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market-farming - livestock and vegetable guard dogs

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  • From: Leigh Hauter <lh AT pressroom.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: livestock and vegetable guard dogs
  • Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 00:21:36 -0500


Besides our chickenn-eating dog we have had Komondors for 15 years. Great
livestock guard dog. Our last one, though, got bit on the nose by a 3 foot
copperhead this summer and died.

Komondors don't roam. They stay put, Only bark if there is something
there, don't eat much, and wouldn't dream of hurting an animal that belongs
on the farm (well, it didn't much like the rooster eating out of its bowl).
While we had a Komondor around we never lost an animal to a predador (only
to the chicken-eating dog that we were foolish enough to take as a 'gift').

As far as a livestock guard dog Komondors are fantastic.

The downside - that coat. They never shed and while Komondors look really
cute at dog shows with those long dreadlocks, a working Komondor is one big
dirty mat. And they don't much like to get their fur cut either.

They are also not a dog for someone who is looking for a child substitute.
Komondors are large, bull headed dogs that need to constantly be reminded
that they aren't the alpha dog.

so with that in mind I'm looking for a Komondor without the massive coat.
I got so I hated the spring haircut as much as the dog did.

The books say the gp's will go far afield and they do a lot of extra
barking. I like a dog that barks only for cause.

What other livestock guard dogs have all of those wonderful characteristics
of the Komondor, but without the coat. It would also be nice to not have
to be in the business of having to remind a 150 pound animal every couple
months that it isn't the boss.

(Oh, and Komondors aren't great at keeping deer away. If the deer stay
away from the house, the outbuildings and the livestock, the Komondor
doesn't see anything wrong with them eating a little Pac Choi).. It would
be nice to have a dog that wants to protect the life of a broccoli too.




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