Livestock guarDian dogs
After we had spent a year here, the predators realized coming by might yield a chicken dinner. We built various coops. I put up electric fences. We trapped and killed predators, even on the deck of the house! All was to no avail...the predators were persistent and smart.
The final straw came when the predators, likely a raccoon and her kits, killed an entire flock of show quality bantam Cochins and Silkies and wiped out an entire shipment of rare and expensive Swedish Flower Hen chicks by prying the door off a coop and entering one night. Farm Mom had been considering a livestock guardian dog, but she managed to find two of them. Immediately, the predator attacks stopped. Since getting the dogs, we have only lost a few birds, all on nights when the dogs were locked up for various reasons.
What is a livestock guardian dog? It is a dog of one of several breeds specifically bred to live with the stock, have a low prey drive and high maternal instincts, one with size and strength, and the ability to live outdoors in any condition comfortably and without the input of a human. This has resulted in dogs such as the Great Pyrenees, Akbash, Anatolian shepherd, and Tibetan Mastiffs, among others. These dogs essentially evolved over thousands of years to live with their stock for months
at a time in the mountains and grazing areas of Europe and Asia to defend them against predators. They are highly intelligent dogs that think for themselves, which can be frustrating to modern day dog owners....these dogs can and will decide what and whom to protect and against what they need to protect! They love to be outside, and coming inside is hard on them for two reasons: their dense coats and the fact that they know if they are inside, they are not with their stock and cannot defend them. Surprisingly, they do not eat much food considering their great size. Many LGD breeds defend by patrolling their territory and barking a lot.
We have Great Pyrenees, a breed known for their gentle giant size, fearsome ability to protect and their very loud bark. Ours are well trained; we do not allow ours to roam (something many people say is a problem with the breed) and installed a radio fence to ensure they stay home and trained them to it. Every time they bark and one of us investigates, there is always a reason for the barking! Many people say GPs are too noisy, but we have found that if we trust them, they can always do their job. They do their job by barking.
As of right now, we have no plans to breed our dogs. While it is hard to find a good LGD, they are worth their weight in gold and worth the hunt. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. Farm Mom is always willing to see livestock guardian dogs at work and understands their unique mindset.
The final straw came when the predators, likely a raccoon and her kits, killed an entire flock of show quality bantam Cochins and Silkies and wiped out an entire shipment of rare and expensive Swedish Flower Hen chicks by prying the door off a coop and entering one night. Farm Mom had been considering a livestock guardian dog, but she managed to find two of them. Immediately, the predator attacks stopped. Since getting the dogs, we have only lost a few birds, all on nights when the dogs were locked up for various reasons.
What is a livestock guardian dog? It is a dog of one of several breeds specifically bred to live with the stock, have a low prey drive and high maternal instincts, one with size and strength, and the ability to live outdoors in any condition comfortably and without the input of a human. This has resulted in dogs such as the Great Pyrenees, Akbash, Anatolian shepherd, and Tibetan Mastiffs, among others. These dogs essentially evolved over thousands of years to live with their stock for months
at a time in the mountains and grazing areas of Europe and Asia to defend them against predators. They are highly intelligent dogs that think for themselves, which can be frustrating to modern day dog owners....these dogs can and will decide what and whom to protect and against what they need to protect! They love to be outside, and coming inside is hard on them for two reasons: their dense coats and the fact that they know if they are inside, they are not with their stock and cannot defend them. Surprisingly, they do not eat much food considering their great size. Many LGD breeds defend by patrolling their territory and barking a lot.
We have Great Pyrenees, a breed known for their gentle giant size, fearsome ability to protect and their very loud bark. Ours are well trained; we do not allow ours to roam (something many people say is a problem with the breed) and installed a radio fence to ensure they stay home and trained them to it. Every time they bark and one of us investigates, there is always a reason for the barking! Many people say GPs are too noisy, but we have found that if we trust them, they can always do their job. They do their job by barking.
As of right now, we have no plans to breed our dogs. While it is hard to find a good LGD, they are worth their weight in gold and worth the hunt. If you have questions, please feel free to ask. Farm Mom is always willing to see livestock guardian dogs at work and understands their unique mindset.
Arabian horses
Where it all began..with the horses.
Farm Mom was born asking for a pony. She learned to ride as a child on a backyard pony and worked to polish those skills during middle and high school when the high school principal hired her to exercise, train, and groom her show Arabians. Farm Mom had her own Half-Arabian and competed for some years on that horse and with others' horses. During grad school, horses were put aside, and it was not until after graduating veterinary school that Farm Mom was able to take up horses again. Farm Dad had never been around horses and was bewildered by the fascination but went with it. A trip to the Egyptian Event in Kentucky soon led us to our foundation broodmare and future show champion. Many years of completion and enjoyment ensued. We finally retired from competition and breeding when our older children were small. Now our stunning mare mows the grass, allows the children to ride her, and holds court in our back yard, accompanied by her daughter, a sweet lady of grace and manners.
It was because of the horses we bought the farm originally. We spent years traveling twice daily every single day to a local barn to feed, turn out, clean stalls, and exercise the horses. The barn was slipping into disrepair thanks to the disinterest of the owners, and we added all the associated expenses up and realized that with home prices coming down, we could buy our own place. Two years later, the horses stood in our own pasture surrounded by a fence we built and in a shed we raised.
The livestock has been a nice bonus, but we will always be in love with the horses.
Farm Mom was born asking for a pony. She learned to ride as a child on a backyard pony and worked to polish those skills during middle and high school when the high school principal hired her to exercise, train, and groom her show Arabians. Farm Mom had her own Half-Arabian and competed for some years on that horse and with others' horses. During grad school, horses were put aside, and it was not until after graduating veterinary school that Farm Mom was able to take up horses again. Farm Dad had never been around horses and was bewildered by the fascination but went with it. A trip to the Egyptian Event in Kentucky soon led us to our foundation broodmare and future show champion. Many years of completion and enjoyment ensued. We finally retired from competition and breeding when our older children were small. Now our stunning mare mows the grass, allows the children to ride her, and holds court in our back yard, accompanied by her daughter, a sweet lady of grace and manners.
It was because of the horses we bought the farm originally. We spent years traveling twice daily every single day to a local barn to feed, turn out, clean stalls, and exercise the horses. The barn was slipping into disrepair thanks to the disinterest of the owners, and we added all the associated expenses up and realized that with home prices coming down, we could buy our own place. Two years later, the horses stood in our own pasture surrounded by a fence we built and in a shed we raised.
The livestock has been a nice bonus, but we will always be in love with the horses.