I read so many posts all over, from people who come home with an LGD puppy then have one disaster after another or suddenly realize they bit off more than they could chew. They find a cheap pup or someone offers it to them free. Or maybe they've even paid good money for it. But... With little preparation, they cave in and bring it home knowing nothing about the parents of the pup, if the breeder has any experience or even done this breeding before or has any clue if these pups will guard or not, or what they (the buyer) are doing, only that they 'think they need an LGD' because one of their stock is dead....so suddenly, they panic. They go shopping....here's one, ok let's buy it..... Voila. Instant fix. NOT!

Here are some questions you need to ask yourself, and some things you should think about BEFORE bringing home that cute ball of fluff. Perhaps going over this list will help you focus and narrow down your options. Impulse buying is irresponsible, and it is not fair to an LGD pup or dog. The shelters are already full of abandoned pups and dogs. Please if you are new to all this and wanting to get LGD's, read this and answer these questions to yourself, honestly. As a breeder, I turn down more people who call in a panic, oh, dear, a lamb is dead they need a puppy YESTERDAY...quick! Help! And most responsible breeders are going to hear the panic in your voice and the rush rush and they'll be leery of selling to you anyway. For the time being if possible, pen your stock up at night so they are safe, and DO YOUR HOMEWORK FIRST. Don't come online and expect everyone to push-button answer all your questions for you either as some, only YOU can answer. Do your homework first....you'll be so glad you did.

Take a deep breath.....there's lots you need to ask yourself first. YOu want to make this a positive not a negative!

1. What's your previous experience with LGD's if any, and/or dogs in general?
2. Can you afford to feed, care for, doctor, spay/neuter (if you are going to) an LGD?
3. Are you sure you need an LGD?
4. What is the layout of your property? Is it fenced? Cross fenced? Not fenced? Is the fence dog proof?
5. How close are your neighbors? What will they think about an LGD who barks? Have you discussed your intent with them?
6. What stock do you own/plan to get? How will it be confined or how is it confined now?
7. What stock do you want your LGD to guard? Just some or all?
8. Do you have frequent visitors? Kids? Grandkids? Pet dogs? Cats? Fowl? With the LGD be allowed to interact with them?
9. Do you know what you are looking for or are you all over the map (you need to narrow your focus)?
10. Have you researched breeds? Do you know what you like/don't like? Preferences?
11. What kind of predators do you have? How many?
12. Do you know you are making a long term commitment?
13. If you actually need several LGD's can you afford to keep them up and care for them?'
14. Do you realize an LGD pup can't just be tossed out there and expected to guard right away?
15. Are you willing to wait a year for a pup to mature and be effective?
16. Weather: do you have shelter for your LGD from hot sun and wind or extreme cold?
17. Do you have access to a good vet? Do you have vet supplies on hand for dogs?
18. Have you decided and bought in advance the kind of food you'll feed the pup?
19. If you have other dogs, pets etc. are you ready to assimilate this pup into your situation and understand it takes time?

I am sure there are even more questions that could be added (folks feel free to do so). I did this in order to help people out there who suddenly wake up one morning and say OK I need an LGD. Stop. Don't act so fast.....take your time....making rush decisions is NOT the way to go. There is a wealth of info, books, etc. out there for you to research first so you don't make a costly mistake, that is unfair to your dog. Please act responsibly and you'll be glad you did. Your stock will love you and so will your LGD!!!!

Good post cousin, you are so right about unfair to the dog, so many people do not consider the animal, not just dogs, all forms of fur and feathers. Education is the answer.

VERY good post Brenda !

Well thanks but most of this falls on deaf ears I'm afraid!

There sure seems to be an uptick in LGD use, around where I am (Bakersfield and beyond). I occasionally get asked about mine, by people that its most obvious, are new to them, new to livestock even, and what alarms me in many (not all but many) cases is the profound lack of COMMON SENSE and PATIENCE in these people. They talk like the dog is going to do it all and all they have to do is turn it out and walk off. Or, they nit pick over the damndest stuff. Like I think you said elsewhere Brenda they over-think things, they micro manage, they try to predict every little thing that will happen and plan for it well you can't do that. I really see so many people who I wish would stick to llamas or hadn't got sheep or goats to begin with, there is such a glaring lack of knowledge, experience, or common sense. But then this is something bigger, going on, a whole new gamut of folks coming into stock now, 'going back to the land', they are hobby farmers, first time they have ever owned any stock or land, and they are understandibly, clueless in many cases and under-prepared. But there is so much bad info out there on LGD's so much of the same pap over and over like you have also said before. The same websites, the same people, saying the same stuff which is just parroting what others said. And these people buy into it. Then something does not work and they panic. Instead of thinking it through or like you have said putting themselves in the dog's place. I have ranched my whole life, it is hard for me to tolerate arrogance in people who don't know or have no background in stock and ranching yet they want to pontificate on what is so with LGD's, well I have to walk away from them! Its like the breeders with LGDs and no livestock. Don't get me started on that, but there are a whole new bunch of them out there aren't there?

I personally think that people who have worked with horses, rather than other dog breeds, will have the best understanding of these dogs. They really are so different from your typical Labrador or poodle or collie. You can't bully them or expect blind obedience like you can (I don't mean should) with other breeds. These dogs love you, but they don't idolize you. You have to be able read them and think like them, just like a good horse trainer will. I used a guard donkey for years and she was easy. Just throw her out in the pasture with sheep and you're good to go. Trim her hooves and worm her a couple times of year and that's all you've got to do.

But LGDs? They take so much more investment. You have to really be willing to work with these dogs to bring out the best in them. The rewards are well worth it though. My male, when it's pitch black outside, he'll walk right next to my leg with my hand on the top of his head, guiding me safely to the barn or the top of the pasture to close a gate. You can bet I don't worry about thing with him right beside me! And when I hear him and the our dog barking at night, I know everything is under control.

I agree about the similarity with horses Crystal, definitely so, I know I 'train' my LGD's like I trained colts and horses, I heavily rely on the psychological and physical and body language I learned from Tom Dorrance and the people he taught, who taught me or mentored me, or who I worked for. And it is a different way I know, to be with and around dogs, but I get good results doing it.....

Yes, I know there is a whole plethora of new LGD breeders out there with lots of photos of their dogs running in fields and jumping and looking athletic and cool...and I look and look for livestock in photos of these dogs, and never see any.