Respecting Boundaries:
Escape and Roaming Issues
“We’ll find ‘em in the end I promise you. We’ll find ‘em…as sure as the…turning of the earth.”
--- John Wayne as Ethan Edwards, The Searchers
Becoming more and more popular, even in Europe, Canada, and other counties, not just the USA, either. From my book, The Way of The Pack: Understanding and Living With Livestock Guardian Dogs; $35.00 on Amazon; more than 350 pages, more than 40 chapters, pictures, magazines, films and You Tubes.
Livestock Guardian Dogs that don’t or won’t “stay put” on farmer’s homesteads, ranches and hobby farms is an oft-heard issue. But many people forget the history and background of these ancient landrace breeds is one that is based on a dog living a transient life full time with flocks and herds, traveling with them over miles of unfenced, open terrain with shepherds. That the American farmer has begun to use LGDs in manners that are outside of their traditional role has in turn resulted in wandering, roaming dogs who get out of their confined area, not content to stay in, or regularly leave to chase predators. This often results in dead dogs hit by vehicles on a busy highway, stolen, shot or poisoned. Let’s get to the bottom of the “why” of this and then look at solutions to help prevent LGD escapes from happening.
In their native countries, Livestock Guardian Dogs typically are never or rarely contained in small lots, pastures, corrals, fields or barnyard areas. They stay with the shepherd, who stays with the flock full time and travels in what is known as transhumance. Unlike some Americans who are gone several hours during the day from their farm to another job, the shepherd lives and travels with his flock 24/7. This Old World type of transhumance can be over a few miles or hundreds of miles, with a handful of livestock, or herds numbering over a thousand head. The key element is, there are very few or no fences. The dog is not expected to stay in a tiny pen with goats or sheep. He is rarely tied up. The flock moves and grazes with the shepherd who moves them in a grazing pattern that can be decades if not centuries old, through villages both teeming with people and abandoned, across plains and steppes, up mountain ranges and through deep, desolate valleys. Along with the flock come the herding dogs to move the flock along and help position animals where the shepherd wants them to be grazing, and the guardian dogs, who provide much needed protection from predators.
You don’t see this type of ranging or transhumance on a hobby farm or small family operation. The reason why is because most hobby farms have established boundaries established by fencing. Livestock is limited in its range and is kept on the owner’s property.
LGDs by nature live to protect. They are territorial breeds that bond to livestock and their owners, and consider them “theirs.” This protection instinct includes their home turf. So, when something comes along that in their mind, threatens what they consider “theirs,” they will spring into action to stop it. If a stout perimeter fence or some type of wall is in place, the dog will go as far as he can before he is stopped. But if there is inadequate fencing that is not tall enough, full of holes, easily dug or slipped under or is falling apart, guess what? The dog will continue through it to stop the threat to his livestock.
The “contained farm” or ranch’s LGDs in turn must work within boundaries set by their owner. Here are where many problems arise for the LGD owner and operator. Because these ancient breeds have been bred to travel great distances and stay with stock, if kept in too small of an area, they often will be become bored and inclined to jump over or push through weak fencing. They may see a threat on the other side and crash through painful hot wire to stop it. Some dogs are expected to stay in far too small of an area for their entire lives by unknowing owners and rebel by jumping out and taking off – sometimes never to return. Likewise, LGDs who are not fed adequately, never given attention or care by their owners or just bored will find an excuse to leave the boundaries set for them.
Loose ranging LGDs can be struck and run over by traffic on a road, accidentally or purposely shot, poisoned, picked up by well meaning people, stolen, and more. How can an LGD owner prevent his LGD from wandering and escaping? By following these sensible practices, escapes can be reduced to a minimum if not completely stopped.
Please fence me in. One of the biggest mistakes many novice LGD owners make is buying the guardian dog beforethey put up the fencing. While a fledgling pup may be content to stick close to his new owners, the house and the barn for the first month or so, with age comes curiosity and the natural inclination to investigate and patrol their territory, and soon the pup has found the unfenced half of the farm, and disappears. Don’t bring in a new LGD pup or adult dog to an operation without having strong dog proof fencing already in place. Don’t be the “penny wise, pound foolish” farmer who spends thousands on exotic livestock that is put in inferior or poorly fenced corrals, lots and pastures. Don’t bring a pup into a situation that is already set up to fail. Have your dog proof fencing in place before you bring home your LGD. Keeping the dog contained will be one less thing on the operator’s plate; there are months ahead of training the pup to focus on, and keeping him in place on the property should be the least of one’s worries.
Size is everything. Too many LGD owners plop their pups and dogs into a tiny fenced area and then wonder why their protectors begin digging out, chewing on lamb’s ears, barking non-stop, climbing over a fence, and more, in a desperate attempt to escape. LGDs become bored and stifled if put in too small of an area. I have frequently frowned on anyone buying and using LGDs if they live on property that is less than two acres.
LGDs must be able to stretch their legs, run and get exercise to blow off steam. They must be mentally stimulated. That means not living their entire life penned up in a tiny lot or cramped space. But believe it or not, many LGD owners expect their dogs to do that. They buy a pup, put it on one acre, and expect it to live its entire life out in that small space. This is not fair to the dog, and it is not a normal existence especially for breeds bred for generations to roam with stock over miles.
The chain gang: dangle sticks and chain drags. A “dangle stick” is a short length of chain affixed to a dog’s collar, at which the end of is a short (less than 12 inches long) stick. This device serves as a slowing mechanism. The stick will flop against the dog’s upper legs, giving him discomfort if he moves too fast. Likewise, a heavy linked chain, roughly a foot long, serves the same purpose.
Neither of these methods should be used for a long period of time. If I have a young LGD who is overly rambunctious with my livestock, I will affix a chain drag to it’s collar. The most I leave it on the dog for is roughly 30 minutes, and during that time I keep the dog under observation. If the dog settles and stops chasing or bothering stock before that time I remove the chain and give the dog praise.
Some shepherds will leave a dangle stick on a dog for an indefinite period of time and I do not prescribe this. In brushy or thickly forested country, the stick could be caught in something and the dog trapped or held, and unable to get itself free.
Again, neither of these methods should be used on a permanent basis, but only briefly, until the dog shows that he is calming down and slowing down, and “gets the message”. You will know that by the body language signals the dog displays. The eyes will soften, the dog will often lower it’s head, and it’s movements will slow down and calm down.
Yokes belong in eggs, not on a dog. Don’t resort to using bizarre, cruel contraptions around a dog’s neck, commonly referred to as a “yoke”, to keep him inside his property. A dog wearing one of these ridiculous and inhumane contrivances is at risk. The dog wearing a yoke is vulnerable and can be easily taken by a large predator because the dog cannot turn his head to counterattack and protect himself. Yokes also impede a dog’s chance to escape should he be cornered by a pack of wolves or a bear, in that they restrict the dog’s movement and ability to run at a normal pace. “Yokes” are quick-fix devices used by lazy and uncaring shepherds. Don’t be one!
Large tire and log drags. Safe drags and dangle sticks as described above are one thing, but tying a working LGD to a giant tractor tire or a heavy log in order to keep him “put” are not good ideas for many reasons. It restricts his ability to move and be where his livestock is, thus increasing the chance of a predator being able to take off with a lamb or goat kid. Cumbersome, heavy drags often get caught in brush or in a fence line and the dog is left stuck, often without water or food. If left this way the dog could perish. If bogged down by a heavy tire drag, an LGD cannot effectively defend itself against a large bear, wolf, lion, a pack of feral dogs or coyotes.
