Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
BENEFITS OF AND PROBLEMS
WITH GUARDIAN ANIMALS
Although guardian animals can be a great help to shepherds, keep-
ing them may have some drawbacks as well. The benefi ts of using
a guardian animal include these:
■
Reduced predation
■
Reduced labor and fencing costs
■
Increased utilization of pastures
■
Environmentally benign predator control
Some of the potential problems include the following:
■
Playfulness, which can be deadly to sheep
■
Lack of guarding ability — some guardians don't guard; they're
not interested, or they roam from the fl ock
■
Aggressiveness with people
■
Interference — some guardians interfere with working or mov-
ing the fl ock
■
Destructive behavior — some guardians destroy property
(chewing, digging holes, and so on)
Guardian Dog Training
A guardian dog can be trained primarily through being raised with sheep. The
process involves supervision to prevent bad habits from developing and to
establish limits of acceptable behavior.
The Bonding Process
The dog-sheep bonding process requires training of both the sheep and the
dog. Sheep will initially accept a puppy more easily if they become acquainted
in fairly close quarters; however, they may take a long time to accept the dog
if it is turned into a large pasture with them. The normal procedure is to put
the pup, when it is 6 to 9 months of age, in a safe enclosure in the sheep area
with some sheep as young as 4 months old.
Remember that a guardian dog isn't a pet — it must bond with sheep, not
humans. You don't have to be mean or abusive to a guardian dog, but his place
is outside with the fl ock at all times, not in the house. Discouraging bonding
with humans will keep the dog with the sheep and reinforce its protective
