DOCSLIB.ORG

Choosing a Guard Animal

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Choosing a Guard Animal Guard animals are not a cure-all for all predator problems. Although the use and effectiveness of guard animals has increased, some livestock produc- ers continue to require other animal damage control measures in addition to their livestock guardians. Livestock Guardians Wildlife conflicts are complex. If you need assistance, careful planning and consulta- tion with a qualified wildlife damage-man- agement professional is available by con- tacting USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services. California State office, Sac. (916) 979-2675 North District........................ (530) 336-5623 Sacramento District............. (916) 438-2706 Central District..................... (209) 545-463 San Luis District.................. (805) 237-0912 South District...................... (619) 561-3752 “Choosing a California Department of Food and Agriculture Animal Health Branch 1220 N Street, Room A-107 Guard Animal” Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 654-1447 Animal Health and Food Safety Services Animal Health Branch Developed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health Wildlife Services Branch, 1220 N Street, Room A-107, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 654-1447. Alternative formats available upon request. Characteristics that should be looked for in Dogs LIVESTOCK GUARDIANS selecting a guard llama include: independence, Livestock guarding breeds A growing number of livestock pro- curiosity, awareness of surroundings, not fearful originated in Europe and ducers are using guard animals to of unfamiliar things, and not afraid of dogs, but Asia, where they have reduce predation on livestock. Llamas, wary of them. been used for centuries to donkeys, and dogs are animals most protect sheep. Some of the commonly used for this purpose. The most common breeds are best guard animals stay with the Great Pyrenees (France), Komondor (Hun- livestock without harming them and gary), Akbash dog and Anatolian shepherd aggressively repel predators. The Donkeys (Turkey), and Maremma (Italy). Guard dogs unique characteristics of each live- stock operation will dictate the type Donkeys are gaining in popularity as protectors have been bred and trained to enhance and number of guard animals required of sheep and goat flocks in the United States. many traits. Here are some key points in for maximum effectiveness. Here are some key points in using a donkey for using dogs for predation control: predation control: • Use only a gelded jack or a jenny • Minimize human contact at 8-12 (female); intact males can be aggres- weeks of age. To be useful, they Llamas sive towards livestock. must bond with the flock they protect, Llamas can provide an effective, long-term, Use only one donkey for each group of rather than with the owner. and economical alternative for predator control • Avoid pups that seem overly shy, or in a variety of farm and ranch conditions. sheep. • Llamas have ideal characteristics for protect- • Allow 4 to 6 weeks for a naive donkey to one that dominates its litter mates–it ing sheep and goats, which include: bond with sheep. may later try to dominate its owner. • minimal training required and they • Remove the donkey during lambing to • It may take 2 years for the dog to don’t have to be raised with sheep and prevent accidental injuries to lambs. mature, therefore, manage the live- goat flocks • Use donkeys in small, open pastures. stock in accordance with the dog’s age and experience (e.g., use • graze the same pasture; no supple- • Use donkeys with small flocks (less than smaller pastures while the dog is ments or special foods necessary 300 head of sheep). young and inexperienced). • require similar vaccinations, worming, • Test a new donkey’s • When considering owning a guard and hoof trimming response to dog dog, research the characteristics of • can be effective guarding animals species by challeng- the different breeds. for 10-15 years ing it with a dog in a • instinctively dislike canines pen or small pasture. Donkeys are extremely Llamas’ responses to predators Owning a guard dog requires a significant include: becoming alert, alarm intelligent, with acute hearing and sight. They do not like amount of investment and patience in calling, walking to or running training. Some potential problems with guard toward the predator; chasing, change in their surroundings, and will drive off a predator by braying, baring their teeth, running dogs include dogs that wander and do not kicking, or pawing the predator, stay with sheep, chasing or playing with or positioning themselves be- and chasing, and attempting to bite and kick an intruder. stock, harassing or injuring stock, and tween the sheep and the preda- aggressiveness towards people. tor. They have also been known to herd the sheep together into one area to try to keep them safe..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Dog Breeds of the World
    Dog Breeds of the World Get your own copy of this book Visit: www.plexidors.com Call: 800-283-8045 Written by: Maria Sadowski PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors 4523 30th St West #E502 Bradenton, FL 34207 http://www.plexidors.com Dog Breeds of the World is written by Maria Sadowski Copyright @2015 by PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors Published in the United States of America August 2015 All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information retrieval and storage system without permission from PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors. Stock images from canstockphoto.com, istockphoto.com, and dreamstime.com Dog Breeds of the World It isn’t possible to put an exact number on the Does breed matter? dog breeds of the world, because many varieties can be recognized by one breed registration The breed matters to a certain extent. Many group but not by another. The World Canine people believe that dog breeds mostly have an Organization is the largest internationally impact on the outside of the dog, but through the accepted registry of dog breeds, and they have ages breeds have been created based on wanted more than 340 breeds. behaviors such as hunting and herding. Dog breeds aren’t scientifical classifications; they’re It is important to pick a dog that fits the family’s groupings based on similar characteristics of lifestyle. If you want a dog with a special look but appearance and behavior. Some breeds have the breed characterics seem difficult to handle you existed for thousands of years, and others are fairly might want to look for a mixed breed dog.
    [Show full text]
  • Attra Final Report 2019-2020
    ATTRA FINAL REPORT 2019-2020 SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas Program RB-17-06 Annual Performance Report for Public Distribution April 24, 2019 – May 15, 2020 Submitted to: USDA Rural Business – Cooperative Service 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250 Submitted by: National Center for Appropriate Technology Background he ATTRA program was created in the New Hampshire; Jackson, Mississippi; and Check, 1985 Farm Bill and has been reauthorized Virginia. Each offi ce covers a region of the U.S.: T in all subsequent Farm Bills. ATTRA is Montana covers the northwestern U.S., Arkansas housed within the USDA’s Rural Business- covers the southeast, California covers the west, Cooperative Service (RBS) and managed by the Texas covers the southwest, New Hampshire National Center for Appropriate Technology covers the northeast, Mississippi covers the (NCAT) through a cooperative agreement with Gulf States region, and Virginia covers the mid- USDA/RD. This national program strives to off er Atlantic region. Additionally, NCAT has remote improved access to scientifi cally sound, under- offi ces in Durango, Colorado, and Dallas, standable, and practical information to commercial Pennsylvania. agriculture producers by responding to client This report covers the performance period of requests received via national toll-free telephone April 24, 2019, through May 15, 2020. lines, postal mail, email, online chat, Facebook, Twitter, other social media, and conferences. Historically, the producers who access the ATTRA’s COVID-19 services most frequently are family-scale, small- Response scale, beginning, limited-resource, and returning veteran farmers. ATTRA’s external evaluator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the reports that the median age of commercial ATTRA program rapidly pivoted to serve producers accessing ATTRA technical assistance the nation’s farming community with additional and resources is 45, and 40% are women needs resulting from the crisis.
    [Show full text]
  • New Jersey Animal Guidelines
    New Jersey Animal Guidelines: Any of the following animals owned, kept by, in the care, custody or control of any occupants of the home are ineligible: 1. Any animal deemed dangerous, vicious or potentially dangerous under state statute. 2. Any exotic animal, wild or zoo animals (including but not limited to reptiles, primates, exotic cats and fowl). 3. Any of the following dogs: • Akita Inu • German Shepherd • Alaskan Malamute • Giant Schnauzer • American Bull Dog • Great Dane • American Eskimo Dog (member of the • Gull Dong (aka Pakistani Bull Dog) Spitz Family) • American Staffordshire Terrier • Gull terrier • American Put Bull Terrier • Husky or Siberian Husky • Beauceron • Japanese Tosa/Tosa Inu/Tosa Ken • Boerboel • Korean Jindo • Bull Mastiff/American Bandogge/Bully • Perro de Presa Canario Kutta (any other Mastiff breed) • Cane Corso • Perro de Presa Mallorquin • Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) • “Pit Bull” • Chow Chow • Rottweiler • Doberman Pinsher (other than a • Rhodesian Ridgeback miniature Doberman • Dogo Argentino • Staffordshire Bull Terrier • English Bull Terrier • Thai Ridgeback • Fila Brasileiro (aka Brazilian Mastiff) • Wolf or Wolf Hybrid Or any mixed breed dog containing any of the aforementioned breeds. 4. A dog that has been trained as and/or used as a guard dog or attack dog. 5. A dog that has been trained or used by the military or police for enforcing public order by chasing and holding suspects by the threat of being released, either by direct apprehension or a method known as “Bark and Hold”. 6. A dog belonging to a breed that was historically bred for fighting. 7. A dog that has bitten anyone or has exhibited aggressive behavior towards people.
    [Show full text]
  • The Police Dog: History, Breeds and Service the Dogs Of
    Police Dog Book Extract from: The Police Dog: History, Breeds and Service Copyright James R. Engel December, 2018 Chapter 14 The Dogs of War The propensity of primitive men to raid neighboring bands or villages did not abate as we advanced technically and socially, learned to fashion ever more sophisticated and effective weapons and the technical and societal means to plunder on an ever expanding scale. As understood and explained by scientists such as Konrad Lorenz, this innate aggression is a necessary evolutionary adaption for life; but establishing mechanisms of social control has become much more difficult as advancing technology and production potential have provided increasingly effective weapons, U.S. Marine handler, Corporal Michael Galloway and mobility as in use of the horse and Scout Dog Stormy search a tunnel and find an enemy larger and more robust states to satchel of explosives (Vietnam, 1970). support more far reaching Stormy’s first handler was Ron Aiello. excursions. As a consequence small scale skirmishes between bands evolved over time into full scale wars among nations. Dogs were participants from the earliest times, providing intrusion warning, searching out opportunities of plunder and directly fighting an adversary. Such things were natural extensions of the herd guardian and hunting roles, emerging out of ancient, evolutionary established predatory and territorial instincts and the family group or pack social structure. Even into the era of swords and spears aggressive dogs could be a significant factor in an engagement, just as in the hunt. En masse deployment of war dogs of the Molosser type has been depicted on the walls of the ancient Egyptians and Assyrians and in the writing of the Greeks and Romans, sometimes with armor and spiked collars.
    [Show full text]
  • Junkyard Dog Monique Polak
    Orca Currents Teachers’ Guide Junkyard Dog Monique Polak Reading level: 3.1 978-1-55469-155-5 PB 978-1-55469-156-2 LIB AR Quiz # 133961 Book Summary Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store. He names him Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey’s company, until he learns about their mistreatment of the animals. When Justin can’t shake his suspicion that someone in the company is involved in a rash of thefts, he tries to quit. But Justin knows too much, and his boss won’t let him go. Author Biography Monique Polak lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her husband, a newspaper- man, and daughter Alicia (who was named after Alice in Wonderland—the subject of Monique’s master’s thesis). She spends her days doing her two favorite things: writing and teaching. In addition to being a frequent contributor to The Gazette, Montreal’s English-language daily newspaper, Monique is the author of several novels for young people, including Finding Elmo and 121 Express from the Orca Currents series. She has taught English and humanities at Marianopolis College in Montreal since 1985. orca currents orca Monique says she gets ideas for her novels from her work as a reporter and teacher. Orca Book Publishers • www.orcabook.com • 1-800-210-5277 Orca Currents Teachers’ Guide Connecting to the Text Character and Novel Study Use the following ideas as individual or small group novel study exercises: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Choosing Your Puppy
    Wendy Volhard’s Puppy Aptitude Test © 1981, 2000, 2005 “Puppy Aptitude Testing” was named Best Film on Dogs for 1981 by the Dog Writers Association of America CHOOSING THE RIGHT PUPPY FOR THE RIGHT HOME! Getting a dog or puppy on impulse is rarely a good idea. Remember that dogs, like cars, were designed for a particular function. You need to decide what you want, a Corvette or a Suburban, a Fox Terrier or a Newfoundland. When the various breeds were originally developed, there was a greater emphasis on the ability to do a job, such as herding, guarding, hunting, drafting, etc., than appearance. If a particular breed interests you, find out first what the dog was bred to do. There are so many different breeds to choose from and if there is a secret to getting that “perfect puppy”, it lies in doing your homework. DECIDING WHAT KIND OF DOG TO GET The well-trained dog begins with some idea of what role the dog is expected to play in your life and then selecting a dog that is suitable for the job. Following are some of the reasons for selecting a dog: • Companionship; • Playmate for the kids; • Protection; • A special activity, such as hunting, herding, breeding, showing in conformation, or competing in performance events; • Status symbol (not wise); or • A combination of the above. Some dogs are able to fill all of these expectations, while others have more limited talents. Getting a dog for a status symbol usually means one of the guarding or rare breeds, and often these represent some special challenges.
    [Show full text]
  • THE IRISH TERRIER UNIQUE ORIGIN: the Exact Breeds That The
    THE IRISH TERRIER UNIQUE ORIGIN: The exact breeds that the Irish Terrier descended from are unknown but many believe their ancestors were the now-extinct black and tan Terrier and a larger wheaten-colored terrier. The breed hails from County Cork, Ireland and emerged as a recognized breed around 1875 at a dog show in Glasgow, Scotland. They were bred for their working and hunting abilities and were referred to as a poor man’s sentinel, a farmer’s friend, and a gentleman’s favorite. PERSONALITY: Two nicknames for the Irish Terrier are Daredevil and Red Devil, one for being so feisty and courageous that they will guard their home and family with their strong protective instinct, and the other name because of their red, wiry coat color that helps protect them from the weather. They were created to be a companion, hunter, and guard dog, and as such, they are watchful, protective, and territorial. Irish Terriers are also feisty, spirited, good-tempered, and adaptable. They love their families and aren’t considered a one-person dog, as they love people and are even friendly towards strangers. They are very affectionate and tender with children and have infinite patience with them; however, they can be dog aggressive, especially towards dogs of the same sex. This independent and smart dog makes a wonderful family pet. APPEARANCE: Irish Terriers usually weigh between 23 to 30 pounds and stand approximately 15 to 19 inches tall. They are a medium-sized dog with a muscular and agile build. Their coat is short and wiry and often sport bright red hair.
    [Show full text]
  • Ian Macinnes 1 He Hath Been Brought up in the Ile
    Ian MacInnes MASTIFFS AND SPANIELS: GENDER AND NATION IN THE ENGLISH DOG He hath been brought up in the Ile of Dogges & can both fawne like a Spaniell, and bite like a Mastive. – Moll Cutpurse In her seminal book on animals in the nineteenth century, The Animal Estate, Harriet Ritvo postulates that “animal-related discourse has often functioned as an extended, if unacknowledged metonymy, offering participants a concealed forum for the expression of opinions and worries imported from the human cultural arena."1 Most recent work on animals in early modern England has concentrated on the degree to which such opinions and worries concern the animal-human boundary and the question of what it means to be human.2 This large issue was certainly as much in question for the early moderns as it has been since, but it can tend to obscure some of the more unique deployment of animals at work in the period. Animal discourse may fit into larger philosophical or theological ideas about humanity but actual animals could also be deployed, consciously and more or less systematically, as a vehicle for expressing attitudes specific to a place and time. In what follows I explore one such metonymy in early modern England. It is a metonymy that links English dogs with early modern English attitudes toward national character, attitudes in which hopes and anxieties about nation and gender coincide. By the end of the sixteenth century England was already considered to have a unique relationship with dogs, and England ’s nascent national identity was already connected with the dogs for which it was famous throughout Europe.
    [Show full text]
  • Navajo Sheep and Goat Guarding Dogs
    Rangelands3(6), December 1981 —- 235 NAVAJO SHEEP AND GOAT GUARD- ING DOGS: A New World Solution to the Coyote Problem Hal L. Black When the Spaniards moved into the AmericanSouthwest, their intention was to provide the Indians with a somewhat watered down version of Spanish culture, one aspect of which was sheep ranching. Among the Pueblo,their primary target, sheepranching becameimportant but neverreplaced farming as the primary means of subsistence. Among the Navajo, however, sheep and goat ranching became the life- style and, according to some, Navajo flocks may have sur- passed in quality those of the Spanish. Accompanying the Spanish flocks into the western hemisphere were dogs of European origin, described as larger than the indigenous varieties and as keen guardians of the flocks (Lyman 1844). Apparently the Spanish dogs did not persist into the 20th century as a result of inbreeding with Indian dogs, and the resulting mixed-breed dogs came to be used in their place. The Navajo may have used mixed-breed dogs with their Oneof the fivedogs thatkilled a coyote in July, 1980. This flockis flockssince the early 1700's, when they became involved in seldom accompaniedby a herder. sheep ranching. Severalaccounts of the role of Navajo dogs with the late are in sheep in 1800's found Dyk (1938). recorded included: number of dogs, age, sex, if neutered, In recent years there has been an effortto train, evaluate, weight, color, presenceor absenceof tail, andthenumberof and in some cases import into the United States several sheep and goats. I recorded all observations of several varieties of large livestock guarding dogs of Eurasian origin behaviors including barking, playing, exploratory behavior, (Linhart et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Wild Predator Loss Prevention Best Management Practices for Sheep
    Wild Predator Loss Prevention Best Management Practices for Sheep A guide for sheep producers on how to minimize predation of sheep 1 Wild Predator Loss Prevention Best Management Practices for Sheep Producers _______________________________________ ____________________________________________________ What is a Best Management Practice? A Best Management Practice can be a process, activity, method or technique. These processes, activities, methods and techniques are generally understood to be more effective in reaching a certain outcome or accomplishing a task than other conventional processes, activities, methods or techniques. Best Management Practices are used in many professions such as construction, technology, ecological protection, sustainable development and health care. What is a Best Management Practice for Sheep Producers? A Best Management Practice (BMP) is an approach to livestock production that seeks to minimize predation on a flock while taking into account the surrounding environment, including the wild animals within it. A BMP provides sheep producers with a toolkit of options to assist with the protection of livestock from predation. BMPs go with the idea that it is much easier to take steps to prevent predation than to try to stop it once it has started. These are your “best bets” for keeping your livestock safe. These best management practices fall into 5 categories, and are explained in the following pages. They include: ➡Husbandry Practices ➡Predator Repellants ➡Guardian Animals ➡Fencing ➡Knowing Your Neighbours The intent of this BMP is not to limit sheep producers, but rather, to provide options for them. It should be understood that every farm is different, and due to physical factors and geographic location, some farms do not have the option to adapt to several of the suggestions listed in this document.
    [Show full text]
  • New Proposed AKC Group from Realignment Committee- Group 10
    AKC Group Realignment December, 2011 The American Kennel Club is proposing group realignment and expanding the number of conformation groups from the current 7 to 11. If you would like to read the list of groups and the dogs proposed to go into those groups you can find it at this link: http://www.cspca.com/Realignment/Suggested%20Breed%20List.pdf The Realignment Committee has placed the Chinese Shar-Pei in the Working Spitz group; however we can let AKC know if we had rather be in some other group. Dogs are placed in groups according to common features, traits, skills, natural instincts, ancestry etc. If the Group Realignment passes, then whichever group we end up in will be the group that we will stay in for a long time to come. It is very important that we choose wisely as to what is in the best interest of our breed. It would also be wise to consider what is to be gained by moving from our current group. What do we stand to lose by moving to a new group? We should only move to a new group in order to improve our breed and not for anyone’s personal gain. I have made a photo chart of the different groups that have been proposed by people for our breed. Please study the groups carefully before you vote on the group that you feel would best represent our breed New Proposed AKC Group from Realignment Committee- Group 10: Non-Sporting The breeds in the Non-Sporting Group are a varied collection in terms of size, coat, personality and overall appearance.
    [Show full text]
  • The Use of Alpacas As New-Born Lamb Protectors to Minimise Fox Predation
    Extension Farming Systems Journal volume 1 number 1 – Industry Forum 65 The use of alpacas as new-born lamb protectors to minimise fox predation Sara Mahoney1 and AA Charry2 1 ‘Windara’ Naracoorte SA 5271 2Charles Sturt University, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, Orange NSW 2800 Australia [email protected] Summary. Canine attacks on newborn lambs are a problem for sheep farmers, causing substantial economic losses to the sheep industry. Anecdotal evidence indicates that alpacas reduce the losses caused by such attacks when placed within sheep flocks. A trial was conducted at two sheep farms in rural NSW where experimental – ewes grazing with alpacas - and control – ewes grazing without alpacas – groups, with replication within and across farms were organised with a total of 6,483 breeding ewes. Overall weaning percentages for each flock of sheep were tabulated at 14 weeks and evaluation of performance between groups was conducted using descriptive statistics. An inferential statistical t test for pairs was conducted to find out the level of significance of the difference in performance between the trial and control groups. Combined weaning percentage for the control groups was 69.8% while the experimental groups showed a combined weaning percentage of 82.6%. Assuming equal mortality rate because of natural causes among the groups, it may be concluded that the presence of alpacas within the lambing paddocks increased lambing weaning percentage by 13% with a = 0.025 (i.e. confidence level = 97.5%). The economic benefit is obvious considering that there is an increase of 13 lambs for each 100 breeding ewes that valued at market prices represent a meaningful marginal farm income.
    [Show full text]