[Publican]

Hopefully in right spot since these dogs are integral for many farmers and those living a more off the grid lifestyle. If not, please place in appropriate forum.

http://lgd.org/

This is a very interesting site. It has many links to help beginners like myself. We are looking to get 2 LGD's once we establish our new home in Iowa.

Does anyone have actual experience with any of these (or other working breeds) on an actual farm environment?

I am leaning toward this breed so far: The Anatolian.

Here is a brief synopsis of one aspect of their abilities:

Guarding Behavior

The Anatolian will walk the boundaries of his domain to mark his territory occasionally throughout the day. Based on how much territory he can see and hear over, he will establish a protective zone and an outer buffer zone. He will then settle down in an area that he perceives to be one of several good vantage points. He quickly learns what is normal daily activity by people in his area and will appear to lie around doing nothing.

If something appears in the outer perimeter, the dog will bark to announce that he has something under observation. If the potential threat commences toward the protective zone, the Anatolian will progress to a rapid alarm bark that may then progress to a threatening snarl-bark when something very threatening is about to be stopped. Occasionally, the Anatolian may attack silently.

At the homestead, the Anatolian will announce the arrival of any visitors and will expect to be able to greet them with some formality. They are generally curious but aloof with guests. The dogs will usually go lay down after meeting with guests and will then watch them from a polite distance. If, after introduction, an unescorted guest wants to walk toward the owner's home, the Anatolian will block that person's path until the guest is escorted by the owner. If a house guest wants to leave the house, a dog on the porch may not allow the person to move about freely until the owner joins the guest. Many Anatolians will do this by giving a few barks to alert the owner, then the dog will step across the person's path until the owner arrives.

The Anatolian is a bold, confident dog that does not become overstimulated easily. They are calm and observant of their surroundings. The Anatolian may not go looking for trouble, but he may not back down if challenged.


Aggression

Aggression in the Anatolian is generally limited to the lowest level that provides the desired response from the rival. They do not exist to hunt down and kill predators. They could not effectively protect the rest of their flock or territory if that were the case.

- If the interloper will leave the territory when the Anatolian gives the first warning or simply rises to full height from a reclining position, the guardian will generally cease the progressive displays of threat.

- If the first warning is ignored, the Anatolian will use a graduated display of increasingly assertive behaviors until the trespasser is driven off or subdued.

- Killing of predators such as a coyote, may occur only after all other warnings have failed, or if the dog has been agitated by the predator at length.

If the Anatolian is annoyed with something, he may snap his teeth into the air with an audible click. He may bark, growl, or draw his lips in an ominous silent threat.
Usually, the Anatolian will turn his head away from something that he does not wish to hurt, such as a family member or another pet, then he will get up and leave if the annoyance continues.

[billamj]

While I don't have any ownership experience with these breeds I do have experience with regard to their behavior. I would only recommend these breeds to someone who is very experienced with dogs. They are all highly intelligent and because of this tend to be somewhat hard headed and need a firm hand guiding them. They also tend to be very aloof, they see the family members of their primary owner, their alpha, as being members of their pack and therefor to be protected. This can be a very good thing or a very bad thing especially if they are not socialized properly. There is a lot that can be said about each breed but each also has a national breed club. I recommend that you go to the akc website and find the national breed club, contact them and I'm sure that they will have plenty of information to share with you.

[Publican]

TFTR (Thanks For The Reply)

So far the only experience I have in training dogs is w/ Dob's. Dobermans though are a completely different animal (so to speak). I know that experience will help me BUT only at a basic level since the working dogs are a much different situation.

One recommendation I read from breeders is to have an older dog to help train a pup.

Starting my research now so when the time comes, I hope to know enough to make a smart decision.

[billamj]

TFTR (Thanks For The Reply)

So far the only experience I have in training dogs is w/ Dob's. Dobermans though are a completely different animal (so to speak). I know that experience will help me BUT only at a basic level since the working dogs are a much different situation.

One recommendation I read from breeders is to have an older dog to help train a pup.

Starting my research now so when the time comes, I hope to know enough to make a smart decision.

What you might want to look into is a breeder who has an older dog for sale. That is to say a dog that they may have bred and kept around for a year or two to work with and later decided to sell. That way you would get a dog with experience and with a good basic level of training. It would probably cost a bit more than a pup but for someone in your shoes it may be the better answer.

[Publican]

Not a bad idea.

Luckily we have (probably) 18-24 months before we will be ready to buy. The property will need to be FENCED well before I would bring home a LGD. PLUS we would want to have something for them to guard before bringing them home.

Our plan is to be in the new home by this summer. I doubt that we would start getting our farm critters till the following spring.

[billamj]

Not a bad idea.

Luckily we have (probably) 18-24 months before we will be ready to buy. The property will need to be FENCED well before I would bring home a LGD. PLUS we would want to have something for them to guard before bringing them home.

Our plan is to be in the new home by this summer. I doubt that we would start getting our farm critters till the following spring.

In that case go to some dog shows in your area and make a point of getting there in time to see the breeds that you are most interested in while they are in the ring. You'll get the chance to meet various breeders and maybe make a connection that you'll be able to use. Infodog is a website that lists shows by date and you may find it helpful and of course there is always the AKC.

[billamj]

On another note, next Monday and Tuesday on USA network will be the annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Always an interesting show for people who are looking for a new dog or for those who like dogs in general.