Hello my name is Peter Sannicandro. I run Guardians De La Ruche De Miel Farm located in the Blackstone Valley of central Massachusetts. The land is very rocky, with woods and open meadows, where we have created different paddock pastures to house our animals. We are a small 5 acre farm that specializes in breeding Great Pyrenees livestock Guardian Dogs, Nigerian dairy goats, and treatment free survivor stock honeybees.
The main predators that we have in the Northeast are coyotes, fisher cats, foxes, predator birds, and the occasional black bear. Stray dogs are a threat to my livestock from time to time.
Our farm is guarded by our Great Pyrenees livestock Guardian Dogs. After observing the growing issue fellow farmers were having with their livestock, due to the return of healthy predator populations, it became apparent to me that these guarding dogs are a very valuable tool in protecting livestock, while also providing a non lethal way to deter predators from killing their livestock.
Livestock guardian dogs are raised with livestock when they’re very young puppies. They bond to the livestock and take it upon themselves to be their protectors. The Guardian instinct kicks in at a very young age, but they are not completely effective guardians until they are 18 months old. They work best in teams. My main focus in my Great Pyrenees breeding program is to raise health tested, stable Livestock Guardian Dog temperament, correct confirmation to standard, physically athletic Braveheart dogs!
Over the past couple of years I have used European imported bloodlines. The European blood lines keep the big size and athleticism intact. They also offer a dreamy facial expression that shepherds say was developed while they were gazing into the distant mountains. I health screen all my breeding dogs for hip dysplasia, elbow, and patellas. Much thought is put into matching breeding parents, the goal being work function, health, and beauty. My farm is a training ground for young puppies to learn how to interact with livestock and learn from older adult dogs. I want to help farmers find an eco-friendly way to coexist with wild predators. Livestock guardian dogs are an important solution in creating predator /livestock/farmer coexistence!
Peter Sannicandro
Millbury, Massachusetts
email: guardthehive@gmail.com