Wildlife control dogs can be the first line of non-lethal defense against wolves

When wolves began killing cattle and sheep on the Farrell ranch in Parshall, the owners, Nellie and Conway Farrell, tried non-lethal tools to keep the predators at bay. At night, fox lights flashed over their animals, a rider was passed through by horse or vehicle and firecrackers sounded across the grounds. But Nellie says that four livestock guards provide the most protection and give her peace of mind.

“I’m an animal lover, so my opinion may be biased,” Nellie said. “But after everything we’ve been through, having the dogs around was the first time I felt some kind of comfort.”

Four livestock guardian dogs protect the sheep and cattle at Farrell’s ranch in Parshall: Blondie, Monkey, Luke and Bo. Blondie and Monkey are Great Pyrenees; Luke and Bo are Turkish Kangals.

How effective are livestock guards compared to other non-lethal deterrents?

Ranchers cannot kill or injure wolves unless they are caught “in the act of attacking” livestock or working dogs, so they rely on non-lethal aids such as sound and light equipment and fladry.

The Farrells experienced their first plunder in April. Wolves continued to attack their cattle and sheep herds until July. Ranchers believe the Copper Creek Pack was responsible for these killings and Parks and Wildlife records show the adult wolves were involved in depredation incidents. The pack consisted of two parents and four (possibly five) pups.

Nellie and Conway used fox lamps, critter getters, cracker shells and range riders. A turning point came in mid-July, when the couple purchased two Great Pyrenees dogs.

“We’ve never needed guard dogs before, so this is very new to us,” Nellie said. “We bought them ourselves.”

They decided to get the dogs as fully trained adults, which is more difficult than finding puppies.

“We spent many man hours finding breeders,” she said. “We didn’t have time to get a litter of puppies and train them; the wolves were already attacking. So we wanted ready-made dogs.”

The Great Pyrenees brothers felt completely at home with Farrell’s animals. This dog breed is known for their large stature, thick white coat and devotion to duty, especially when caring for livestock. Monkey and Blondie were trained with cattle.

“We introduced them to our bottle-fed calf that we walked with our sheep. Then we started training them with our sheep, and they figured it out very quickly; it’s that natural instinct,” she said.

Monkey and Blondie’s protection skills were put to the test just over a week after they arrived at the ranch.

“We had that big wolf attack that killed a lot of our sheep at once,” Nellie recalled.

Following this attack, Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed that eight sheep had been killed; the Farrells say they have lost more than twenty sheep.

“The Great Pyrenees were there; I think they saved as many as they could because I think they scared the wolves from the herd and dispersed them,” Nellie said.

More than a week after the attack on their sheep, the Farrells purchased two more guard dogs to strengthen their protection: the Turkish Kangal brothers Bo and Luke. This is most effective for guard dogs with large herds (like the Farrells have) more can be better. In small herds, one or two dogs can effectively cover the landscape.

The Farrells had to leave the state to find Bo and Luke.

“Honestly, it’s really hard to find dogs now, I think, because there used to not be such a great need for them, and now everyone wants them,” she said. “Everyone is afraid for their children and livestock of all kinds.”

Since getting these four dogs, the Farrells haven’t experienced any plundering.

“We really like them, and we’re interested in getting more and spreading them across all our properties,” she said.

The guard dogs have a gentle behavior, except with predators

The Farrells have two young children, so Nellie’s first concern before bringing the dogs home was that they would all be kind to children. Nellie also wasn’t sure if four adult dogs would fight among themselves.

“They’re different breeds and both brothers come from different litters, and they’re males, so you never know,” she said. “I didn’t know what kind of dogs they would be.”

But just as aggressive as the dogs are against predators, they are often just as friendly towards people and other animals. After a few days, all four dogs were working together as a team.

“They seem to get along well, they are sweet dogs,” she said, adding that all four are also great with her children.

‘They are intimidating to look at. But once you get close to them, you realize they’re just great lovers,” she said.

A month after returning home to the Great Pyrenees, Nellie’s 3-year-old daughter Hillie Jo suffered a splinter in her finger. The dogs were with the sheep when Hillie Jo “started screaming bloody murder,” Nellie said.

“The two Great Pyrenees came out of nowhere – checking on her, giving her licks and making sure she was okay,” she recalls. “You know, as a mother I was so worried about wolves that it was really reassuring that they were so quick and attentive.”

How guard dogs protect livestock

Nellie said their family’s herders are trained to scare away the predators, rather than physically attack the wolves.

When Colorado Parks and Wildlife relocated the Cooper Creek Pack in September, the adult male was found with injuries to his hind leg; the male later died from the injuries. According to Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell, the injuries were likely caused by another carnivore.

A necropsy of the male wolf is underway. Officials have said the results of this autopsy will be available to the public. Whether the male’s injury is due to a guard dog is unclear, but at best the dogs will chase the wolves away without physical altercation. Their job is also to bark to warn farmers that predators are nearby.

Another reason why dogs are bred to deter rather than attack is because they run the risk of being injured or killed by a predator if they take physical action. Wolves, bears and mountain lions are all threats that guard dogs face. But in general, several dogs can hold their own. The towering Turkish Kangals have a bite force of 743 psi, which is more than three times the force of an average dog. The psi of a Great Pyrenees is 500.

Protection dogs are not a one-size-fits-all solution

Although livestock guard dogs can help, Nellie had a caveat. Dogs can’t prevent all depredations, and depending on their activities, they may not work for every rancher. Hobby farmers who are only an acre or two in size may encounter problems with the dogs in the city near many people. On the other hand, some farmers have multiple herds spread out over vast areas, which is too much terrain for the dogs to keep track of.

Even with the two dogs at the start, the Farrells experienced some plundering. Nellie added that the dogs are more effective at protecting their sheep than at protecting their livestock. Animals such as sheep and goats are easier to keep in smaller areas where the dogs can patrol.

“Our livestock have been hit the hardest by some of these attacks,” Nellie said. “It’s because we have leases on BLM and state land – thousands and thousands of acres, and there’s only so much we can do to protect that.”

The Farrells decided to keep the dogs largely with their flock of sheep, which also experienced attacks.

“It was close to our main office, where the children go every day. We focused on that area with all the dogs,” she explained.

Having the dogs closer also allows the family to learn more about how the dogs protect the flock.

“It’s a little new to us, but it seems to be working,” she said.

Livestock guard dogs were used for centuries

Loss is part of livestock ownership, including disease, weather and predators. It is a rancher’s duty to protect and care for livestock to the best of his ability while enduring losses.

Wolves added another challenge to Colorado livestock farming, but Nellie is much more confident with their livestock dogs.

“You can’t put a dog in my life without me loving it,” she said. “I can’t believe I lived without them for so long; I feel like I have to have them.”

Thousands of years of selective breeding have made these dogs experts at what they do: staying with herds to keep predators at bay, while also being friendly to people. History proves that dogs are effective protectors.

The Great Pyrenees, for example, are descended from white sheepdogs that guarded flocks 10,000-11,000 years ago. Now, in 2024, these dogs will become the first line of defense in Colorado.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, will provide this puppies from livestock farmers free of charge to producers in the state.

According to Lauren Emerick, USDA non-lethal wildlife specialist, producers can receive two free Turkish Kangal puppies, medical costs will be covered for the first year and the USDA will provide training assistance.

For some ranchers in Grand County, this program may be a solution to keeping their animals safe.

“For the families who worry about their livestock and pets that they care for every day, and their children, it is a huge comfort to me as a mother and animal lover that we have these dogs that can protect and are wonderful for our children,” said Nellie.

For more information about the USDA’s herdsman placement program, email Lauren Emerick at [email protected] or call 248-819-1702.