Ranching in the Sierra Foothills

Over the last ten years or so, I've had the opportunity to help teach farm and ranch business planning courses (first, as a collaborating producer; more recently, as an extension advisor).

Working in partnership with CALFIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer, sheriff's offices, and offices of emergency services in Placer, Nevada, and Yuba Counties, the livestock community established a 3-county Livestock Access Pass program for commercial livestock producers.

Which Dog? And How Many? One of the hazards of referring to livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) as predator protection tools is that we seem to think of them like other tools.

Bonding works both ways... Bonding a livestock guardian dog (LGD) to livestock is a critical first step in using dogs to protect livestock from predators.

I suspect anyone who has used livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) to protect livestock has experienced at least one of the following interactions with non-ranchers: A call or conversation with a neighbor, complaining about the dog barking; An email (often anonymous) from a neighbor about the dog barking;...