08/30/2026
We get a lot of questions about resource guarding and Livestock Guardian Dogs.
Resource guarding is a good thing - if it is they are guarding the right thing.
It is part of the instinct of the LGD to protect what is theirs. Where the boundaries get blurry is when they define theirs as something that should be shared with the herd (water, shelter.) Overcorrecting this behavior can "break" an LGD...their food must be theirs, and not the goats', and the herd must be theirs, and they should not allow intruders. It is very important for the dogs to know "mine," "not mine," and "ours". Everything the dogs have is shared between us and them - but we can take it. The dogs are ours - meaning we can handle them and give them commands.
Our dogs are expected to protect their food from the goats - but not from each other. Multiple dogs in each pasture can be challenging as they define their space and roles. A dog that does not play well with others, or keeps others from eating, can be a liability. To curb this, we have taught our dogs from puppyhood to eat "family style." We do have a bowl for each on the gets filled, but from time to time we will start them with a shared bowl. This is especially important if multiple dogs will be using a single feeder in a jumpgate situation. Dogs can and will keep others from eating. Our Hava can guard five bowls.
Pictured at this bowl are three intact females - F***y (2 1/2), Tilly and Sadie (9 mo. siblings.)
