We have Great Pyrenees LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOG named Pride.  He is a working dog, registered as a Livestock Guardian Animal with Douglas County Animal Services.  We also have a Labrador retriever puppy (a pet belonging to our tenant), and his name is Obediah (Obie).

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) notes that predation is the leading cause of death in American sheep flocks.  Coyotes are the biggest threat to our sheep, and we see and hear from them on our property nightly.  Meanwhile, eagles and hawks are a major threat to our laying hens.  We also have trouble with neighborhood dogs, walking the path off leash, who naturally feel like it’s time to chase and kill a chicken.  We get it, it happens.  It’s part of living in a community.  We lost about 20 laying hens in 2024 to dogs, eagles, and coyotes. No sheep have been lost yet!

Presently our entire parcel is enclosed with barbed wire fencing.  This is largely sufficient to contain beef steers, but canines like to dig, jump, and wriggle through any gap they can find or create for themselves.  We’d like to invest in a better containment system, but: 1) they’re expensive (especially for large parcels), 2) they’re not very effective against motivated escaping dogs, and 3) they detract from the beautiful view!

Pride is usually let loose to roam the ranch after dark, and after people on the walking path have gone home.  Starting in late January 2025, training will commence with a satellite-controlled invisible fence system.