Before the first alpacas arrived at Kaleidoscope Alpacas, we decided to take precautions to protect our animals from unwanted intruders. Our area of Ohio has its share of coyotes, plus there is the constant threat of stray dogs. Plus, there is a large deer population, so even with our 5’ perimeter fencing, the deer still look for ways to help themselves to our pastures.
Knowing a little something about dogs (over 50 years of combined experience in the care, training and rearing of pure-bred dogs), and being familiar with many of the livestock guardian dog (LGD) breeds, we knew that using a livestock guardian to protect our herd was the way to go!
Currently, the alpacas at Kaleidoscope Alpacas are protected by Anatolian Shepherds.
If you are considering using an LGD to protect your livestock, you need to understand that raising and training them is done differently than raising a house pet.
With the increasing interest in the use of LGDs, and the subsequent problems that can develop from inexperienced owners, problems are just waiting to happen. As an educational service, we offer workshops and seminars on the care, selection and training of LGDs -
Purchase - Livestock Protection Dogs: Selection, Care and Training by Dawydiak and Sims.
Excellent reference that explains the work of the livestock protection dog, characteristics of the various breeds, puppy testing and selection, training, care,