How much space for an LGD?

Feathers-N-Fur · #1 12/12/08, 08:28 PM

We have 5 acres, of that, the does have 2 acres, the bucks and wethers have 1 acre and the kid pen is about 1/2 an acre. Do we have enough space for an LGD? The three pastures all circle the barn area in the middle, would a dog be able to go over the 4 foot fences to patrol all pastures?
There have been cougars seen nearby, but I haven't heard of any livestock lost. All the same, I would feel better if the goats had some protection. We do have a Lab mix and an Aussie mix, and I figure that is why I haven't lost any of my free range chickens, but I don't think they would be any help if something got into the pastures.
When I was researching, I read that 5 acres is a minimum for an LGD, but I'm presuming that means 5 acres per pasture. Does anyone else have an LGD on a small acerage?

Thanks

Charleen · #2 12/12/08, 08:33 PM

We have 5 acres in Invisible Fence for our Great Pyr. These 5 acres include the house, both barns and pastures, chicken coop, veg gardens, orchard, christmas tree lot, hay field, pig pen. So, she's not in the pastures with the animals, but can surround their fencing. She patrols her perimeter constantly throughout the night. I'm not really sure if there's a minimum space suggested for LGDs, but this has worked wonderfully for us.

Bearfootfarm · #3 12/12/08, 10:40 PM

I think you have enough space, but what kind of fencing do you have?
Many LGD's wont go over a fence, especially if they are electric, ( or the dog THINKS they might be).
I'd suggest "gates" between pastures that the dogs can fit through, but the goats can't
My full grown Maremmas ( 3 of my 4, one's TOO BIG) can squeeze through a 6 inch high space between boards, but my sheep wont even try

HappyFarmer · #4 12/13/08, 08:48 AM

We have the does on two acres, guarded by 2 1/2 lgd's. They have access to another acre during the growing season when we rotate pastures. We sometimes close off the 2 acres to create one acre.

The dogs do fine. You will need to train him/her to the small acreage if they were accustomed to a larger acreage.

One of our adults was used to roaming & letting herself out of her pasture (campground scenario) & that was part of the reason she was for sale. We had a really hard time training her to stay in-but doggie jail & electric fixed her going on two years now with no desire to leave. The training was frustrating to say the least.

The dogs we had as pups we not a problem at all-we set the boundries, walked the boundries, had a visible fence with electric fence back-up, and all are happy now, even the adult that was used to letting herself out.

A lot will depend on the dog's personality, how it was raised, how you train him/her. Having done it I am a firm disbeleiver in some of the suggestions found on these dogs. A LOT depends on the owner & their capability to get their wishes understood through those independent Pyr brains. Sometimes I think some of those suggestions are because softie owners don't have the aggressiveness required to teach the dog effectively.

JMO
HF

Feathers-N-Fur · #5 12/13/08, 05:25 PM

Most of our fencing is 4 foot field fence, except the kid pen, which is 3 foot. My goats will go through any small space if they are motivated. The fence between the kids and bucks is only 3 feet, and gratefully none of my boys have tried jumping it. So I wondered about running 2 dogs, one with the does and one for the bucks and kids. I have heard of putting something to help the dog go over the fence but was concerned about the goats using it to go over, is that likely?

Another question, do LGD's bark nonstop. The only time I have seen an adult for sale, it was someone trying to keep it as a pet in town and had to give it up because it would bark all night. She said that is normal behavior for the breed, because that is how they guard. I would be grateful for barking when there is a danger, but I already know my neighbors would have a problem if a dog was barking all night. Was she just making excuses for a misbehaving, frustrated dog, or do they really bark nonstop?

dragonchick · #6 12/13/08, 05:44 PM

Our LGD does not bark unless something is out there that is not supposed to be, or something is near his feed dish. In my opinion she was making excuses.
DC

copperpennykids · #7 12/13/08, 07:13 PM

Great post, Happy Farmer!

First of all, you have plenty of acreage for a LGD. Just make sure they recognize their space and know they need to stay in it.

We have several dogs that wouldn't mind jumping from pen to pen, but once they do, they know they can jump out of the pen as well, so I wouldn't encourage it. Perhaps a small doggie door from pen to pen? Works great for alpacas, but they don't tend to try to squeeze through small holes, either!

Great Pyrenees do bark if they think they should. I have a friend who has an Akbash (kind of looks like a pale golden Lab, only more slender) that doesn't bark as much, which is well-suited for where she lives, as the properties are long skinny rectangles and therefore homes are pretty close to one another.

Oh, and another reason not to have the dog jump is that that may work for a few years, but as your dog gets older, it may not be able to jump so readily. Back to square one.

HilltopDaisy · #8 12/13/08, 07:31 PM

I have 5 acres, and 2 Maremma's, and they bark a lot, at nothing! They are about 18 months old so maybe they'll grow out of it.

Bearfootfarm · #9 12/13/08, 10:19 PM

Quote:

they bark a lot, at nothing!

THEY know what they are barking at!! LOL
Mine bark at other dogs barking nearly a mile away, or at the cats if they get too near the pasture. Same thing with the chickens.

They bark at anything they have never seen before and sometimes one barks because the other one did, and the other two will join in also

I can tell the "serious" barks from the "just talking" barks though.

farmmaid · #10 12/14/08, 09:12 AM

Happy farmer is 100%+ right. Do the training right !!!!!!!!!

Charleen · #11 12/14/08, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HilltopDaisy

I have 5 acres, and 2 Maremma's, and they bark a lot, at nothing! They are about 18 months old so maybe they'll grow out of it.

Just because you can't see (or hear or smell) what they're barking at doesn't mean that something's not there. They know somehting is there. I am amazed at the eyesight on our Pyr. Our girl is outside all night, patroling and announcing her presence. For the first time ever, we had NO deer trouble in our gardens and it was because of this dog. She's got quite a variety of barking sounds, howls, yelps. We often wonder what she's saying, and joke that she taunts the deer "Your mother was a sheep".