Here at the farm we have cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and horses. Our dogs are used to protect our livestock from predators. When we purchased this property, we had a big problem with coyotes and foxes. Since we brought the dogs in, thankfully, we no longer have an issue
I am happy to introduce our Livestock Guardian Dogs:
Judah
Judah in a full blooded Anatolian Shepherd. He is 7 years old now, and is definitely the backbone of our “Paw Patrol”. Judah is a fearless leader, but is a big softie when it comes to baby lambs and goats. He loves teaching the young dogs the ropes, and won’t hesitate to put them in their place when they need it. He has a soft spot for the sheep, and often has to “keep the goats in line” when they bully the ewes and lambs.
Holly
Holly is a 3 ½ year old, full blooded Great Pyrenees who is 100% committed to living with the livestock. She is “stand-offish” and doesn’t care for strangers. She is funny and playful at times, but is serious about her job. She socializes with “the boys” when they run perimeter checks, but she doesn’t run with the big dogs when they are on patrol, she stays behind to keep an eye on the herd. Holly likes to take advantage of the lakes and is often hidden in the tall reeds of one of the lakes. She prefers to “catch her food” rather than eating boring dog food, and is a superior huntress, and catches lots of fish!
Gabriel (aka Gabe)
Gabe is a 2 ½ year old Anatolian Shepherd x Great Pyrenees. He has been on our farm since he was 4 months old. Judah has been his mentor, and although he is big goof ball, who is the pickiest eater on the planet, he has become a formidable guardian in his own right. He is a big lazy baby during the daytime (unless a predator shows up), but as soon as the sun goes down, the transformation that takes place is quite amazing. He gets serious and depending on where his post is for the night, you may or may not see him unless a predator shows up.
Beau
Beau is a 7 month old, (and already 100 pounds), BIG ball of energy! He is a puppy from the only littler of puppies off of Holly and Gabe. He is a natural born guardian and is still learning the ropes. He lives with Holly and the herd, and is in the apprentice phase of his training. He cannot stand for a buzzard, hawk, or owl to fly overhead. It is impressive that he instinctively realizes that these aerial predators can be a serious threat to the babies. He idolizes Judah, and is quite obscessed with him. Judah is a great mentor, and gives him some much needed lessons on how to LISTEN and how to “calm down when I say calm down”.