Timber x Max Litter 2019

Born March 30, 2019

Livestock Guardian Dogs

We brought home Timber in early 2018 and like to say she knew our sheep immediately and our sheep knew her immediately. She’s a bit of a reserved girl, but as she’s opened up we have found a maternal, protective lady. From bringing a nest of young rabbit kits into her whelping shed to alerting us of lambing issues, she is invaluable on the farm. In her first months on the farm last year, she bridged the gap our rescued LGD was having between him and the sheep - he grew up among goats but couldn’t seem to grasp life on the farm or get the sheep to accept him… but Timber provided the crucial link between flock and LGD that we as humans couldn’t quite provide on our own. The puppies from our 2019 Max x Timber litter are doing wonderfully in their homes, with some serving as LGDs and one as a beloved family pet and home guardian.

Puppies are whelped in a special insulated shed in the sheep’s winter paddock, where they spend their first weeks growing and, as their eyes open and they begin to hear, they gain more access to the sheep flock and the occasional curious free-range chicken checking out the whelping shed. In the first two weeks, they receive Early Neurological Stimulation, which helps aid their future mental development. As they begin to get more mobile, their access is expanded and they begin to explore the great big world outside and start on solid foods - a mixture of kibble, goat’s milk, and raw meats! At 6 weeks old, they receive their first vaccines, deworming, and are granted more access to explore the paddock and barn. After temperament testing at 7 weeks, they have access to the barnyard and can choose where to spend their days. By 9 weeks and their second vet visit, they have more or less weaned and have access throughout the barnyard, learning important lessons from the broody mama hens, ewes, cows, pigs, and more. We prefer LGD puppies stay on the farm until 10-12 weeks though - the more early “LGD” learning they get from their mother, the better! We can board them for a longer period, up to 16 weeks, for additional “LGD” training with mom, as well as good people manners training with us.

You can read and fill out our Puppy Application page if you are interested in applying for puppy from a future litter!

Meet the Parents

Meet the Puppies

Gallery