Going To The Dogs

We’d like to shine the spotlight on one of our amazing Livestock Guardian dogs, Landon. Landon came to the ranch from County of San Diego Department of Animal Services in May of 2017. He was not handling life in the shelter well at all and it was thought that life at the ranch would be better for him.

He is a very special boy to those of us who know him. However, he experiences a lot of anxiety having new people at the ranch. As a result, his aggressive barking tends to make a poor first impression with volunteers.

However, Landon has improved immensely from when he first arrived at our sanctuary. Sit’s Getting Real Training has worked wonders with this boy. We cannot say enough good things about Tomas Natterstad and his team. They have helped all of our Livestock Guardian dogs become less anxious and more confident.

Landon still struggles with meeting people, but when it comes to feeding time at the ranch, he LOVES it! If you follow our social media, you will see many posts about Landon’s love for riding on our golf carts. He takes his job as caddy very seriously and absolutely loves exploring the ranch.

Of course Landon loves a good walk, but nothing beats a good cart ride. With the wind flowing through his hair and the smells whizzing by, Landon loves to ride shot gun. Any anxiety he has flies away and this boy is a big ball of joy.

Another great part of Landon’s personality is his love of digging holes. Great Pyrenees are known for digging huge holes. In Landon’s yard, there is a large sleeping hole. This is a second-generation hole. Our beloved Stanley first dug this hole many years ago. Stanley was such a special boy and introduced us not only to Livestock Guardian Dogs, but also the amazing therapy dogs offer in the midst of our sanctuary work.

Following Stanley's passing, it makes our hearts happy that his hole continues to be used. It is a beautiful way to honor Stanley’s memory. We like to think that Stanley’s loving spirit is ever present, bringing Landon comfort.

Recently, a special visitor came to the ranch. Our volunteer turned veterinary student and Landon's favorite person, Amber paid a surprise visit! We loved having her visit even if only for a short time. Her studies are going well and now she is officially a second year student. We were very happy to see Amber, but no one was as happy as Landon. Once Landon gets to know you, he will be your best friend forever.

Though Landon continues to experience anxiety with people outside of his immediate unit, he continues to become more comfortable every day. Life at the ranch gives Landon freedom and safety. Thank you so much for all that you do for our Livestock Guardian dogs. It is thanks to you that we are able to give anxious dogs like Landon a safe haven. We are proud to be able to care for such special pups.