The Perfect Formula for Training Incredible Livestock Guardian Dogs
The Prancing Pony Farm Method for Raising and Training our Maremma Sheepdog Puppies
Nature, Nurture, or Both?
Nurture or nature, it's the age old question. In regards to raising successful Livestock Guardians we believe both are equally important. Yes, it's vital to make sure your LGD puppy comes from true working Livestock Guardian Dog parents and not just pet or show dogs of a LGD breed. That's why we chose to use and breed Maremmas on our farm, because their gene pool hasn't been diluted like most other common breeds. They aren't commonly kept as pets or shown so they have maintained their working instinct. Plus they don't have some of the tendencies that other breeds do, such as wandering or aggression towards humans.
But genetics are only part of the picture. In order to raise successful Livestock Guardian Dogs it's vitally important that LGD puppies be exposed to livestock regularly from a very early age. The time from 0-16 weeks is the most important time in a dog's ENTIRE LIFE for learning. Puppies have Critical Learning Periods during this time. What they learn during those early weeks will set them up for success or failure (or at least maybe mediocrity) for the rest of their lives. I don't know about you but I don't want a mediocre dog guarding my livestock! I want the best and that's what we strive to breed and raise.
We often see breeders of LGD's who raise the puppies away from livestock, in a house or backyard, for the first several weeks of their lives and then "expose them to livestock" for a few hours (or minutes) a day when they are already several weeks old. Many of these breeders only have a handful of chickens, a few sheep or goats or a horse or two and are really only breeding Maremmas because they think the breed is cool (which is true, but that’s not a good enough reason to breed) or for the money (a very BAD reason to breed). Some of these breeders never even put their pups with livestock at all, sending them off anywhere from 8-16 weeks old with absolutely no experience doing the job they are supposed to do! If a puppy spends its first 8-16 weeks playing in a house or backyard or lounging around on a patio then they have been socialized to be pets, not LGD's. Which is fine if they going to BE pets. But if they are to be LGD's then they will never truly live up to their potential, and it will be tough road ahead teaching them what they should have learned during their Critical Learning Period.
Based on our research, observation and extensive experience (with puppies we have acquired who were socialized right and others who weren't) we feel strongly that this token “exposure to livestock “ method of puppy rearing that many breeders practice is a grave mistake and a disservice to the LGD's, to their future owners and to the livestock they will one day protect. We feel this is highly irresponsible and unethical and urge people not to buy a LGD puppy from such a breeder, as you are simply enabling bad practices. Puppies raised in this manner have missed the most critical window of opportunity for bonding with livestock and learning how to do the jobs they were bred to do. The parents and other adult LGD's and carefully chosen stock are the best puppy teachers and these lessons are best learned when the pups are small. You may think you can simply take home an adorable but improperly started puppy and train it yourself, and this is exactly what those breeders will tell you to do. And yes, you can, but it is a lot harder to fix mistakes than to do a job right the first time, those dogs well never be the Livestock Guardians they could have been if they had been raised right from the start. Trust me, we know this from experience.
But genetics are only part of the picture. In order to raise successful Livestock Guardian Dogs it's vitally important that LGD puppies be exposed to livestock regularly from a very early age. The time from 0-16 weeks is the most important time in a dog's ENTIRE LIFE for learning. Puppies have Critical Learning Periods during this time. What they learn during those early weeks will set them up for success or failure (or at least maybe mediocrity) for the rest of their lives. I don't know about you but I don't want a mediocre dog guarding my livestock! I want the best and that's what we strive to breed and raise.
We often see breeders of LGD's who raise the puppies away from livestock, in a house or backyard, for the first several weeks of their lives and then "expose them to livestock" for a few hours (or minutes) a day when they are already several weeks old. Many of these breeders only have a handful of chickens, a few sheep or goats or a horse or two and are really only breeding Maremmas because they think the breed is cool (which is true, but that’s not a good enough reason to breed) or for the money (a very BAD reason to breed). Some of these breeders never even put their pups with livestock at all, sending them off anywhere from 8-16 weeks old with absolutely no experience doing the job they are supposed to do! If a puppy spends its first 8-16 weeks playing in a house or backyard or lounging around on a patio then they have been socialized to be pets, not LGD's. Which is fine if they going to BE pets. But if they are to be LGD's then they will never truly live up to their potential, and it will be tough road ahead teaching them what they should have learned during their Critical Learning Period.
Based on our research, observation and extensive experience (with puppies we have acquired who were socialized right and others who weren't) we feel strongly that this token “exposure to livestock “ method of puppy rearing that many breeders practice is a grave mistake and a disservice to the LGD's, to their future owners and to the livestock they will one day protect. We feel this is highly irresponsible and unethical and urge people not to buy a LGD puppy from such a breeder, as you are simply enabling bad practices. Puppies raised in this manner have missed the most critical window of opportunity for bonding with livestock and learning how to do the jobs they were bred to do. The parents and other adult LGD's and carefully chosen stock are the best puppy teachers and these lessons are best learned when the pups are small. You may think you can simply take home an adorable but improperly started puppy and train it yourself, and this is exactly what those breeders will tell you to do. And yes, you can, but it is a lot harder to fix mistakes than to do a job right the first time, those dogs well never be the Livestock Guardians they could have been if they had been raised right from the start. Trust me, we know this from experience.
We understand the needs of our customers because they are our needs, too. We raise our puppies to be the dogs we need to guard our valuable and beloved animals, and in the process we feel that we also raise pups that will be exactly what our customers need, as well. It’s our strong belief that all LGD pups should be raised and socialized at a minimum with one type of small ruminant and one type of poultry, so that they learn the “language” of these and similar species. Even more types of livestock is even better. We have a very large dairy goat herd and these are our main “puppy trainers”. We also have free range chickens, ducks, geese, horses, mini horses, donkeys and barn cats on our farm and of course all of our older Maremmas. LGD puppies don’t just learn from their parents. They learn from other mentor dogs, as well!
Socialization with livestock from birth is vital, but must be done in a manner that's safe and age appropriate for the puppies. *Since our very first litter our Maremma puppies have started out from day one in close contact with livestock. For the first few years puppies were whelped and raised in our goat barn, in a stall next to the does and kids. The walls of this stall are made of 2 x 4' horse mesh welded wire panels so the puppies were kept safe from being stepped on by the goats but they could hear, smell and see (when their eyes open) goats from birth. They got frequent "visits' from our chickens, barn cats, other dogs and the occasional curious goat.
*Since 2021 we have been raising puppies in our new Puppy Parlor, a facility we built specifically for rearing puppies in the safest and healthiest manner without sacrificing the vital early socialization with livestock. As they get bigger and more steady on their feet they are allowed ever increasing degrees of contact with the goats, until eventually they are living with them full time. They also get exposure to the horses and ponies once they are fast enough to get out of the way if one of them gets unruly. This sets them up for guarding larger stock like sheep, cattle or horses.
In our opinion this is the ONLY appropriate way to raise Livestock Guardian Dogs successfully. We invite you to see enjoy these pictures and videos we've collected of our various litters of puppies as well as some of the now adult dogs.
Socialization with livestock from birth is vital, but must be done in a manner that's safe and age appropriate for the puppies. *Since our very first litter our Maremma puppies have started out from day one in close contact with livestock. For the first few years puppies were whelped and raised in our goat barn, in a stall next to the does and kids. The walls of this stall are made of 2 x 4' horse mesh welded wire panels so the puppies were kept safe from being stepped on by the goats but they could hear, smell and see (when their eyes open) goats from birth. They got frequent "visits' from our chickens, barn cats, other dogs and the occasional curious goat.
*Since 2021 we have been raising puppies in our new Puppy Parlor, a facility we built specifically for rearing puppies in the safest and healthiest manner without sacrificing the vital early socialization with livestock. As they get bigger and more steady on their feet they are allowed ever increasing degrees of contact with the goats, until eventually they are living with them full time. They also get exposure to the horses and ponies once they are fast enough to get out of the way if one of them gets unruly. This sets them up for guarding larger stock like sheep, cattle or horses.
In our opinion this is the ONLY appropriate way to raise Livestock Guardian Dogs successfully. We invite you to see enjoy these pictures and videos we've collected of our various litters of puppies as well as some of the now adult dogs.
The L.E.G.S. of Modern Dogs - Why their Learning, Environment, Genetics & Self ALL need to be examined and understood and what that has to do with Raising & Training Livestock Guardian Dogs.
Starting Out Right - In Close Proximity to Livestock from Birth
Our Maremma puppies started out from day one in our goat barn in a stall next to the does and kids. The walls of this stall are made of 2 x 4' horse mesh welded wire panels so the puppies are kept safe from being stepped on by the goats, but they can hear, smell, and see goats from birth. Litters born in extremely cold or hot months sometimes start out in our milking parlor until the puppies can safely regulate their body temperatures. They are still in close proximity to goats and move into the main barn as soon as it’s safe for them.
*Since 2021, we have been raising puppies in our new Puppy Parlor, a facility we built specifically for rearing puppies in the safest and healthiest manner without sacrificing vital early socialization with livestock.
*Since 2021, we have been raising puppies in our new Puppy Parlor, a facility we built specifically for rearing puppies in the safest and healthiest manner without sacrificing vital early socialization with livestock.
New Puppy Nursery and Dairy Goat Milking Parlor
In late 2021, we finished construction on a new heated and air-conditioned combination puppy nursery and milking parlor with concrete floors, indoor/outdoor runs opening into one of the goat pastures, and many amenities that have improved the health and management of our puppies, especially litters born during very hot or very cold months. Our first litter to be born in the Puppy Parlor was Gianna's December 2021 litter. Since then, our pups have been whelped and reared in this building and its surrounding pastures until they are big enough to move out to our bigger pastures. You can read more about our new Puppy Parlor and see photos by clicking the link below.
Our Daily Puppy Care Routine
In the first few weeks we weigh the puppies daily, tracking their weight and other milestones on individual record sheets. We supplement any puppies that aren't gaining well with either homemade goat milk formula or commercial puppy formula. We mark the puppies with sheep paint so we can keep track of weight, health and temperaments as they grow. We utilize Early Neurological Stimulation ands Early Scent Introduction before their eyes and ears open. After their eyes and ears open we begin the transitional phase exercises and exposures, using a mixture of Puppy Culture and Badass Breeder curriculum.
Transitional Period & Socialization Period - Getting Big and Exploring Their World!
Maremmas are a precocious species and start to walk, bark and open their eyes and ears sooner than most other breeds. They start to notice the the goats and other animals more and their neighbors get curious about these noisy little creatures in their midst. As soon as their eyes open we begin adding in daily novel stimulus experiences and activities, utilizing Puppy Culture and other puppy socialization programs.
Raw Goat Milk for Healthy Puppies and Mom
Puppies are started on raw goat milk around 3 weeks and they love it! This helps our puppies grow healthy and strong. High quality puppy food is added later. Mom is also given raw goat milk throughout her pregnancy and lactation, which helps her bounce back quickly and keep her weight up. We also give our moms fast acting calcium gel during whelping to make labor more efficient and calcium powder mixed into her goat milk while nursing to protect her bones and teeth while she’s feeding her pups.
Early but Safe Socialization with Livestock from Birth is the Key to Success
Socialization with livestock from an early age is vital, but must be done in a manner that's safe and age appropriate for the puppies. The puppies are born in our kidding barn so that they smell, hear and see goats from birth. They also get frequent "visits' from our chickens, barn cats, other dogs and the occasional curious goat. At first the puppies are kept in close proximity to the goats but protected so that they don't get stepped on. As they get bigger and more steady on their feet they are allowed ever increasing degrees of contact with the goats, free range poultry (chickens, ducks and geese) and other animals, until eventually they are living with them full time. In our opinion this is the ONLY appropriate way to raise Livestock Guardian Dogs successfully. *Our new Puppy Parlor still allows early exposure to livestock but in an even safer and healthier manner.
Positive Reinforcement Training and Early Puppy Socialization
We utilize the Puppy Culture early socialization program, Karen Pryor Academy Clicker Training and other positive reinforcement training methods for happy, loving, well balanced LGD's. We highly suggest our puppy buyers spend some time learning about these methods before bringing home their pups.
