Re: [PyrNet-L] Work, Show or Pet?

[Adrienne Wilder <draggon@STC.Net>]

Patti Brunkala wrote:
> 
> > I was told that pups are not the way to
> > go if you want a LGD, that adults are what you should be looking at.
> 
> If you can get an adult dog that has been raised and trained as a livestock
> guardian dog and  does his or her job well, then you are extremely lucky.
> People don't usually give these dogs up - they are worth their weight in
> gold.  Someone has to train the dog from puppy hood, minimal training at
> least, and usually dogs that have lived with their livestock since
> puppyhood make the best livestock guardians. 


This touches into properly bred vs confomration, vs, working.....again.. 
;)

If a dog is bred, true type and temeprment it will be able to work 
efficantly and effectively, with a little work, just as well as a dog 
raised with the live stock.
I pyr, bred with considerations of all things will be able to leave his 
kennel run of 3 years, his couch or 5 years, or his abusive home of 18 
months and work...*if* he has the mental and physical ability to do so.
Just becasue a person starts with a puppy it does not mean that at 18 
months that puppy won't start killing the live stock (for what ever 
reason)...with an adult, even a rescue, you can expose them to live 
stock and see if they have any "prey" drive...

 I understand that if someone
> wants to get a rescue dog and make him/her a livestock guardian dog, they
> are taking a big chance that dog will work out.  The dog is in rescue for a
> reason, many times because of behavior.

This risk, in my honest opion, is just as great or greater that the risk 
one takes with a puppy.  if you get a 3 year old adult in rescue its 
behavior is not going to change.  If you put that thing out in the field 
and it starts killing or mauling the goats you know its not going to 
work...if you put a puppy out there its not going to chase the live 
stok...heck those animals are 10 times its size...but when that pup gets 
older...it might decide those goats look like fun.. and try some taste 
testing... ;)

  The environment a dog is brought
> up in can have a huge influence on his/her behavior. 

No matter the environment o dog is brought up in, its instincts will 
hold true.  This is why you can "take the dog out or the wild but not 
the wild out of the dog".  In times of most basic exisitance instinct 
always prevails...and if the dog contains any of the proper instincts 
then it should be able to work.

 I also understand
> that usually a trained adult livestock guardian dog goes for a higher price
> than a carefully bred puppy, unless, of course, they are having problems
> with the dog that a farmer might not want to inherit!
> Well i know of one very good breeder who has placed more than one adult 
working dog for less than 400.00 and I don't know of any good breeders 
who have puppies at that price.  I mean hey, if the dog won't work in 
the breeding program why not put it where it can be useful to some one 
else.. ;)

> So IMHO, I would ask why they are looking at rescue for a livestock
> guardian dog?  As far as the fencing issue goes, even large farms are
> fenced to keep the livestock in.   Hot wire is an option which might be
> considered.
> absolutely!! ;) 


-- 


Adrienne Wilder  www.stc.net/~draggon/index.htm (pet portraits)
Murrayville GA

"Oh, to be loved by a dog!"

Home of:
The golden gang,
Patou and the evil sister geese.
and many stray cats.