Here in OK I know people that use gelded donkeys for the horses and cows and they work great. I would not think to put a mare in since they can be going on hormones. I also know a lot of people that use working dogs. I personally have a border collie that is great and gets along with the sheep and horses. I think with what ever you use you must use the brain God gave you. You have to introduce the animals to each other. I do that with a new horse or new sheep.
-----Original Message----- From: Britt [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 10:40 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [blackbelly] Re: Guard donkeys I've never owned a donkey but I've heard donkeys are much more unpredictable than dogs. I do own two Great Pyrenees and they are excellent guardians, very predicatable, and gentle. I wouldn't trust any other animal or breed of dog with my livestock. In my area (North Florida), I would say majority of farms that have livestock guards use the GP. Britt BZPYRS writes: > Michael Bodisch. Michael, we have only two blackbelly ewes that were given > to us by my wife's sister and they roam happily around our three acres. They > are guarded by two Great Pyrenees at all times as we are right by the > Canadian border, up in the boondocks by Curlew, Washington, some 3 plus hours > NW of Spokane , WA. We have a big cougar problem, many many coyotes, and > bear. Actually , we are a Great Pyrenees kennel with 4 stud dogs and 5 brood > bitches (plus a one week old litter of pups) I have read some pretty bizarre > statements regarding Great Pyrenees on this website and it appears that there > must be some horrible back yard breeders &/or horrible Pyr owners that some > of you are running into. A few people have called their dogs Pyrenees when > they were not even purebred Pyrs."Older male" Pyrs have nothing to do with > chomping on a sheep or having bad temperament, IRRESPONSIBLE breeding, and > or, mean, misguided ownership does. Great Pyrenees have been around for about > 3 ,! > 000 yrs, originating on the French side of the Pyrenees Mountains. The Basque > sheepherders , as does any responsible Pyrenees breeders the world over, bred > for temperament number one, soundness number two. They have to be able to get > out and move with agility, bursts of speed , and power. They are family dogs, > pets, that can give big goobery kisses, let little kids crawl all over them, > then be turned out to work with the sheep , alpacas, llamas, goats , whatever > and clean the clocks of any invading predators. Don't even let me hear any > one say that can't be done or they simply don't know our breed. The Basque > people had big families, lots of kids, and bred for GENTLE temperaments > first and foremost cuz it also affected how the dogs were around lambs and > bunnies, chickens, etc., Great Pyrenees are the most commonly used guard > dogs in North America today, and at not too recent USDA trials at Dubois, > Idaho, the Great Pyrenees was the ONLY breed that did not at any time bit e! > a human. Let me tell ALL of you, a Great Pyrenees , once bitten , nee > probably not be bred ever again or one had better research the background. > And you NEVER breed a dog with questionable > temperament.....................We have dogs in the show ring who have also > been working. We have dogs at Alpaca ranches, horse and cattle ranches, llama > ranches, and many goat (dairy and meat) farms. One breeder (of Pyrs and > Llamas), a Pediatrician and his wife went out one morning and found two Pyrs > helping a mama llama take a baby out of the sack. One of our dogs was > grooming and cleaning the face of Buttercup our young ewe the other > day.......it's spring break up......had a muddy face or something from > playing. Our dogs get to playing and the sheep start running and leaping and > playing along with them. Mostly though in a huge flock, the dogs will in > right amoung the sheep while others patrol the perimeters. If anyone wants to > know more about Pyrenees get a book called "The new and complete Great > Pyrenees" by Paul Strang.......just get it from the libr a! > ry. Or check out the writings of Mary Crane who brought the into this country > in the first place from the Basque people and kennels in England and France. > There are very responsible Pyr breeders all over the U.S. and > Canada..........just go on line and check them out If any one wants to see > our little operation check out www.kindredpyrz.com ....but somewhere there's > a breeder near you.......Bruce Zelinski > > =============================================== > This message is from the Blackbelly Sheep mailing list > (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). > To respond to this message, send e-mail to [email protected] > To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to > http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly > To search the archives, go to > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ =============================================== This message is from the Blackbelly Sheep mailing list (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). To respond to this message, send e-mail to [email protected] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly To search the archives, go to http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ =============================================== This message is from the Blackbelly Sheep mailing list (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). To respond to this message, send e-mail to [email protected] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly To search the archives, go to http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
