Yessi Barking
Many new owners of Livestock Guardian Dogs often complain about their barking. A dog's barking is it's form of communication: http://spanishmastiff.blogspot.com/2016/03/livestock-guardian-dogs-and-barking.html My next article in Sheep! Magazine will discuss LGDs and barking, the different types of barking, and how you can learn to understand it better.
Here's a short video of my young Spanish Mastiff Yessi Gala Tornado Erben barking. What does she see? Do you know? Well, she was barking at her reflection in the window. I was able to calm her and stop it without yelling. Learn how I did it and how you can, too, with your own LGD's excessive or unnecessary barking. My next article in Sheep! Magazine will discuss LGDs and barking, the different types of barking, and how you can learn to understand it better and control some of it without the use of cruel or painful gadgets.
Muchos nuevos dueños de perros guardianes de ganado a menudo se quejan de sus ladridos. El ladrido de un perro es su forma de comunicación. Http://spanishmastiff.blogspot.com/2016/03/livestock-guardian-dogs-and-barking.html Mi siguiente artículo en Sheep! Revista discutirá LGDs y ladridos, los diferentes tipos de ladridos, y cómo puede aprender a entender mejor.
Aquí hay un breve video de mi joven Mastiff español Yessi Gala Tornado Erben ladrando. ¿Qué ve ella? ¿Tú sabes? Bueno, ella estaba ladrando ante su reflejo en la ventana. Pude calmarla y detenerla sin gritar. Aprenda cómo lo hice y cómo usted puede, también, con su LGD propio excesivo o innecesario ladrando. Mi siguiente artículo en Ovejas! Revista discutirá LGDs y ladridos, los diferentes tipos de ladridos, y cómo puede aprender a entender mejor y controlar algunos de ellos sin el uso de gadgets crueles o dolorosos.
Happy Easter from Cinco Deseos Ranch
Happy Easter from Cinco Deseos Ranch!
Yessi Gala Tornado Erben and Pinta: LGD Kung Fu
I have never promoted "all work, no play" with my LGDs and fortunately here in my happy pack, play time is a daily occurrence. Do you ever look at some videos and/or photos of people's Livestock Guardian Dogs, and think to yourself that the dogs look "flat" or "lifeless", "stiff" or even sad? I do, I see this all the time. Many times it is because they are. In order to be this confident and happy as Yessi and Pinta are in the video, they must have confidence, and reside in a content, secure environment that has consistency in it. That is why, an 8 1/2 year old Pyrenees can still have this kind of spontaneous joy and vigor with her 13 month old Spanish Mastiff playmate. Pinta is teaching Yessi some "LGD Kung Fu" moves here, although it looks like all play - there is a lesson here for the youngster in how to fend off bites and moves from another dog. In the future, it will serve her should she come into conflict with a predator or a scuffle over something with another pack member. Conflict is inevitable - but keeping it minimal is key, and it's easier when you have a stable pack of dogs who are bonded as a family and are able to express such joy as this. It is not all about work. Dogs need "happy time" too and well raised, respected LGDs will show that joy.....
Happy New Year!
A Safe and Happy New Year to All from Cinco Deseos Ranch Livestock Guardian Dogs! ¡Feliz año nuevo! С новым годом! Bonne année! Frohes neues Jahr! Felice anno nuovo! Feliz Ano Novo! Gott nytt år!
Pack Play Time at Cinco Deseos Ranch
Here's my pack playing this morning (minus four dogs who were either sleeping or patrolling...). After playtime, we head to the livestock for feeding and either go into the fields with them, or, if the sheep and cows are on "lawn mower duty", they are brought into the front yard. Notice my old Pyrenees male Peso mingling with "The Mafia Brothers" Pak and Pala. Peso and Pala don't get along - but as they age, they mellow out, and I've been mingling them more in subtle attempt to encourage their getting along. They are far less intense now and can be together without fighting - for a spell. Later on, they did have a scrap after I took this. Running a pack of LGDs requires your ability to allow them to work things out, and to understand that packs are always dynamic and the 'politics' change constantly. Pinta's playing diffused most of the tension and she did it intentionally.
Livestock Guardian Dog Pack Dynamics
Eight years ago when I began breeding and running Livestock Guardian Dogs, it was very rare to find anyone promoting, let alone running, enough LGDs in a pack to effectively protect their livestock. I was - starting out with three, soon five, and adding more dogs - and thus was routinely scoffed at and bad - mouthed for promoting running LGDs in large numbers. But times have changed. Some of the same people bad mouthing me back then now copycat my training methods…grin. Thankfully now, people are starting to "get it", and more are running these dogs in pairs, trios and more as they should be.
But there is more to this than mere numbers. Just how do you build a cohesive, good pack of Livestock Guardian Dogs? It is not as easy as it sounds nor does it just magically "happen" without your work, intelligent choices and tireless observation and support. My upcoming blog post will hit on some key LGD pack building points and successful methods that I have used. A happy pack is a content pack. Content packs consist of dogs in a familial bond and environment who work well together and support each other.
Signs of a happy pack include raucous, gleeful, unfettered play time with pack mates. Here in this video taken this morning as a cold front blew in, are some of my dogs are doing just that. Watch the body language as Furiano, my huge Spanish Mastiff stud, "shakes off" Bobo's semi-challenging approach at the end. A pack of dogs that never "lets it's hair down" is a sign of a tense, non-trusting, less confident group of dogs who do not have that familial bond and who have struggling unresolved pack issues. Stay tuned for more in-depth material on this topic in my upcoming book that I am toiling away on, "The Way of The Pack: Understanding and Living With Livestock Guardian Dogs", and stay tuned for some 'teaser' tips in my next Spanish Mastiff Blog post: http://spanishmastiff.blogspot.com on building a solid LGD pack.
Yessi and Hermosa at Cinco Deseos Ranch
Yessi Gala Tornado Erben and Cinco Deseos Ranch Hermosa are big play pals.
www.lgdnevada.com
Cinco Deseos Ranch Spanish and Pyrenean Mastiffs
A short video showing the lion-like bearing and noble stature of some of my mature male Spanish Mastiffs and Pyrenean Mastiffs. Aneto ("Patron") Viejo del Paramo, Furiano del Puerto Canencia and Troy Farma Štěkot. These magnificent males were all imported from top breeders in Spain and the Czech Republic. Since 2009, I have been committed to producing the finest in Livestock Guardian Dogs and in promoting their compassionate use, training, rearing and better understanding. You can read more about my ranch, my dogs and my philosophy on my website here: www.lgdnevada.com and on my very popular blog: http://spanishmastiff.blogspot.com
Dog Days of Summer
The Dog Days of Summer, Cinco Deseos Ranch style…..
My pack has their playtime every morning. It's the sign of a healthy, content, happy pack!
Los días de verano, el estilo de Cinco Deseos Ranch ... ..
Mi paquete tiene su tiempo de juego cada mañana. Es el signo de un contenido, paquete sano, feliz!
Humane Drag Chain for LGDs
USING A DRAG CHAIN TO SLOW DOWN AN LGD: This is a short video of Pala, my 7 year old Maremma/Anatolian. Pala has figured out how to go over my tall perimeter fence and will occasionally climb over, much to my chagrin. I have found that by clipping a heavy (20-25 pd) chain on his collar, he can still maneuver, still go piddle and potty, still run and play, and defend my livestock and do his job, but the chain puts a damper on his fence climbing.
Please dear readers: on the Internet are two Canadian women who regularly post photos of and promote the use of obscenely inhumane "yoke" contraptions made out of PVC pipe or iron, affixed to a dog's neck. The dog cannot run or defend itself wearing these horrible contraptions, and I doubt they are able to lay down and really sleep, either. "Yokes" are a lazy shepherd's excuse and should never be advocated or used. A dangle chain that is shorter than Pala's model, or a stick attached to a short chain, are usually able to slow dogs down, make them think and prevent them from jumping over fences, without pain or suffering or discomfort. The drag or dangle chain or stick can slow your LGD down if he's too rambunctious with baby livestock, without being cruel. Humane and respectful treatment of LGDs should be our top priority and learning to show them the correct way can be done in kindness, not pain. I wish a Happy Easter to all from Cinco Deseos Ranch LGDs.
Tobby the Rambunctious Ram Lamb!
Troy and Sally
Spring must be in the air! Troy is trying to get Sally in the mood. <3 If all goes as planned I hope to have two litters of Pyrenean Mastiffs this year. <3 Czech imports Troy Farma Stekot x Sally Farma Stekot, and their huge son Cinco Deseos Ranch Bobo x Italian import Alto Aragon Atena.
The PM are exceptionally smart dogs, with steady, trustworthy, loving temperaments…they prefer to stay close to livestock, and are not prone to wandering far away. My Pyreneans pack a punch though, and have the heart of a lion…they are fearless! This Spanish breed from the Pyrenean Alps is gaining quickly in popularity as an LGD in the USA and I have many PM's working on farms and ranches. I also have PM's working as Emergency Response dogs and therapy dogs! They love children, and can exist well in a pack. My LGDs are all pack raised here and have a distinct advantage because of that. A "kissing cousin" to the ever popular and beautiful Great Pyrenees from France, the PM like the Pyrenees, does not exhibit needless aggression or an unstable temperament, making them popular for family ranches, homesteads and farms. They still pack a punch and will deter predators with their loud bark and devoted protection of their flocks.
You can find out more about this breed at my website: www.lgdnevada.com :)
