Twenty-Six New Livestock Guarding Dog Puppies

CCF’s Livestock Guarding Dog (LGD) program has seen an influx of new puppies in recent months, all destined to one day help farmers in Namibia protect their livestock from predators and thus mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

On the 4th of January, Koda gave birth to 8 puppies (4 males and 4 females), now three weeks old and growing stronger every day. And then on the 6th of January, Susie had a single female puppy, who is already waddling around and weighing 5kgs at three weeks old!

The program is also working with farmers to incorporate mixed-breed local dogs, like Katira and Ana, into the program. On the 13th of November, Ana gave birth to 9 puppies (3 males and 6 females), now over four weeks old and getting into trouble as they walk and play. Katira also gave birth to 8 puppies (5 males and 3 females) in November, but due to mastitis, the puppies had to be hand-raised. These mixed-breed dogs are smaller and cheaper to feed, and the program is working with farmers to spay and neuter their adults in exchange for donating their litters to the LGD program.

The program staff, including Eveline and LGD interns, are keeping busy with all 26 puppies on site, administering vaccinations, deworming, and preparing them for their puppy aptitude tests. They are excited to see these puppies grow into strong working dogs and help reduce human-wildlife conflict in Namibia.

CCF’s LGD program has been successful in providing farmers in Namibia with dogs to protect their livestock from predators. With an 80 – 100% success rate in preventing predation, the program will help to meet the needs of farmers.

As the puppies grow, they will be tested to assess their responses to different behavior tests. The test is known as the Puppy Aptitude Test or PAT and we are working hard to ensure they are well taken care of and given the best possible advantage for their assessments. With proper care and socialization to the herd, these puppies will mature into strong, confident and capable working dogs, helping farmers to keep their livestock safe.

Our new focus on mixed-breed local dogs, like Katira and Ana, offers a more cost-effective solution for farmers in communal areas. CCF also works with farmers to vaccinate and treat their animals in rural communal areas to reduce and prevent the spread of zoonotic illnesses. We provide these valuable services to the community with the support of organizations like the Foundation for Human Rabies Education & Eradication (FHREE), Disney Conservation Fund, Tusk Trust and The Debmarine – Namdeb Foundation.

Our Livestock Guarding Dog program is supported by many generous funders including Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency – TIKA, Wilhelma Zoo, MSD Animal Health (Merck), KONG, and !Nara Namibia Natural Cosmetics.