Livestock Guardian Dogs

With so many edible plants and pasture-based livestock here at Red Gate Farm, we must protect our crops from pests and our poultry and livestock from local predators. Our predators include many small mammals, such as rats, skunk, woodchuck, opossum, raccoon, bobcat, fox, and coyote, as well as overhead predators such as hawks, owls, and eagles. Our area has also had random, rare sightings of cougar and bear. Part of having a sustainable farm is learning how to live in harmony with the wildlife--including predators--as much as possible.

That's why we have Livestock Guardian Dogs. Ours are primarily Great Pyrenees, that have been carefully selected for their social temperament towards people. This makes them an excellent breed for smaller farms and homesteads, with close neighbors or frequent visitors.

We could not farm the way we do without our dogs. They live outdoors with "their" livestock all year, keep predators out of the fencelines, alert us to potential issues, and even help take care of young stock. We view them as true partners here on our farm. All they ask in return is an occasional treat, belly rub, or scratch behind the ears. 

If you peruse our website, you will see our dogs at work in many of the photos!