Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 8-2019 Evaluating the Effectiveness of Livestock Guardian Dogs: Loss- Prevention, Behavior, Space-Use, and Human Dimensions Daniel Kinka Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons Recommended Citation Kinka, Daniel, "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Livestock Guardian Dogs: Loss-Prevention, Behavior, Space- Use, and Human Dimensions" (2019). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7611. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7611 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS: LOSS-PREVENTION, BEHAVIOR, SPACE-USE, AND HUMAN DIMENSIONS by Daniel Kinka A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Ecology Approved: ______________________ ____________________ Julie K. Young, Ph.D. Daniel R. MacNulty, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member ______________________ ____________________ Lise M. Aubry, Ph.D. Zhao Ma, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member ______________________ ____________________ Douglas Jackson-Smith, Ph.D. Richard S. Inouye, Ph.D. Committee Member Vice Provost for Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2019 ii Copyright © Daniel Kinka 2019 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Evaluating the Effectiveness of Livestock Guardian Dogs: Loss-prevention, Behavior, Space-use, and Human Dimensions by Daniel Kinka, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2019 Major Professor: Dr. Julie K. Young Department: Wildland Resources Livestock guardian dogs (LGDs; Canis familiaris) have been widely adopted by domestic sheep (Ovis aries) producers and reduce the need for lethal management of livestock predators. LGDs were originally used in the United States to reduce coyote (Canis latrans) depredations, but their efficacy against larger carnivores, including wolves (Canis lupus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos), is unclear. It is critical to identify which behavioral characteristics and LGD breeds are most effective at deterring different carnivores in order to maximize the utility of LGDs. Further, little attention has been given to how carnivores respond to sheep grazed with LGDs on open range, nor whether successfully using LGDs to reduce livestock depredations can increase tolerance for predators. This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of multiple LGD breeds in the Western U.S. to determine best management practices for LGDs. Assuming a broad definition of LGD effectiveness, I investigated (1) predator-specific loss prevention, (2) iv breed-specific behavioral characteristics, (3) impact on the space use of endemic carnivore species, and (4) a potential mediating effect on tolerance for livestock predators. LGD breeds common in the U.S. were compared with three imported breeds currently underutilized in the U.S – Turkish kangals, Bulgarian karakachans, and Portuguese cão de gado transmontanos.. From 2013 – 2016 data were collected on cause- specific sheep mortality, LGD behavior, occupancy of carnivores near grazing sheep bands, and pastoralists’ attitudes towards LGDs and large carnivores throughout Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Results indicate that all three novel breeds of LGD offer greater protection from certain predators than mixed-breed LGDs commonly used in the U.S. Although largely similar behaviorally, some breed-specific differences in LGD behavior were also identified and may help ranchers and wildlife managers make tailored decisions about how best to select LGD breeds. Also discussed is the finding that sheep grazing with LGDs appear to displace wolves, while simultaneously attracting a host of smaller carnivores. A survey of pastoralists revealed that, although attitudes about LGDs are generally very positive, they do not temper attitudes towards wolves and grizzly bears. These and other findings are discussed in terms of broader ecological theory and management implications. (219 pages) v PUBLIC ABSTRACT Evaluating the Effectiveness of Livestock Guardian Dogs: Loss-prevention, Behavior, Space-use, and Human Dimensions Daniel Kinka Livestock guardian dogs – or “LGDs” – are commonly used by domestic sheep ranchers and reduce the need for killing wild carnivores to protect livestock. LGDs are mostly used in the United States to reduce the number of livestock killed by coyotes, but whether they can prevent killing by larger carnivores like wolves and grizzly bears is unclear. It is important to identify which behavioral traits and LGD breeds work best for guarding livestock so that ranchers can protect their stock and environmentalists can enjoy a greater number of wild animals on the landscape. This study investigated the effectiveness of different LGD breeds in the Western U.S. to help determine how best to use LGDs. I investigated (1) which LGD breed works best for each predator, (2) if LGD breeds behave differently, (3) how carnivores respond when LGDs and sheep move through their home ranges, and (4) whether having good LGDs makes ranchers more accepting of predators. I compared common U.S. breeds of LGD with three exotic breeds used primarily in other countries with wolves and grizzly bears. From 2013 – 2016 data was collected on sheep that were killed and what killed them, how different LGD breeds behaved, what carnivore species were present near sheep grazing with LGDs, and ranchers’ attitudes towards LGDs and large carnivores throughout Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming. Results of the study show that all three of the exotic breeds of LGD are better at protecting sheep from certain predators than LGD breeds vi commonly used in the U.S. There are also some breed differences in LGD behavior that may help ranchers make better decisions about which LGD breed is best for them. Sheep grazing with LGDs seemed to drive-off wolves, but they also attracted smaller carnivores. Also, ranchers’ attitudes about LGDs are generally very positive, but they don’t affect attitudes about wolves and grizzly bears. Below, I discuss these and other findings in terms of both ecology and wildlife management. vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, thank you very much to my advisor, Dr. Julie Young, who took a chance on hiring a psychologist as a doctoral student in ecology. I sincerely hope she does not regret it. Thanks also to my committee members, Drs. Dan MacNulty, Lise Aubry, Zhao Ma, and Doug Jackson-Smith. I hope it wasn’t me that drove three of you to other universities. I owe all the thanks I can muster to my sweet and wonderful “Bobcat” Julie Golla for supporting me and putting up with me while I spent too many nights somewhere else. You helped me get through this more than you’ll ever realize. Thanks also to my guardian dog, Dottie (hey, Boogs). Thank you to my loving and ever- encouraging mom, dad, and sister, who probably still don’t understand exactly what I do, but support me anyway. To my closest compatriots throughout graduate school, Aimee Tallian and Gavin Cotterill, thanks for always having time to sit on a porch somewhere and drink a beer. Pat Jackson, thanks for the distractions. Peter Mahoney, you are the kindest and humblest genius anyone could ever ask for as an office mate. Thanks to the Fools Progress for being awesome band mates and an awesome band. Thanks to Patrick Schirf, Ryan Kuhnau, Jorge Munoz, Caleb Morrison, Alex Potash, Abby Pozulp, Kailin Olufs, and Kristen Beattie, the technicians who worked so hard for me and put up with my draconian rules about vehicle and trailer neatness. Thanks to Tamara Taylor and Cafer Tepelli for all the clever insights about LGDs and for being great travelling companions. Thank you to Mike Davis for just being a really good guy. Thank you to Marsha Bailey for always knowing the answers nobody else did. Lastly, thank you so much to the carnivore ecology lab (or whatever it’s called) at Utah State University, all of viii the incredible Wildlife Services, Federal, and State wildlife managers I had the pleasure of working with, and the sheep producers and sheep herders, without whom none of this would have been possible. Oh, and thanks to everyone who I’m sure I’m forgetting to thank. You know who you are. Danny Kinka ix CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii PUBLIC ABSTRACT .........................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ vii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 References ....................................................................................................9 2. EVALUATING DOMESTIC SHEEP SURVIVAL WITH DIFFERENT BREEDS OF LIVESTOCK