionally large, deep hole dug by an LGD to stay cool. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Smith 2023)

2. Do all LGDs dig holes?

A: Yes, LGDs dig holes in the ground to find a cool spot to get away from the warm summer heat. Providing your dogs will a separate kids pool or water trough to lay in under a tree will help stop the digging.

3. I have heard LGDs bark a lot all day. Is there a breed that barks less?

A: All LGD breeds bark to alert predators of their presence and to notify their owners.  LGDs will bark at anything they sense is out of place or a threat to their charges.  Some LGDs tend to bark more at certain times of the day when predators are most active.  Young LGDs tend to bark more as they have not learned what is a threat to their livestock and what is not.  Proper training is the key to keeping barking at a minimum.

4. Do LGDs need training, or can I just place them out with my livestock?

A: All dogs need training!  A LGD puppy has a collection of potential abilities which must be guided and shaped by you to be successful.  Puppies will make mistakes, do stupid things during the adolescent months, and must be corrected, probably many times.  Having an older mature dog is always helpful for young dogs to learn the ropes from.  You will still need to help them by using management tools like escape-proof pens, leash and tether training, time with livestock, praise, and treats, and if necessary, stern corrections.  LGDs will normally go through periods of chasing and rough play as they mature from 8-18 months of age.  These phases do not mean that the pup is not going to work out as an LGD!  You as the owner must provide extra management during this time to train your LGD in the behaviors that are expected.

5. Are all LGD breeds predisposed to genetic health problems?

A: Yes, because all dogs, including LGD breeds, have heritable diseases and have the potential to develop certain health problems.  LGDs are large breed dogs and are especially predisposed to Hip and Elbow Dysplasia.

6. Are LGDs good with other pet dogs and ranch dogs?

A: LGDs are generally good with other ranch dogs and family pets they are raised with and acclimated to.  However, they can be canine aggressive to strange dogs that they do not know.  It’s important to reacclimate your LGDs to your herding dogs each time you use them to move your livestock.  This will help decrease the chance of aggression.

7. 

   8-week-old LGD puppy in a bonding pen. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2021)

   Can I place my LGD puppy in with my livestock from the time I bring them home?

A: Your puppy should be in a bonding pen from the time you bring it home until about 6 months of age.  There should be a safe space for the puppy to enter that has shelter and feed in case it is being bullied by any of the livestock.  The puppy should have to leave the area to get fresh water and interact with the livestock.  As often as possible, supervise the interactions of the puppy and livestock. Game cameras are a tremendous help with supervision.  Reward correct behavior and correct unwanted behavior immediately.  All positive interactions should happen with the livestock, take the time to pet, groom and train the puppy for fifteen to twenty minutes, three to four days a week while it is with the livestock.

8. How old does my LGD pup have to be before it is an effective guardian for my livestock?

A: LGDs are not fully effective until they are full grown, mature guardians at 18-24 months of age. Some breeds may not fully mature until 30 months of age.

Bonding Project Update

All the pups except for Maverick and Goose ended up having issues last month with chewing on ears and legs of young lambs and kids.  We

Goose and Maverick in tether training. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Saldana 2023)

removed all the young animals and left only mature livestock in the bonding pens.  We have decided to return the lambs and kids to the bonding pastures once the puppies are released from the bonding pens in early July.  We have also purchased a remote cellular based video camera to be able to monitor the puppies in the pens 24 hours a day.  The unit has live video feed along with a bright light and two-way voice capability.  We will keep you updated on how the system is working next month.

The sixteen dogs in Round 4 of the bonding project funded by the NSIIC grant will all graduate in the middle of June from the program.  All producers have seen increased lamb crops after using dogs.  Some had lamb crops as low as 20% before the dogs.  All ranches using the dogs have over 100% lamb crop after having the dogs out working for only 8-10 months so far.

LGD Betty from Round 4 of the bonding project at a cooperating producers ranch near Juno, TX. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

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.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association online!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

AgriLife 2023 LGD Field Day in Sonora, Texas. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

We had a great Spring LGD Field Day in Sonora on April 14 at the AgriLife Sonora Research Station.  Over 50 people attended the event.  Excellent information was provided by all the speakers at the event.  Like all our LGD field days, there was a lot of interest, questions, and comments from the crowd.  We would like to thank Bo McClelland, the Sutton County Trapper, and Mark Taylor, the hunting lease manager for the Sonora Station, for taking time out of their busy schedules to provide participants with information on using LGDs with trapping methods and how to have more effective hunts while using LGDs.  If you missed the event, we will be holding another field day this fall or check out the Texas LGD Association field day on June 10 in Caldwell, Texas.  Let us know if you would like to have a field day in your area.

We would like to thank the following generous sponsors of the event in Sonora.

Gold Sponsors

Capital Farm Credit          Diamond Pet Food           Lone Star Tracking

Main Street Realty – Hudson Properties                 Nestle Purina

Texas Sheep and Goat Predator Board

Silver Sponsors

Invisible Brand Fence                     Tom Green County Farm Bureau Insurance

Tractor Supply – San Angelo        WW Livestock Guard Dogs

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Our next online seminar will be held May 18 at 3 p.m. on Zoom. Check out our Facebook page for more information as the event gets closer. The topic will be “The Great Pyrenees Breed” presented by Carrie Parks, chair of the Judges Education Committee at the Great Pyrenees Club of America (GPCA).  Carrie is also an AKC judge, on the board of directors of the GPCA and has had Great Pyrenees, both working and show, since 1959.  The online seminar will be free as always. You can sign up on our events page.

The Texas LGD Association will be hosting its first annual LGD Field Day in Caldwell at the Burleson County Fairgrounds on June 10.  Check out their Facebook Page for more information on the event and how to register.  The event will consist of workshops, a breeder panel, and an association meeting.  Vendors and LGD breeders will be on site as well.

LGD FAQ’s

We will start a three-part article this month on frequently asked questions that producers submit when they contact our program about LGDs.

1. What is the most important thing about an LGD that people should understand before

purchasing a dog?

A:  LGDs have a natural responsibility for guarding and defending their charges– whether it’s a herd of livestock or a territory.  LGDs are strong-willed, very independent, and are typically not very obedient. They are intelligent dogs and are good at problem solving.  Most LGDs are large and powerful dogs that will protect their charges at all costs, even with their own lives.

1. How are LGDs different from other (non-LGD) breeds?

A: LGD have a unique temperament. They do not display predatory behaviors that many other breeds of dogs do. They were developed over thousands of years not to have prey drive instincts.  An LGD must be able to make decisions on their own.  This requires the dog to be extremely intelligent, but also very independent.

1. What LGD breed should I pick?

A: Which breed you choose really depends on your ranch size and location.  LGDs come in different sizes and colors to blend in with the livestock they were designed to guard. Some are better suited as perimeter guardians, while others are better at staying close to the herd to guard.  Some breeds have long hair while others have short hair coats.  There are more differences between individual dogs than across breeds.

1. If raised with livestock from a puppy can any breed of dog make a trustworthy LGD?

A: Generally, no.  ​LGD breeds have been bred for thousands of years to have a particular set of traits that predispose them to be good at the specific task of protecting the livestock they live with without much human direction. When non-LGD breeds are crossed with LGDs, you are reintroducing prey drive instincts into a dog that had those traits removed over thousands of years.  You may end up with a dog who will not stay with the livestock and prefers human contact.  Or you may end up with a livestock killer due to the combination of LGD size with herding or hunting dog instincts.

1. Do you need to have good fencing for LGDs?

A: Yes, all LGD breeds require secure fencing to safely contain the dog.  LGDs may expand their territory and roam if not properly bonded as a pup. This can be a risk to the health and safety of the dog, as well as a liability should the dog hurt anyone. Good fencing is a requirement for using LGDs and keeping them on your ranch, especially during their puppy and adolescent stage of life.  Invisible fencing and/or hot wire in the bonding pen can be a good option to teach your dog boundaries to help prevent roaming as an adult.

1. Do LGDs make good pets and are they safe for my grandkids to be around?

A: Some LGDs can be a good family pet. However, they may be very protective of your home and family which may cause problems when visitors come to your home.  LGDs are generally not aggressive towards humans if properly socialized as a puppy.  Socialization is very important to keep LGDs catchable in the field.

Bonding Project Update

The pups in round five of the bonding project are doing well.  They have been released from the 60 ft x 60 ft pens into the 1-acre pens.  They

Maverick and Goose (white pup) taking a break in the shade. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

were also rotated to a new set of livestock so that they bond to species and not specific animals.  One of Komondor pups (Mable) and one of the Great Pyrenees cross pups (Viper) have been chewing on lamb’s ears and legs, both of which are single bonded pups.  Generally chewing behavior starts with dogs that are three to five months of age.  We have not seen this issue at such an early age in the past rounds because the dogs were not exposed to young livestock while still in the bonding pens.  We are taking a proactive response and removing young lambs/kids and their mothers from the pens.  They are being replaced with larger older animals that will not tolerate the puppies chewing on them and teach the pups to be submissive.

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.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Don’t forget to check out the Texas LGD Association on online!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

Some rain has finally been falling around San Angelo bringing some colder temperatures too.  Make sure that your LGDs are in adequate body condition to handle the colder weather and can bed down with livestock to stay warm.  All LGDs, even shorthaired breeds, have double hair coats to protect them from the cold but a layer of fat is helpful for extra insulation and metabolic needs. We have moved over to feeding a high energy 24/20 kibble this winter and the dogs seem to be doing much better across all the ranches. I would recommend a different formula for the warmer months however as I think this kibble may spoil quickly in the heat.

The Texas LGD Association will be having its first field day on Saturday June 10 in Caldwell at the Burleson County Fairgrounds.  Check out their website and Facebook page for more information.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Save the Date – Our spring LGD Field Day will be held in Sonora at the Texas A&M AgriLife Sonora Station on April 14 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The field day will include workshops, producer panel and ranch tours. For more information check out our Facebook page. To register for the event, contact the Sutton County AgriLife Extension office at 325-387-3101 or email annette.estrada@ag.tamu.edu

Our next online seminar will be held May 18 at 3 p.m. on Zoom. Check out our Facebook page for more information as the event gets closer. The topic will be “The Great Pyrenees Breed” presented by Carrie Parks, chair of the Judges Education Committee at the Great Pyrenees Club of America (GPCA).  Carrie is also an AKC judge, on the board of directors of the GPCA and has had Great Pyrenees, both working and show, since 1959.  The online seminar will be free as always. You can sign up on our events page.

The Texas LGD Association will be hosting a field day in Caldwell TX at the Burleson County Fairgrounds on June 10th from 8am to 4pm.  Event will have workshops, a breeder panel and association meeting.  Breeders of LGDs will be on site.  Contact Bill Costanzo at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu for more information.

Pasture vs. Stall Whelping/Bonding Pens

Some producers prefer to allow their dogs to whelp in the pasture and keep their pups with them until weaning or longer. While other producers prefer to use bonding pens and have their female LGDs whelp in a barn or stall. Which system is better?

Pasture whelping and bonding allows nature to take its course and select the healthiest pups to survive. Its less work for the producer as well since they do not have to manage the puppies or livestock in pens. Pasture whelping also keeps the female in the field should a predator try to prey on livestock. Pasture whelping and bonding may allow the mother to teach her pups more skills as they mature. While pasture whelped and bonded dogs are often successful, I do not believe it is the best way to whelp or bond pups.

The main problem I see with pasture raising LGDs is the possible loss of pups from disease, weather, predators, and malnutrition. A good female LGD’s ability to guard her charges will be diminished because she will need to feed and protect her pups. Poor or young mothers may not be as attentive to pups leading to death loss. Pasture raised pups may also not be as socialized to humans as they need to be.

Stall whelping gives a producer the ability to constantly monitor the health of the pups and mother. It also gives them the ability to keep livestock near the pups which should create a stronger bond since the puppies are hearing and seeing livestock shortly after birth. A puppy’s brain develops rapidly from 2 weeks of age to 14 weeks of age. It is forming many different associations with the world around it during this time. The process of the puppy forming bonds starts as early as 5 weeks of age and continues until approximately 14 weeks of age. This is a critical time and if the pups are not near livestock during these weeks, they will not form as strong of a bond to livestock as they should. Weak bonds to livestock can be a cause of roaming later in the dog’s life and dogs that are more of a property guardian than a livestock guardian. Poorly bonded dogs may also have a higher death rate because they leave their charges and get hit by cars, trapped, poisoned or shot.

So, which system is better? While there is no research that I know of on this topic, I would say that barn whelping and bonding pens are a better system to use. You can better manage the pup’s health, training, and the bonding process with this system. The more puppies that survive and form proper bonds, the more lambs, or kids you should have to sell. Extra well-bonded puppies are often easy to sell too!

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Pups

We will be starting round five of the bonding projects in early March. There will be six pups for the next round. Three pups will be Great

Mable, Belle and Pearl our new Komondor pups. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

Pyrenees and the other three will be Komondor. Producers, if you have over 250 ewes/nannies and are interested in participating as a cooperating producer, please reach out to Dr. Redden at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu.  This round of pups will be available around November of this year.

Round Four Pups

Carol and Cindy heading back to their charges after tracking collar changes. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023)

Ewes are lambing on several of the cooperating producer ranches in this round. Producers are happy to see more lambs this year and are hopeful that the dogs continue to keep predators at bay until the lambs are sold. Carol and Cindy are doing well together. Cindy will chase ewes sometimes, but Carol does not according to the producer. Cindy was producer bonded and Carol was an AgriLife bonded pup. Even though they are sisters and bonded apart, both dogs get along well. We have seen comparable results in this round across all locations except Eagle Pass. The producer bonded pups are more socialized and easier to catch than the two AgriLife pups. They are at separate locations with different handlers which may be the issue for this.

The GSat solar GPS trackers in Rocksprings are working better now that the software has been updated, and we moved the upload time to 2

GSat Solar ear tag GPS tracker. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Lone Star Tracking 2023)

hours. The trackers are staying fully charged except on overcast days. They are not dying but we do get a notification or two on those days. We will keep you posted on how these new units are working out.

Round Four and a Half Pups

Colt and Ruger are still doing well and will be moving to a larger trap this month. The pups have found a potential ranch to call home in the

Colt and Ruger in a trap at the ranch in Ozona. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Green 2023)

Menard area when they turn 10 months old in May. The pups will be monitored with GPS trackers once they are placed on a cooperating producers ranch. We will track Colt and Ruger until they turn 18 months of age.

Adult LGD Updates

Doc and Thelma were moved back to the ranch in Menard last month after their ewes had lambed out at the Center. Waylon is still at the Center barking and carrying on as always with his Rambouillet’s. Even though he just turned 3, you would never know it. He is full of as much energy as he was as a pup in the bonding project. Luckily, he has outgrown his need to get into trouble which always required a vet visit or two.

Queenie was rehomed last month and seems to be doing well with a small producer in the Wall area. She is with goats on small acreage getting the care the old girl needs.

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. Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Do not forget to check out the Texas LGD Association on online! Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

The new year often brings resolutions.  One of our resolutions is to body condition score, BCS, all the LGDs on a quarterly basis.  Body condition scoring of dogs is like livestock, but dogs have a nine-point scale.  The ideal score for a dog is 4.5.  Its relatively easy to score your dog, feel down their spine and across the ribs.  They should have some cover across both areas.  A good reference is to hold your hand out flat with the palm down.  Run your fingers across the knuckles of your opposite hand.  If the dog feels like that, they are in good condition.  Next, make a fist and then run your opposite hand fingers across the knuckles of the fist.  If your dog feels like this, they are under condition and need more feed. Check out this video for more information on BCS.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Save the Date – Our Spring LGD Field Day will be held in Sonora at the Texas A&M AgriLife Sonora Station on April 14, 2023, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.  The field day will include workshops, producer panel and ranch tours.  For more information check out our Facebook page.

Our next webinar will be held Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. on Zoom.  Check out our Facebook page for more information as the event gets closer.  The topic will be “What to Expect from Teenage LGDs.”  The webinar will be free as always.  You can sign up on our events page.

Bonding Project Update

Round Five Pups

We will be starting round five of the bonding project in late February or early March.  There will be six pups for the next round.  Three pups will be Great Pyrenees and the other three will be Komondor.  We are excited to have the Komondor pups as this breed has not been tested before in our project.

As a reminder, the primary research objective is to determine: 1) how many LGDs should be reared in bonding pens and 2) does electric fence in bonding pens to improve guardian effectiveness and reduce roaming.  Weekly updates on the pup’s progress will be posted on Thursdays on our Facebook and Instagram pages @TAMUlivestockguarddog.

Thank you to all the breeders that responded to our request for pups.  We greatly appreciate the support for this ongoing research project.  Producers, if you have over 250 ewes/nannies raised in large pastures and are interested in participating as a cooperating producer, please reach out to me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu.

Round Four Pups

The pups in round four of the bonding project have all been doing well.  The four pups (Fred, Dolly, Trisha, and Bobby) that were relocated to

GSat Solar ear tag GPS tracker. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2023

a new ranch near Rocksprings have settled in well and are not roaming as much as we can tell.  The solar satellite trackers have not been working as well as promised.  I first had to increase the upload/ping time to one hour and then two hours.  I also had to update the software as apparently there was a glitch that was causing them to use too much battery life and die.  Now that this is done, we should be able to start tracking the dog’s movements more accurately.

As we mentioned last month, Trisha is continuing to chase sheep, so she still has a dangle stick on.  Both Trisha and Bobby (producer bonded) seem to be perimeter dogs.  While the producer is not losing lambs, he rarely sees the two dogs with his sheep.  Fred and Dolly (AgriLife bonded) are always with their flock of sheep according to the producer.  Other producers are seeing a variety or results with their dogs, but all are happy with the increase of live lambs that they are seeing.  Some dogs are always with sheep while others are patrolling away from the herds.

Round Four and a Half Pups

Colt and Ruger in a small trap at the ranch in Ozona. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Saldana 2023)

Colt and Ruger are both doing well and have been released from the bonding pen into a small trap at the ranch.  They are seven months old now and will be ready to go to a cooperating producer at 10 months of age.  We had planned on keeping these two pups but due to the drought we have had to depopulate the ranch.  Colt and Ruger will be looking for a new home in April or May of this year.  If you are interested in participating in our bonding project and taking Colt and Ruger, please drop me an email at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or call me at 325-657-7311.  Producers need to have at least 250 head of sheep and/or goats to participate in the bonding project.

Adult LGD Updates

Miley was retired to a small ranch in the Miles area in December.  She was 10 and had some health issues recently that needed continual care.  With the depopulation of livestock across our ranches due to the drought, we have been rehoming some of the older and youngest dogs we had.  Sally also was rehomed in January to separate her from her sister Sara.  While Sara has done better after the invisible fence training, Sally was continuing to leave her pastures at the Sonora Station to visit the office area.  We returned her to the Center in San Angelo for a few weeks of additional invisible fence training and found a producer that could use her.

Queenie, the matriarch of the program, has still not found a home to retire at.  She is a 14-year-old Great Pyrenees X Maremma.  She never

Queenie still keeping tabs on some kids at 14 years old. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Brown 2023)

leaves her charges but is showing her age and needs a small farm or ranch to live on.  If you are interested in Queenie, please drop me an email at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or call me at 325-657-7311.

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.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Don’t forget to check out the Texas LGD Association on online!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

Hopefully you had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! It was cold around Christmas. The holidays can be a hectic time of year and things like LGD health checks can slip our minds.  Make sure to check your LGDs regularly to keep them healthy and guarding your livestock.  Check your dogs’ ears, eyes, coat and especially its paws for injuries.  Long haired dogs can collect lots of burrs and thorns in the hair on their paws.  These items can cause an abscess causing lameness to occur.  Trimming the hair between the toes can help keep them clear of debris.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

Save the Date – Our Spring LGD Field Day will be held in Sonora at the Texas A&M AgriLife Sonora Station on April 14, 2023, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.  The field day will include workshops, producer panel and ranch tours.  For more information check out our Facebook page.

Our next webinar will be held Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. on Zoom.  Check out our Facebook page for more information as the event gets closer.  The topic will be “What to Expect from Teenage LGDs.”  The webinar will be free as always.  You can sign up on our events page.

How Many LGDs Do You Need? Part II

We will cover the final three parts of determining how many LGDs you need in this month’s edition of “The Guardian Way.”  We generally recommend 1-2 dogs per 100 head of livestock.  However, that number can change based on several things.  Producers need to consider the following things: livestock characteristics, terrain and brush, predator load, management style, fencing and pasture size and LGD behaviors.  All these things can affect the number of LGDs you need on your ranch to guard your livestock.

Management Style

How you manage your livestock can have a large effect on how many LGDs you need for a specific ranch.  Producers that have livestock spread across multiple pastures on a ranch will require more LGDs to guard those groups of animals.  By combining livestock in fewer pastures and using rotational grazing producers can increase the amount of grass available to livestock while decreasing the number of dogs needed and lessen their dog food bill.  By placing livestock into fewer larger groups, your LGDs can more effectively protect them and their offspring from predators.  This is often one of the biggest challenges for new users of LGDs to conquer.  A producer must be willing to make management changes to allow the dogs to be as effective as possible or they will continue to lose livestock.  LGDs are one of the best tools for producers to use to increase lambing and kidding percentages. However, if producers are resistant to changing their livestock management, the dogs can only do so much to control predation.

Fencing and Pasture Size

High tensile hot wire fence at a ranch in Texas. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2019)

The quality of your fencing and the size of your pastures can influence the number of LGDs needed.  Good fencing keeps LGDs, and livestock contained and provides a deterrent to some types of predators.  The kind and age of fencing you have also affects the number of LGDs required.  Fencing that is old, easily jumped or squeezed through can require more dogs.  New fencing with small woven wire openings, skirting and/or hot wire will require less dogs to protect livestock.  Basically, poor fencing allows predators to penetrate it and requires the use of more LGDs.  It’s important to weigh the long-term costs and management of the extra dogs to the cost of new or improved fencing.  Invisible fencing is a possibility for many ranches now that the system is GPS based.

Pasture size is also an important factor to consider when deciding on how many LGDs you need.  Large pastures require more dogs to protect livestock because the livestock tend to spread out more.  Consider placing all your livestock together during lambing or kidding seasons so that your LGDs can provide extra protection to young livestock.  Open range situations often use herders with their dogs to protect livestock.  Range operations often need a few extra dogs to provide enough protection for livestock.

LGD Behavior

Another important consideration is your LGDs capabilities and training when deciding how many you need.  If you have older, experienced dogs, you may not need as many to protect your ranch.  Young dogs or pups will need extra help to provide enough protection.  Young pups under 10 months of age should not be released on their own to guard livestock.  It’s best to have a pair of young dogs or place a young single dog with a mature dog.  Old, pregnant, or whelping dogs will require extra help to provide the proper protection for your livestock.  Proper nutrition is also an important factor that can impact how LGDs guard.  Make sure to follow your veterinarian’s recommendation for feeding your LGDs.

Hopefully the information provided last month and in this issue will help you in determining how many LGDs you need to guard your livestock.  Feel free to reach out to me at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu with any questions.

LGDs & The Bonding Project Update

Round Four Pups

All pups in Round Four turned a year old in November and were scored for socialization in December.  All the dogs scored well this time.  We generally see lower scores at the 18-month test as dogs have not been leashed or tethered very often.  A few dogs were harder to catch than we would like, but they have not been receiving as much socialization at some locations.  Also, four of the dogs were rehomed in late November.  These dogs are all doing well at the new producer’s location.  One of those pups is chasing sheep from time to time so a dangle stick was placed on her to deter her from running.  We will keep you updated on the dog’s progress via Facebook or this blog.

Round Four and a Half Pups

Colt and Ruger are both doing well and have been released from the bonding pen.  Sadly, due to the drought we have had to depopulate the

Colt being tether trained. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Green 2022)

ranch in Ozona.  We will not have enough animals for the adult dogs and these pups to guard.  We will be looking for a home for Colt and Ruger after the first of the year.  If you are interested in participating in our bonding project and taking Colt and Ruger, please drop me an email at bill.costanzo@ag.tamu.edu or call me at 325-657-7311.

Adult Dogs

We spilt up Sara and Sally when the two dogs were done with retraining in the Invisible Fence System at the Center in San Angelo.  So far, the dogs are both doing well.  Sara left the ranch in Menard once in early December but has not left again.  Sally is at the Sonora Station and has left the ranch once since she was placed there in mid-December.  She has visited the headquarters also a few times but seems to be settling in at the ranch.  Doc and Thelma are still doing well and not roaming anymore.  Both dogs are still at the Center with sheep until late winter.  They will return to Menard when the sheep are taken back after lambing.

Miley hanging out on her bed in the kennel. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Costanzo 2022)

Miley and Queenie are being retired to help ease the extra number of dogs we have due to drought forced depopulation of livestock across all our research ranches.  Miley is going to be 11 years old in 2023 and Queenie, our matriarch of the LGD program, will be 14 years old!  Both dogs have been excellent LGDs for the Martin Ranch and Sonora Station.  They both adapt to changes in locations and livestock to be guarded and never leave their charges unguarded.  Queenie has been supervising Squiggy at the Sonora Station for the last year as her replacement.

Miley has been at the Center in San Angelo for the last couple months gaining some weight and recovering from Ehrlichiosis.  She has some arthritis in her hips and rear legs.  She’s on a joint supplement that seems to be helping her move around easier.

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.  Make sure to follow us on our social media sites and share them with your friends and family!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TAMUlivestockguarddog/

Instagram: @tamulivestockguarddog  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF7YbP6bNDV7___6H8mifBA

Don’t forget to check out the Texas LGD Association on online!  Follow the organization at https://www.facebook.com/TexasLGDAssociation or check out their website!

Since cooler than normal temperatures are forecast for the next couple months, make sure that you are keeping your LGDs well fed during the winter months.  LGDs should be in a Body Condition Score (BCS) of at least 4 at this point with normal feeding.  If your LGD is below a BCS 4 you should consider providing extra feed or a better-quality feed now before winter completely arrives later this month.

AgriLife Livestock Guardian Dog Program: Events and Update

On November 17th we held our Fall LGD Webinar.  Dr. Kathryn Lord from the University of Massachusetts Medical School presented a great webinar on Canine Behavior: The Socialization Period.  We had over 90 producers log on to the live event.  If you missed this excellent webinar, you could view it on our YouTube Channel. Our next webinar will be held on February 16, 2023, at 3 pm.  Check our Facebook page for more information on that event as the date gets closer.

How Many LGDs Do You Need?

I often get asked, how many LGDs are needed on a ranch.  We generally recommend 1-2 dogs per 100 head of livestock.  However, that really depends on several things.  Producers need to consider the following things: livestock characteristics, terrain and brush, predator load, management style, LGD behaviors, fencing and pasture size.  All these things can affect the number of LGDs you need to adequately guard your livestock.  I will cover the first three in this month’s edition of “The Guardian Way.”  Make sure to read the January issue for part two which will include the last three things to consider.

LGD with young meat goat overlooking a brushy pasture. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Lillian Ramge 2022)

Livestock Characteristics

The number of dogs you need will also depend upon the type of livestock you own.  Some types of livestock, like Dorper sheep, tend to stretch out over the land.  While wool sheep and meat goats tend to stay closer together in large herds.  Animals that spread out across your pastures require more LGDs to defend the area and keep the livestock safe.  The larger the number of animals in a pasture, the more dogs that are needed to protect them.

Terrain and Brush

The type of terrain your property is on is a key factor in determining how many LGDs you will need.  If your property is mainly open and flat, the line of sight for your dogs will be clear. If your property has hills, rocky areas and/or lots of brush, the line of sight will be blocked.  Rough terrain with lots of brush makes it harder for LGDs to see and protect all the livestock.  Rough brushy terrain makes it easier for predators to hide and prey on your livestock, so you need more dogs in those areas.

Predator Load

You can have fewer dogs if they only need to guard against the occasional fox, coyote, or bird of prey. However, if your LGDs are constantly on patrol, you will need more dogs.  I have heard from some producers in the northern part of Texas that packs of coyotes threaten their flocks regularly.  In these situations, having more LGDs protect your livestock will also reduce the risk of injury or death to your dogs.

The type of predator you dogs defend against is also important. If your dogs are defending chickens against birds of prey, their presence may be all the deterrent needed and you may only need one dog. However, if your livestock are at risk from larger predators, such as feral hogs, mountain lions, wolves, or bears, you may want a much larger group of LGDs to keep your livestock safe.

The population of your area can change the number and type of predators your LGD will need to defend your livestock from.  If you live in a more rural area there will likely be more wildlife that your dogs will need to protect against.  If you live in a semi-rural area and have close neighbors you may not need as many dogs, but your dogs may need to guard against town dogs attacking your livestock.

LGDs & The Bonding Project Update

Round Four Pups

All the Round Four pups are now a year old and doing well.  We do progress checks every 4-6 weeks with the cooperating producers.  All the producers are very happy with the pups and their progress.  The pups that were bonded at the AgriLife Center will all be scored this month for socialization, roaming and overall LGD ability.  The pups are scored three times at 8, 12 and 18 months of age for these three things.  This scoring allows us to judge the effectiveness of our treatments over time with each round of dogs.  We adjust the bonding process based on each round of scores.  We will be starting the fifth round of pups in the early spring of 2023

Round Four and a Half pups, Colt and Ruger are doing well in their bonding process at the ranch in Ozona.  Both pups are being bonded for

Colt and Ruger waiting for their weekly ride to acclimate them to traveling in a vehicle. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy Green 2022)

our use in a hot wire pen on the ranch.  They are receiving the same socialization treatment that the normal pups in the bonding project receive.  Colt and Ruger are 6 months old this month and will be moving out of the bonding pen to a small trap with some additional livestock.

Adult Dogs

We decided to split Sara and Sally up instead of sending both dogs back to Menard in November.  We believe the invisible fence training along with separating the sisters will stop their playful behavior and roaming.  Sara returned to her goats in Menard, but we needed an additional dog in Sonora to guard a group of goats, so Sally was chosen for the task.  We will keep you updated via Facebook and this blog on how they are progressing.

In closing

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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.

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