# Do I Need A LGD?



## nancylee (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi all,
I live in upstate NY, in the Adirondacks, and have 40 acres, mostly wooded. I did dog rescue for 5 years, pulling adults, young dogs and pups, from southern high kill shelters and rehoming them up here. I do not do that anymore, but still have 7 dogs left, mostly medium sized, these were the Problem Children, mostly returned to me to various reasons. None are human aggressive, I have one goofball around a year old who chases other puppies, kids, cats, smaller things, to play, not hurt. But he is not too bright, so he could hurt them.

My husband is putting up about a 5 acres fence around the house for the dogs, sheep/goat fence, and I plan to use parts of this, or adjacent areas, for the new Nigerians I am getting, plus one Lamancha. They are not babies, but I know I need to protect them from my dogs, who are not trained with livestock. My question is this: do I need an LGD? We have lots of coyotes around, but since I have had these dogs at this house, we don't ever hear them anymore, not for the past two years. We have bears, they claim no wolves in the Adirondacks, but I have heard people have seen them. I don't know if we have any lions. We certainly could, but we don't see them at all, and I have never heard of anyone seeing any. I will not have the goats in a big barn, because I want to move them around: instead, they will either be in a shed, or a calf hutch, which does not close, if I am correct??

I am new to goats, but really know dogs and have had horses at my old home, so I do know livestock, but I want my new buddies to be safe and sound, and really would appreciate any advice you might have.
Thanks much,
Nancy


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## nancylee (Mar 8, 2011)

I did meet a wonderful Maremma yesterday, he was a love!! I am interested in that breed, so if I do get a LGD, I think I would start my search with an adult, trained Maremma, if there is such a thing available!!


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

Do want it to protect from coyotes or your dogs? One LGD is not going to be able to handle a established pack of 7 dogs. In fact every dane vs lgd match I have watched, the dane won. Seeing as you have a Dane if it does get in and your LGD goes after it you can be certain of big vet bills, maybe a dead dog. Now if your dogs are outside all the time they will probably be enough to keep the coyotes away if you can keep them out of the goats pen.


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## nancylee (Mar 8, 2011)

Hi Jason,
I don' have the Dane, he died about 7 years ago at the age of 11. I have some big dogs, but most are older, and pretty mellow. I have two collie type dogs, they are younger and energetic, they might cause some noise, but not harm anything. The one dog who I worry about is about a year old, very goofy, barks and whines like mad to play with children, cats, but gets overly rambunctious, not aggressive, in his prey. He would be fine with a new dog, but not with the goats. I know he will be intrigued! 

I had 4 of the dogs here and just brought the other 3 from where I lived in the winter, so they are not one pack, rather two packs, but they do all get along. We don't tolerate fighting among them, at the first sign of discord, they get a verbal correction, and I will separate them if they don't listen. They are really very good dogs for us, but we have lots of doggie experience. I would not keep the LGD with the other dogs, anyway - I would keep him/her with the goats.
Thanks for the advice - any more is very welcome,
Nancy


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## nancylee (Mar 8, 2011)

I reread this:
_Do want it to protect from coyotes or your dogs? One LGD is not going to be able to handle a established pack of 7 dogs. In fact every dane vs lgd match I have watched, the dane won. Seeing as you have a Dane if it does get in and your LGD goes after it you can be certain of big vet bills, maybe a dead dog. Now if your dogs are outside all the time they will probably be enough to keep the coyotes away if you can keep them out of the goats pen.
_

I do have a mixed dog who can live outside all year, he has long hair and is quite territorial. He kind of looks like a Bernese Mtn Dog, but he is not. I doubt that he would mess with the goats, he is an older, sensible dog.


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