Expert Searches Out Best Livestock Guard Dogs

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #3, Page #18

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Janet McNally has worked with livestock guardian dogs (LGD) almost as long as she has worked with sheep, long enough to know breed alone doesn’t matter.
“It’s hard to find a good livestock guardian dog, no matter what breed you’re looking for,” says McNally. “There are working dogs and show dogs. Most of the dogs you find for sale online are bred for show or for pets.”
McNally raises sheep in predator-heavy northeastern Minnesota. Her sheep face coyote and wolf pressure regularly, with an occasional bear. For her, breed experience with wolves is vital. The breed needs to come from areas of the world where wolves are common. However, that’s just a starting point for McNally.
“It only takes a few generations of selecting for purposes other than predator control, and you have traits that don’t work well with sheep,” she says. “Even some breeds that were developed as livestock guardian dogs haven’t seen a wolf in 50 years.”
The tendency of breeding for show dogs to emphasize size and height of LGDs adds to the complexity. Getting more height usually means straightening out the hindquarters, and that can cause hip problems.
“You have to be picky about the dog’s physical structure,” says McNally.
McNally searches out breeds and bloodlines within those breeds that are true working dogs, crossing them to get an LGD that fits her operation. She likes the Spanish Mastiff, noting that it’s popular in areas in Europe, like Norway and Sweden, where grazing land is shared with the public.
“It’s a breed that’s gentle with livestock and safe around people, but with enough aggression to stand up to wolves,” says McNally. “Other breeds can be more aggressive to the point of being dangerous to the public.”
“The Spanish Mastiff and the Maremma stay tight to the sheep, which I like,” says McNally. “I’ve had some that will go a short distance to face off against a predator.”
“I’ve been trying the Central Asian Shepard,” she adds. “However, I’ve been having more dog fight problems with them in the mix. The Spanish Mastiff tends to get along.”
She feels her Spanish Mastiff bloodlines are getting thin but notes that it’s very expensive to import dogs now. At one time, she explains, she could go to an area, buy a few puppies from herders who deal with predators and ship them home. Rules changed to prevent puppy mills from importing dogs by the planeload.
Now the dogs must be at least 5 mos. old to get rabies shots. That means they must have been fostered with a flock of sheep (to bond) in their home country after weaning. All that adds to the cost.
“There are Spanish Mastiffs in the U.S., but most are show dog types bred for excessive height and wrinkled skin,” says McNally. “To go to Spain today and spend several weeks driving around to find good dogs and bring back six pups would likely cost me around $27,000.”
Over her 30+ years of dealing with predators, she’s seen conditions change dramatically. “In the 1960’s and 1970’s, predator pressure was at an all-time low,” says McNally. “Predator populations began building in the 1980’s and took off in the 1990’s. Our management had to change with it.”
Since 1999 she’s only lost a few head to coyotes or wolves. Where she once kept a single dog with smaller flocks of sheep, she now keeps as many as four dogs with a single larger flock with two more dogs with ram flocks or hospital groups. “I always recommend even a small flock have at least two guardian dogs,” says McNally. “In a predator-rich environment, I would suggest at least four and if any number of sheep at all, have six guardian dogs.”
McNally sells pups from her LGDs. The next litter will be available in the fall, and pups will be priced at $600 each. The nationally known sheep breeder is also known for her LGDs. “I have a fairly large waiting list already,” she says.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tamarack Lamb and Wool, 31077 Co. Hwy. 61, Hinckley, Minn. 55037 (ph 320-336-9071; janet@tamaracksheep.com; www.tamaracksheep.com).

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Expert Searches Out Best Livestock Guard Dogs LIVESTOCK DOGS Janet McNally has worked with livestock guardian dogs LGD almost as long as she has worked with sheep long enough to know breed alone doesn’t matter “It’s hard to find a good livestock guardian dog no matter what breed you’re looking for ” says McNally “There are working dogs and show dogs Most of the dogs you find for sale online are bred for show or for pets ” McNally raises sheep in predator-heavy northeastern Minnesota Her sheep face coyote and wolf pressure regularly with an occasional bear For her breed experience with wolves is vital The breed needs to come from areas of the world where wolves are common However that’s just a starting point for McNally “It only takes a few generations of selecting for purposes other than predator control and you have traits that don’t work well with sheep ” she says “Even some breeds that were developed as livestock guardian dogs haven’t seen a wolf in 50 years ” The tendency of breeding for show dogs to emphasize size and height of LGDs adds to the complexity Getting more height usually means straightening out the hindquarters and that can cause hip problems “You have to be picky about the dog’s physical structure ” says McNally McNally searches out breeds and bloodlines within those breeds that are true working dogs crossing them to get an LGD that fits her operation She likes the Spanish Mastiff noting that it’s popular in areas in Europe like Norway and Sweden where grazing land is shared with the public “It’s a breed that’s gentle with livestock and safe around people but with enough aggression to stand up to wolves ” says McNally “Other breeds can be more aggressive to the point of being dangerous to the public ” “The Spanish Mastiff and the Maremma stay tight to the sheep which I like ” says McNally “I’ve had some that will go a short distance to face off against a predator ” “I’ve been trying the Central Asian Shepard ” she adds “However I’ve been having more dog fight problems with them in the mix The Spanish Mastiff tends to get along ” She feels her Spanish Mastiff bloodlines are getting thin but notes that it’s very expensive to import dogs now At one time she explains she could go to an area buy a few puppies from herders who deal with predators and ship them home Rules changed to prevent puppy mills from importing dogs by the planeload Now the dogs must be at least 5 mos old to get rabies shots That means they must have been fostered with a flock of sheep to bond in their home country after weaning All that adds to the cost “There are Spanish Mastiffs in the U S but most are show dog types bred for excessive height and wrinkled skin ” says McNally “To go to Spain today and spend several weeks driving around to find good dogs and bring back six pups would likely cost me around $27 000 ” Over her 30+ years of dealing with predators she’s seen conditions change dramatically “In the 1960’s and 1970’s predator pressure was at an all-time low ” says McNally “Predator populations began building in the 1980’s and took off in the 1990’s Our management had to change with it ” Since 1999 she’s only lost a few head to coyotes or wolves Where she once kept a single dog with smaller flocks of sheep she now keeps as many as four dogs with a single larger flock with two more dogs with ram flocks or hospital groups “I always recommend even a small flock have at least two guardian dogs ” says McNally “In a predator-rich environment I would suggest at least four and if any number of sheep at all have six guardian dogs ” McNally sells pups from her LGDs The next litter will be available in the fall and pups will be priced at $600 each The nationally known sheep breeder is also known for her LGDs “I have a fairly large waiting list already ” she says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tamarack Lamb and Wool 31077 Co Hwy 61 Hinckley Minn 55037 ph 320-336-9071; janet@tamaracksheep com; www tamaracksheep com

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