Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/924041
farm406 48 Bonding is key to the success of a livestock guard dog, which is one reason Cody and Nancy McDonald treat their seven guard dogs as livestock. "A dog that isn't bonded won't do its job," says Cody, a fifth-generation rancher whose family has raised sheep near Garniell, Mont., since 1888. "If you cuddle them, they will bond to you, not the sheep." It can be difficult to not cuddle the nearly year-old pups when they come to the ranch, especially when they look like the McDonalds' Akbash- Kommondor they named Goofy. "Goofy had hair that was in ringlets and looked like she had dreadlocks," explains Nancy. "She got so full of burs this last summer that we had to take her to the vet to be shaved." Goofy's hair and personality fit her name, says Cody. "She just acts goofy," he says. "She would run me over in the pasture, but now I think that she just couldn't see me from all the hair in her eyes." When Goofy arrived on the ranch, she paired with guard dog, Dixie, to protect a bunch of 2-300 Targhee, Rambouillet and South African Meat Marino sheep. "The dogs pair themselves and go back and forth between flocks," says Cody. "A lot of times our dogs will wander to our neighbors' places and guard their herds. They like to protect lambs. When we wean, they will look for lambs to protect until all the lambs have been shipped. Then, they will come back to our ewes." Dog Name: Goofy Dog Breed: Akbash/Kommondor Sheepdog Owned by: Cody & Nancy McDonald Where: Garniell, Montana About the Breed Role on the Ranch: Guardian Country of Origin: Turkey/ Hungary Temperament: Calm, Courageous, Intelligent, Loyal, Potential Health Concerns: Hip Dysplasia, Entropion Average Weight: 88-132 lbs Life Expectancy: 8-12 years Akbash/Kommondor Sheepdog Fifth generation rancher, Cody McDonald lets Goofy, his Akbash-Kommondor sheepdog, smell his hand before attempting to pet her while Dixie, an Akbash-Pyrenees sheepdog, walks over to check him out as well. The McDonalds have seven mixed breed sheepdogs to watch over their sheep on their ranch near Garniell, Mont. Goofy and Dixie gather up their sheep herd and move them to a safer distance from people. The dogs generally are not friendly and protect their sheep from potential threats, says Cody. Four more producers and their working dogs will be featured in our spring 2018 issue.