# Donkey as LSG?



## scarlet812 (Feb 18, 2013)

Does anyone have a donkey as a livestock guardian? I've read that they are good for that and thought I might eventually get one, once we get sheep.

I have experience with horses, but not donkeys, so I would love to hear from anyone who has any donkey stories.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I would not recommend donkeys as guardians because my donkey killed a goat and attacked calves and couldn't be trusted. He was fine for a couple years and then went off. I think donkeys are too smart to be stuck with sheep and goats, and they really need other equine companionship. They are strong and can do a lot of damage if they want to. I think if I ever needed another guardian I'd definitely go with a dog.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I have two jennets. When donkeys are young they are full of vinegar. For this reason, I would separate newborn lambs from young donkeys. My miniatures grew up with sheep (4 months old and seven months old). I initially kept them in an adjacent pen for about four months before putting them together.

The donkeys became the dominant animals in the herd. They love each other and are always together, just as the sheep are. But, the two species are never far apart from each other. When there is danger, the sheep cluster tightly behind the donkeys. When they move, like when I bring hay out and they come out of the shelter, one donkey leads and the other donkey brings up the rear. When there is a dog on the road, the donkeys step up to the fence, ears up, and the sheep stay behind them. If a dog gets into the pasture the donkeys attack.

I didn't even know we had coyotes and coydogs because I only lost two sheep to predators. The first time I had put the donkeys on the other side of the house to graze and left the sheep in the pasture. Result: a dog got in and ran down a lamb. Two years ago one of my sheep got a bad nick on the shoulder from shearing. She kept rubbing it and keeping it open. One day she stayed away from the gang, staying in the shelter, probably to get away from flies on that wound. Found her dead, covered in blood. But, not eaten at all. I believe when she was attacked the donkeys ran to her but it was too late. They were all very upset.

When the sheep are shorn I have to keep the donkeys away because the jennets will not tolerate anyone grabbing the sheep and otherwise upsetting them. They are 34" and 36" at the withers.

Little dogs are the worst because they are small enough and fast enough that they miss the kicks. I foster Boston terriers and they come from baiting bloodlines- very good at missing a kick, keep going when they are kicked, and they don't let go once they bite. The Bostons are always on leash when outside. Most dogs are intimidated enough by a big animal with big ears staring them down. What kind of guardian will work for you depends on what you have to deal with. For us, donkeys have worked better than a LGD would.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

I have o personal experience but from the stories I have heard, when it does work, it's great. But when it doesn't, it's very bad with maimed stock. Same is true for livestock guardian dogs too though. Don't ever they using a jack....they almost always fail.


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## RedRidge (Jan 28, 2013)

We had donkeys for years before we got maremma.
Our jennys were awesome... the jacks were a little too hard on the lambs... sometimes picking them up and shaking them.
My jenny cared for hundreds of lambs from the time she was a baby... she was given groups of 10 day old lambs (bottle babies - I had dairy sheep) and never hurt one... she was incredible.
The jacks were not dependable even after gelding.
My wonderful jenny needed a home when we switched to maremma, so she now guards the sheep at Biltmore Estates.


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

I thought about it, but I decided I wanted something with pointy teeth to fight back against coyotes and other dogs. 

And LGD is naturally going to take care of threats from other canines, but a donkey is a crapshoot, IMO. They might go after a canine threat, and they might win. But they might not.

Cheaper to feed a dog, too.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

It's not that they attack and win fights with dogs and coyotes. The barking or donkey notice is enough to interrupt the stalking behavior. The Wolf or coyote then has to start all over again. Until they work out a plan (two of them distract the guard while the other two hunt the sheep) they go back to hunting fawns. With dogs, who have a less strict stalking behavior and really want to "play", they are intimidated by the donkeys and go back home.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Maura said:


> It's not that they attack and win fights with dogs and coyotes. The barking or donkey notice is enough to interrupt the stalking behavior. The Wolf or coyote then has to start all over again. Until they work out a plan (two of them distract the guard while the other two hunt the sheep) they go back to hunting fawns. With dogs, who have a less strict stalking behavior and really want to "play", they are intimidated by the donkeys and go back home.


Depends on the breed, some are HIGHLY aggressive toward strange canines & kill them out of hand.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

I've seen coyotes walk right past donkeys to get to my sheep. The only thing a donkey chased was my sheep...LOL


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I'm not saying some breeds don't attack predators. I'm saying the mere presence of the guard animal can ward off predators because simply breaking the stalking behavior is enough. For other animals, the size of the donkey is intimidating. Being aggressive and killing the coyote or wolf isn't necessarily what you are getting or what you need. Compare like with like (presence vs killing). This is why you need to match your needs with your guards. Presence is enough for many situations, sometimes you need more presence (more dogs), and some LGD's are not good attack dogs.


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

My experience is mine hated dogs but also was not safe with the goats. Especially the pregnant ones. 

He's now 23 years old and can be safely let out with the goats but for the first 15 years of his life he was not goat safe.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Like any guard animal (dog, llama) a donkey needs to bond with the animal it is supposed to guard, or even just live with. You have to bring them together when the donkey is a baby. My jennets were 4 months and 7 months old when I put them adjacent to the sheep. Younger would have been even better. You can't just stick a young llama or donkey in with the goats and expect them to start guarding. I also think a female donkey is a better guard than a jack (gelded). The jennets seem to feel more responsibility toward their herd.

All moot since the OP is getting a dog.


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