Promoting Livestock Guardian Dogs as a highly effective strategy for preventing livestock predation in Australian Agriculture.
08/07/2024
LEPTOSPIROSIS risks increase with continued wet weather
issues a stark warning to pet owners about the rapidly increasing risk of ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ด๐. https://www.australiandoglover.com/2024/06/leptospirosis-risk-increase-in-nsw.html
๐ง With NSW experiencing some of the most severe downpours this winter, PIA stresses the urgent need for awareness and preventive measures to protect our pets. Learn the ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ and the ๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ!
08/06/2024
On Wednesday 5th June, we (myself and Robyn Jay of Maremma Support NQ) presented a webinar to the AWL Queensland, & the G2Z memberships, focusing on how shelters, pounds and rescues can better understand and help Livestock Guardian Dogs that come in to their care.
With an increase in the number of abandoned, surrendered and lost LGDs in Australia, these organisations need to prepare for that trajectory to continue.
In the USA, there are thousands of LGDs lost, abandoned and surrendered each day.
11/07/2023
I had the pleasure today to do what I absolutely love - assisting a local rescued Maremma (now 2 months in her new home) to "come into her own" and to reduce her fear about strangers on the property.
This dog has been in suburbia and the pound. You ABSOLUTELY CAN re-adapt a suburban LGD to a working / livestock guarding situation. In this case, it is with chickens too! You just need the right environment and guidance and the right genetics.
Today's process isn't about removing the natural guarding instinct. This dog is highly fearful and reactive to strangers due to a lack of socialisation and she is relatively new to this environment. So via the process of desensitisation, we were creating a more appropriate response to strangers and helping her to respond to her owner's direction or reinforcement, to also guide her responses.
It went very well and she is in great hands now to progress to a reliable working livestock guardian dog with her chickens. Anything is possible. Well done team!
** IMPORTANT!** - DON'T MISS THIS TONIGHT - looking at recent dog bite atracks in QLD from one of Australia's leading Veterinary Behaviourists on Channel 10's The Project at 6.30pm.
MVSCโs Specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine Dr Jacqui Ley will be joining tonight at 6:30pm on ! She will be answering questions surrounding recent dog bite attacks in Queensland that have occurred in the past week.
11/02/2023
For anyone who is interested in viewing my webinar - "Understanding Livestock Guardian Dogs is Critical to their Success as Companion Dogs" -
it will expire on this platform on 1st April 2023 so you have just under 7 weeks to view it there. I hope it helps you with your beloved LGDS!
27/09/2022
This is open to all breeds, so if you have livestock guardian dogs and a camera, why not enter this competition?!! It's a great opportunity to shine a light on our remarkable working LGDs! Please share amongst your LGD networks.
08/09/2022
The lovable, natural guardian Triton, living his best life with his new family. He is an awesome Livestock Guardian Dog who came from an abusive breeding situation but this dog has proven to be a star at his many jobs, despite that bad beginning. He is much loved.
(The breeder was successfully prosecuted for a number of charges of animal cruelty and was sent to jail).
I am so happy for this boy. ๐ฅฐ
20/06/2022
Another visit to this group yesterday. I love visiting this area. Such beautiful country.
As the pups and juveniles move through development stages, so do the dynamics of a multi-dog group.
The Maremma has now taken it upon herself to guard the gate and remind the Border Collie and the Cattle Dog to stay behind it.
We did Maremma nail trimming, food scatters and a foray down the driveway.
12/05/2022
Our local Member of Parliament, David Layzell who has been a fantastic supporter of my project.
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Videos
Guarding the gate
Letting everyone know this is her patch. The Alpaca isn't impressed.
Scatter exercise
Bear came from a puppy mill and was in bad condition when his family took him home. However, he has proven to be resilient and has thrived ever since, thanks to his loving and supportive family.
I was pleased to see that Bear's family is already providing him with opportunities for Socialisation, Enrichment and appropriate exercise.
"Diva" the 6 month old Maremma has some fears about travelling in the car. So we did some Desensitisation & Counter Conditioning during my visit.
It sometimes helps to have another dog who is comfortable in that situation there to help the fearful dog to feel more confident, so "Spring" a Manchester Terrier was keen to assist!
You can see here the two of them using their noses to find the tossed treats and you can see Diva becomes more confident and adventurous in the vehicle as a result. When they're using their "seeking system" (their nose) they are in the thinking part of their brain instead of in the reactive (fearful) part of their brain. This helps to develop their confidence.
This is GOLD!!๐ฅ
Wait for it - "This is actually pretty relaxed behaviour for them."
We had a training session this week with 6 month old Maremma, 'Diva' and her farmer. These are Damara sheep which originated in some parts of the African continent. They can be very alert and flighty.
I knew what we would be working on in today's session, because the farmer told me on the phone "Well Diva and the sheep are afraid of each other."
So we worked on reinforcing Diva for calmness around her sheep, and also determining the threshold, or proximity, to the sheep that would not result in the sheep feeling the need for flight away from us. (It's a bit like how much pressure can you put on the sheep before they feel the need to move away)
These are really important elements to get right when introducing a livestock guardian dog to sheep, in their paddock. Both need to acclimate to each other and eventually feel comfortable in each other's company. This is further achieved by helping the dog to understand the need to exhibit calm, non-threatening behaviour in the presence of the sheep. Over time Diva will also perfect diverting direct eye contact with the sheep (which she was displaying apart from this video) which will also help to put them at ease and which usually comes naturally to livestock guardian dogs.
This was a breakthrough realisation for this farmer on this day!! ๐ This is what gives me joy in what I do. Setting my clients and their dog's up for success.
Wait for it!!๐
(Video with thanks from Life on Millie Acres,)
Livestock Guardian Dog doing his job!
This footage is from one of my Case Studies showing how skilled livestock guardian dogs are at detecting predators at distances, especially as they blend so readily into the vegetation. In this case a fox.
Winston is 2.5 years old and has settled into his role well. I love the question from Di's son targetting what is important here - "Is he moving away because of Winston?"
(Video supplied by Di Gillett. Thank you for constantly striving to learn and to get it right for Winston's sake! He is a lucky boy to have you.)
Chickens are curious about the goanna on the other side of the fence
Chickens are curious about the goanna on the other side of the fence
Kawa responds to native bird alarm calls for the presence of a goanna circling the chicken pen
Kawa responds to native bird alarm calls about a goanna that was circling in the grass.
Excellent score (86) for this working dog performance at the Australian Stock Dog Spectacular here in Tamworth.
Innovating Predator Control in Australian Agriculture
Livestock Guardian Dogs Australia, promotes the use of Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) to prevent livestock predation in Australia. This is the first time that a service offering the practical day to day problem solving and expertise in the use of LGDs has been offered to Australian farmers who are prepared to commit to this strategy via workshops, field trips, consultancy services and most importantly, ongoing support. It is the day to day practicalities that can determine the success or failure of this strategy for the farmer and acquiring the requisite skills and understanding are critical to that success.
Erin is passionate about this innovative and highly effective strategy and offers practical help to farmers who feel they are in a hopeless spiral of stock and financial losses, economic uncertainty and mental stress. She recently explained her motivation -
โWhen I heard of yet another farmer taking their life as a result of the devastation of livestock predation on their operation, I decided someone had to take up this challenge and reach out to these people. I am hoping that this initiative will help to relieve those feelings of desperation amongst affected farmers and their communities.โ
This highly effective strategy can not only save a livestock enterprise from financial ruin, there are also so many spin-off benefits for improving mental health for farming families and their rural communities. Letโs not waste this opportunity.
Livestock Guardian Dogs Australia was conceived by Erin Williams, who is internationally recognised for her understanding, experience and expertise in LGD training, management, deployment and support. Livestock Guardian Dogs Australia seeks to draw on that knowledge to educate and support Australian farmers to implement a successful livestock guardian dog strategy in their own operations.
LGDAโs education program also addresses some of the myths that surround the use of LGDs and shows how the strategy can be implemented so that it is reliable and effective.
Livestock guardian dogs have long been considered the โPrimary Strategyโ for preventing livestock predation in their countries of origin such as - Europe, Turkey, Central Asia and Russia. In Australia, LGDs are still only considered to be a โComplimentary Strategyโ in combination with other methods such as trapping, baiting and shooting. Yet there is overwhelming global evidence of their outstanding efficacy in stopping the predation of livestock. Early adopters of this strategy in Australia attest to their usefulness and effectiveness in reducing losses from wild dog attacks on livestock including, sheep and lambs, goats and kids, cattle and calves, all types of fowl and even horses and ponies. In some cases it is possible to achieve a 100% success rate with an LGD strategy in place.
Promoting Livestock Guardian Dogs as a highly effective strategy for preventing livestock predation in Australian Agriculture.
