North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lori Rizzo" <larizzo@charter.net>]

I would add that Great Pyranees are great guard dogs, and they do stick
around - especially good if you have livestock, as they will bond with them
and protect them from coyotes.  In Colorado, at CSU, they use the Komodorok
(big mop-like dogs) to guard the sheep they use for research.  The Kuvasc
are also in that category (the white female 'lead' in "Homeward Bound II"
was a young Kuvasc, I believe).

I have Whippets - they are great prey dogs, but will not stick around!

Lori

Lori Rizzo, RN BSN MBA
Health Care Quality Improvement
Pet Training & Behavior Improvement!
Maryville, TN
larizzo@charter.net

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Sarah Kehler Ewing
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 7:54 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] deer dogs

Hi Jerry,

I highly recommend a Great Pyrenees dog for your deer problems.  We have 1/4
section (160 acres) that is 1/2 treed and right next to 4 other quarters
also mostly treed and not farmed so the deer pressure on my orchard is
intense.  We lost a lot of fruit tree branches (apparently fruit trees taste
much better than the Poplar which grows thick as hair on a dogs back
everywhere else on the property) before we got the big white dog.  

We thought our Norwegian Elkhound (originally a moose hunting dog- elghund
means moose dog not elk dog as translated in English) would chase off the
deer, but that did not happen.  And the beagle cross lots-of-stuff we got to
keep him company only barks at people!  I remember one time when I could see
the deer in broad daylight right beside my goat barn so I ran towards it
screeching my head off and waving my arms with the Elkhound barking
excitedly right beside me and the mutt watching from the steps!  The deer
finally stopped laughing and sauntered away!  At no point did either dog
chase it or bark at it!  

So I bought the Great Pyrenees.  That was the end of the deer damage in my
yard (I do have some trees and a garden out of sight over a hill behind
trees which is still challenging for me).  Moby runs and barks all day and
all night long and we no longer have deer paths going through the yard
beside my goat barn, through my yard garden, through the orchard and beside
my chicken barn.  Deer avoid his territory like the plague.  The only
problem we are having is that he runs miles chasing the elk/moose/deer that
do show up so he may get himself shot by a nearby farmer someday. The
barking at coyotes and deer all night might annoy your neighbours.

Sarah
Zone 3, Edmonton, AB


> I spent 6000$ on invisible fence.I have extreme deer
> pressure.The fence works great .The dogs don't.I have a
> husky,beagle and a shepherd mix.The dogs run around all day
> then sleep at nite when the deer are out.I don't know if
> I need different dogs or different breeds.Someone told me to
> pen them up during the day.Any ideas? thanks   Skip so. 
> zone5-6_______________________________________________



      

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