Sam's Icelandic Sheep Farm, llc

 

Predation on our farm is one of the concerns that we attempt to address. It is an ever working, evolving, learning system that we have experienced with success and failure. To that end we constantly repair perimeter fence, install electric fencing when and where we can, but mostly, we rely on our LGDs (Livestock Guardian Dogs).

There are breeds that are thousands of years old or more, who were used by shepherds of the olden times. They are usually white, but many breeds range in colors from white to black. They come from France, Italy, Turkey, Hungary, Czech, Russia, Tibet and other old world countries where sheep and goats were a mainstay of the farmers.

Contrary to most people's understanding, these guardian dogs of old were NOT left alone in the field to manage their flocks. There were always the one or two shepherds in the expansive pasture of those olden times. Those dogs had human companionship and guidance as they protected the flock.

Now, we have the majority of farmers with part- or full-time jobs off the farm in order to make ends meet and keep their farms. This leaves these noble beasts alone, and without the human companionship that the dogs crave and need, and let's not forget the master's guidance when needed. I don't know for a fact, but I assume that many more guardian dogs "made the grade" back then compared to those that "make the grade" now.

I spend a lot of quality time with my dogs on a daily basis, but I do not live in the fields with them. I do not work off the farm: This farm is my chosen, full-time job. So to a certain extent, our dogs have it better than most, but it's still not up to the quality of what these dogs had in times past. After almost 18 months of raising and training our guardian dogs, I have lots more appreciation and understanding of their needs and how it fits in with my needs and my farm. (I'd like to mention that it is a woman who raises and re-trains Maremma LGDs that I learned the most from. She put me on track to raising these wonderful animals. Just wish I'd run across her sooner. Thanks, Jackie!)

Our experience has left us with three LGDs, who are very bonded with their Shepherdess and their livestock. They work together and against all four-legged and two-legged "visitors". We enjoy "two-legged" visitors, but you must call ahead so we can chain up any dogs not behind electric fencing.

In addition to LGDs, we also have a stock dog, Missy. She is our Farm Collie. She has a mix of Border Collie, Australian Shepherd and another stock breed. As I hae done more and more reading about Farm Collies, I now know that their definition of a Farm Collie fits Missy perfectly.

Our dogs are named after the characters in the cartoon strip Peanuts™. We have a Lucy, Olaf and Molly, the LGDs. And Missy, of course!