Livestock guardians are a necessary part of raising sheep. We had our first guardian in Texas with a 17 yr old Llama ewe named Camel. She had been a successful show animal for years, was retired and given to us by a friend of the family. When we decided to move our sheep to Arkansas, we made the decision that she was getting too old for such a trip and left her in Texas to stay with a family members flock.
We thought about trying to find a llama or two up here in Arkansas and even looked at getting a mule as a guard animal. As the time approached for the move, we decided on getting a sheep dog or two to guard our growing flock from the many coyotes and even bears here in the mountains of northwest Arkansas. As we began to look around I came upon a posting of someone that had some pups for sale and to my surprise, they were being offered by a young man in my home town in Lincoln, Illinois, even being a graduate from the same high school I had graduated from years before. what really made this find interesting was the fact that in tow months I would be attending my 45th class reunion in Lincoln. What are the odds that the pups we were looking for would be available in my home town right as I was going to be there. Needless to say, after finding they were mostly Anatolian with a splash of Great Pyrenees, I inquired about them and after finding out there were two females available, reserved both of them to pick up at the reunion.
My wife had the responsibility of naming them and after some discussion came up with the name of Belle Star for the buff female and Calamity Jane for the white female. They have worked a 40 acre field with their parents, attending goats, learning how to be a good guard dog. We are excited to get them and are looking forward to them becoming a vital asset to guarding our sheep.
We will be posting pictures of their escapades as they grow into the wonderful dogs they are destined to be. Be sure to check in often to watch their progress.
We thought about trying to find a llama or two up here in Arkansas and even looked at getting a mule as a guard animal. As the time approached for the move, we decided on getting a sheep dog or two to guard our growing flock from the many coyotes and even bears here in the mountains of northwest Arkansas. As we began to look around I came upon a posting of someone that had some pups for sale and to my surprise, they were being offered by a young man in my home town in Lincoln, Illinois, even being a graduate from the same high school I had graduated from years before. what really made this find interesting was the fact that in tow months I would be attending my 45th class reunion in Lincoln. What are the odds that the pups we were looking for would be available in my home town right as I was going to be there. Needless to say, after finding they were mostly Anatolian with a splash of Great Pyrenees, I inquired about them and after finding out there were two females available, reserved both of them to pick up at the reunion.
My wife had the responsibility of naming them and after some discussion came up with the name of Belle Star for the buff female and Calamity Jane for the white female. They have worked a 40 acre field with their parents, attending goats, learning how to be a good guard dog. We are excited to get them and are looking forward to them becoming a vital asset to guarding our sheep.
We will be posting pictures of their escapades as they grow into the wonderful dogs they are destined to be. Be sure to check in often to watch their progress.
Calamity Jane, Belle Start & Cisco Kidd
About 10 months old here, born mid March 2017