Ep. 1: 25 farm dogs, 1200 sheep and goats, 1 rancher

Greg Christiansen is the owner of Grandview Livestock, a Kansas sheep and goat operation that utilizes dozens of livestock guardian dogs (LGD's) and a couple of herding dogs to provide a living for himself and his family. He is also the author of Raising Meat Goats in a Commercial Operation. In this first episode of Farm Dog we discuss LGD breeds that Greg has put to work on his farm (Anatolian Shepherd, Akbash, Komondor, and Great Pyrenees) and the different working styles of the breeds. Greg tells us about his history with "gathering dogs" (border collies, heelers, and Australian kelpies) and how to manage the tricky balance between the herding dogs and the LGD's who may view the herding dogs as the predators from which their sheep and goats need to be protected. We also discuss herding dog training and the logistics of taking care of so many dogs across several scattered pastures. Farm Dog is presented by Goats On The Go®.  Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com