Young female LGD injuring/killing large lambs help!

Ridgetop

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So sorry for the loss of the lambs. The loss of livestock in any flock is a monetary loss for the rancher and even worse when the animal is killed by a predator that is not killing for food. This is why sheep killers are destroyed.

First let's address why Nala could not prevent the sheep being killed. Nala is a three year old trained Pyrenees LGD. She could have tken out one or both or the 2 younger dogs if he wanted to do so, BUT she is at a disadvantage in protecting this flock since she was introduced only 3 weeks ago to a resident pack (BO and Dora) currently living with this flock. The resident pack (Dora and Bo) are the dominant pack leaders. Nala cannot protect the sheep since she has not yet completed her bond with the flock and is seeing killing behavior in the resident dogs. She will not attack the other 2 dogs to defend the sheep because they are the dominant pack members at this time. As a new pack member she will accept the behavior as normal for this pack and flock even though it confuses and upsets her.

Since you were already having problems with Dora chewing ears, and are pretty certain that she is the guilty dog you must remove her from the flock. Cross bred GD and herding or hunting dogs are a bad mix. Depending on which way their mixed genetics go they can be fair guardians or end up killing their charges. I would say this is probably the "killing their charges" genetics at work. Since you run 400 feeder animals, I assume that this is a ranch operation where you are trying to make a profit. You can't do that with a sheep killer on the property. Having already killed 4 sheep she probably cannot be retrained and would certainly never be trustworthy as a guardian. Regardless of whether she is full or part Komondor, with this behavior I would advise spaying her.

I don't know where you live, but sheep killers usually are required to be destroyed in rural farm areas. Not to be cruel, but Dora should probably be destroyed before she gets hold of someone else's sheep. Since it was your sheep she killed, you could decide to rehome her BUT you need to warn all prospective rescue kennels or potential owners that she is a sheep killer. If she is rehomed in a rural area and kills more sheep how will you feel? If she tears up another ranchers' sheep or goats you will be liable for the animals killed and injured; and she will still have to be destroyed. It will be your responsibility since you knew she was a sheep killer.

Addressing the issue of LGD's marking their flock by biting ears and legs, some LGDs do go through a puppy or teenage time when they will play with their favorite sheep, biting at ears and legs. They play with their favorite lambs because they are playing with their best buddies. They usually do not do this type of behavior with animals they don't like. Since the sheep are sheep and not dogs, the lambs do not turn on their doggy buddies to bite them back. The dog that is playing thinks this is a game and the sheep are having just as much fun as it is. This is also how neighborhood dogs running loose start out as sheep killers. They play chase and then get carried away, particularly if they are running in a group.

Dora's age of 10 months is about right for LGD teen chasing behavior and the 50 to 65 lb range for the dead lambs is also correct. BUT this LGD teen behavior is usually carried out with the LGD pup's favorite lambs - its "besties" that are members of its "pack". This LGD play behavior rarely goes so far as to result in dead animals. Dora's act of killing the four newly arrived new lambs rather than just marking her BFF lambs is not typical of LGD teenage play/chase behavior. She has killed 4 sheep and will kill more when released back into the flock. Probably not when you are around. Since you do not live on the property where you graze your sheep/goats you will not catch her at this behavior until after you have lost more livestock. And this behavior is tempting to the other dogs. Bo may join in with Dora (if he was not already a partner) when she starts her next oh-so-fun-chase-and-kill play day.

Next is Bo, another crossbred - 2 retrievers and a hound in his genetics. This is a very bad mix to run with your sheep and goats since the hunting and hound dog genetics have a very strong prey drive. If he did not already participate with Dora in the killing, he probably will at some stage. At this point, you could rehome him if he did not kill any sheep. You should at least remove him from the pasture too. Depending on the size of the pasture, your predator species and number Nala might be able to defend the flock by herself. You can also bring in another LGD to help her, making sure that it is a working LGD not a mixed breed.

I don't like to be so negative, but if you are raising 400 animals it is obvious that you plan to make a profit on this operations. A sheep killer will seriously undercut your bottom line. A sheep killer is also dangerous to neighboring ranchers.
 
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