As we finish up lambing for another year, I would like to highlight the dedication of yet another working dog on our farm - our Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD).

Our 12-year-old dog, Butch, truly stands out during this season. His actions never fail to impress me, showcasing his natural talent for protecting the flock. When a ewe is about to give birth, Butch will position himself at a safe distance, monitoring her closely. He never disturbs the ewe, simply keeping a vigilant watch over her. He has proven to be a dependable and trustworthy guardian.

Upon entering the lambing area to inspect the ewes, I can immediately sense when a birth is about to happen based on Butch's behavior. He exudes a sense of reassurance to the ewe, easing their anxiety and offering a soothing presence. In cases where a lamb is lost or appears lonely, Butch will stay by its side and offer companionship.

I spent 6 seasons working as a contract shepherd managing 1200 ewes on cutblock grazing projects and we had four to six LGD’s. These dogs fended off coyotes, wolves, Grizzly & Black Bears. One time, we had a black bear come into camp and the actions of the LGD’s were really interesting. A couple of the dogs began the chase of the bear and eventually treed the bear, while the other dogs remained tight with the flock, barking & protecting. I am not sure how the dogs knew their role, but it was intriguing to watch. Eventually, the dogs actually moved back away from the tree and released the pressure off the bear. The bear then high-tailed it out of the area.

Our young dog, Winston, is still under “supervised” visits with the lambs, as I don’t want him to think it’s play time. I am hoping he will mature more this season, and settle into his role. He is very good at fending off the ravens & eagles, as well as the other predators, but he is a bit too “loving” with the really small lambs.

I know we couldn't have sheep without them. Before we had LGD's, I watched a black bear catch and drag a 200lb ewe up over the fence! Since we added these dogs and some electric fencing, we no longer have too many problems.

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