LIVESTOCK GUARD DOGS

LIVESTOCK GUARD DOGS

LGD'S

Beechtree Farm currently employs 4 LGD’s to guard our Bluefaced Leicester, Suffolk and Mule sheep flocks, in at least 4 different groups at any given time, covering 40 acres of pasture and ravine, on our 80 acre farm.

Beechtree has never experienced a sheep loss to predators; we credit the LGD’s for that record. We sleep well at nights knowing that the sheep are under the competent and vigilant care of the dogs on duty.

THE TEAM

Senior / veteran dog:

Beechtrees Ohio Buckeye ‘Buck’

Buck is a registered Maremma and has been with us since I made a trip to Ohio to pick out a pup in 1993 at that time we were located at a different farm. He’s made the change to the new place and considers this home. He’s getting on in his years and has it now stated in his working contract that he is off duty during thunderstorms.

Always on guard

Beechtrees Badger ‘Badger’

Badger is a Great Pyrenees we acquired at the 2002 at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, a Kentucky import. He has always been a quiet dog, never harassing sheep, and great on ground threats as well as air attacks. He hates large birds flying over the pastures.

The ruler of the pastures

Beechtrees Zora of Winrose ‘Zora’

Zora is also a Great Pyrenees and a Michigan native that we acquired in February of 2003. She fit right in with the 2 male dogs choosing to stay with the sheep while the guys do patrol. She loves the sheep and her human family as well, by 15 months old she had full charge of the entire flock of ewes with newborn lambs. We’ve never had to correct her for adolescent behavior towards sheep, cats are another story, those she loves to slobber on, and as a result her nickname is “Sloppy”. She’s been super about babysitting lambs out in the pasture and in the barn while the moms are out stuffing their faces.

Our hopes are to produce a litter of LGD’s utilizing Badger and Zora, expected the fall of 2004.

Update: 2004

Zora and Badger produced a lovely litter of 11 puppies, 4 males and 7 females, born on Aug. 11, 2004. The resulting puppies were placed in many different types of environments and homes. Some went on to become LGD’s and others as farm and family companions. We retained one of the males, ‘Hank’ which has now become the junior dog of the Security team.

Beechtrees ‘Hank’

Hank has followed in his sire and dams footsteps of being the perfect LGD. That is if you can overlook his habit of toting off the water tubs, feed bowls, and anything else not secured down. He is a true packrat by nature, as is his sire ‘Badger’. He is a big softie at heart and does his best to be good.

Beechtrees 'Peter' from our 2007 litter

Beechtrees FarOut Jack Daniels

'Dan' is from the Caulfields - Far Out Farm, in Tennessee and the sire of our 2008 litter of 12.

Beechtrees Jeni from our 2008 litter

Beechtrees Kate from our 2008 litter

Livestock Guardian Informaton

Suggested Books:

Livestock Protection Dogs

Selection, Care & Training

By: Orysia Dawydiak & David Sims

Alpine Publications: ISBN # 1-57779-062-6

How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With