home found! : Livestock guardian dog

Update 11/16/21: Gus found a home!

Gus is a 2 year old Great Pyrenees/Anatolian shepherd mix. He is neutered, microchipped, up to date on vaccines. He is a big boy at 96 pounds. He was pasture raised and reared with goats on a working farm since birth.

I have owned Gus for about 10 months and he has continued to guard goats and work as a herd protector. He came into my life unexpectedly when I purchased a herd of goats on the condition that I take the dog as well. He and my other LGD just simply don't get along and Gus is out of a job here. We became fast friends and I'm committed to finding him a new owner who loves him as much as I do. A hobby farm or a homestead would be the perfect set up for Gus!

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e loves the company of livestock, but is not quite mature enough to be with fragile (baby) stock as he can still be playful and rambunctious on occasion. He is housed with medium sized goats much smaller than him, but FYI he has not spent time around human children since being part of my life. He has no formal obedience training, but can walk on a leash when between paddocks, he will sit, and is respectful of humans’ personal space. He is nervous in the car and when going inside buildings, but could be desensitized to them if that would be part of his daily life. He is a smart dog and learns quickly with a little consistency. He is trained to respect electric fences (he has been housed inside 6 strand high tensile and portable net style electric fencing), but if you separate him from his stock, he is willing to climb, take a shock or squeeze through very small spaces to get back to them. He takes his job seriously and protects his domain from strangers, but is sweet as can be with the humans and animals he is accustomed to seeing daily. He would most likely not be suited for life as a house dog without a fair amount of work and training. He should be doing what he loves- working to guard livestock or being an all purpose farm dog, as long he has company, attention, and a job to do! He enjoys the company of some other dogs, but did not get along well with my other young male LGD, so perhaps a female canine companion would work best. He loves pets, attention, and love from the folks he knows and trusts, but is aloof with strangers so may take some time to warm up in a new environment. A public, high traffic area is not ideal for an LDG as everyone unfamiliar would be something to bark at.

Gus will be free, but will only go to the perfect home. An in person visit to your home may be required prior to any agreement. For more information about Gus, email Kaitlin at kjhossom@gmail.com