Karma's Profile

My nicknames are Karma-Q, Karms, Doggler, and the white dog.
I met my alpaca farm family at 8 weeks old; I'm still quite playful and I reeeeaally like attention. The farmers love my style - I'm fierce when needs be, and otherwise I'm a noodle.

My favorite activities include guarding alpacas, playing with Napoleon (studly alpaca), barking at disturbances, chasing chickens and Beef (the cat).

I don't have any favorite toys or treats - no use for them really - I'm working.

My favorite food? Hmmm...food doesn't really do it for me either, but I like kibble.

My favorite activity is hanging out with the alpaca herd - you'll find me lying on my back, legs in the air when I'm really happy.

I don't do any tricks, unless you call sit and down tricks. I am, however, very smart; I know what I want and manage to get it most of the time. My interests - I like alpacas - I really like llamas, but I'm not sure they really appreciate me - I let them think we're guarding the alpacas together.

Grown Komondor

Karma the Komondor has reached full size. At a solid weight of 101 lbs., she's still a big puppy in a very large dog frame. Her spring coat clip is just about finished. Both Karma and the alpaca farmer take the task in shifts. The front end is clipped, and after a few days' break it's on to the back end to complete the look. Patience is Karma's biggest virtue! When done, the clipped tufts of white fur resemble a blanket of snow under the trees. A special treat for the nesting season - mmm... dog fur lined nests.

Komondor sitting

Karma - early spring. It's believed that one of the farmer's clipped the fur around her eyes just after this photo.

Komondor Territory

Karma the Komondor returns from scouting the perimeter of a new alpaca field...it's a dog's life.

Clipped Komondor

Karma's puppy coat has been successfully clipped! Carefully using scissors, the farmers removed her matted grey dreadlocks to reveal a bright white fluffy dog.

Komondors are known for their fantastic long corded coats, yet being an active and outside dog, the farmers decided to give Karma a new look for summer.

At first, the Komondor resists all the fussing. She only starts to relax once she realizes a great and ever-increasing feeling of freedom. Karma's half way through, and a disturbance at the road requires her guarding instincts. She tears off to sort it out, yet soon returns to settle in for more attention. As the fur flies, Karma sits proudly atop what looks like a blanket of snow.

Karma's alpaca herd has also had a recent shearing. As Karma the Komondor stays on guard, Sweet Pea the alpaca (and first time mom-to-be) gets down to some serious grass munching.

Komondor Coat

What a big puppy and what a mess! Karma the Komondor lives outside 24/7 with a herd of 21 alpacas and 3 llamas. Her dreadlocked coat is in a constant state of getting wet and dry...and much to the farmers' dismay, mostly wet.
Karma's first summer proved a bit too hot for even her fine puppy coat. The only time indoors was early puppy obedience and she was obviously acclimated to the colder outside temperatures of April.
With another Spring and Summer only months away, Karma will surely appreciate the same experience as the alpacas every Spring... an annual shearing. With Karma though, it's likely to be just a bit of a hair cut to remove some fur length, any matted bits, and major debris. This event will just be the beginning of her new coat for next winter... better luck with the dreadlock dog for 2006.
Now at 14 months of age, Karma has had many guarding experiences under her belt; several encounters with deer and roaming dogs, and the "unusual" road traffic of horses, dog walkers and joggers. Just like her indoor counterpart, Salix (the hiking/house dog), Karma obviously goes through a myriad of phases, all to help her develop and solidify her important farm role.

Komondor at Play

Let's play! says Karma the komondor, a mere pup having just had her first birthday. Salix the hiking/house dog is always up for play and today's the first snowfall of 2005 in the Cowichan Valley.

After long last, the farmers two farm dogs (with very different jobs), get the chance to play together. The dogs have known about eachother for quite some time, yet they each have had their own farm space. Karma lives outside in the fields with her herd of alpacas and llamas, while Salix lives on the farmhouse side, shared with the farmers, the chickens, and one black cat. Soon enough, Karma's range will expand to include Salix's side of the farm, and of course the farmers would settle for nothing but a good solid introduction.

Karma has been a quiet puppy until now, not needing much more play than a run across the field when the herd gets their daily alpaca pellets. Perhaps just a phase, yet Karma's energy seems to have recently soared and the farmers realize that she needs to let off some steam...enter Salix.

Salix has been a most rambunctious puppy from day 1. A first dog for both the farmers, she has proved quite a unique and energetic handful. Now at 2 years of age, her boundless energy has become the norm, and any excuse to channel it is a welcome one. Strong, obedient and fiercely protective, Salix has grown into what she was all along... a very mixed breed.

Keeping with a new dog-friendy routine, Karma and Salix are allowed to play at dawn and dusk everyday.

Feeding an LGD

Feeding an LGD (livestock guard dog) seems rather easy; LGD's are dogs and dogs generally like food...right? ..well not exactly.
One of the important decisions to make before adopting a dog is how you plan to feed him or her. So, after discussing this issue with several other alpaca farms, the farmers discovered that most, if not all, were offering their dogs food on a free-choice basis.
The phenomenon of always keeping the food bowl full started out as a puzzle, yet the farmers soon realized the role of food in an LGD's life; rather different than your average housedog.
Day after day, the farmers would present their young Komondor puppy with large breed puppy food. She would initially munch happily and the farmers would leave her to it. The following days, the bowl would be filled with various levels of food, and often empty, or completely full. Even stranger still, the food would be covered in hay or any other fibrous material.
After several weeks, and much concern for their puppy's nutrition, Karma the Komondor revealed that she was covering her food with attempts of keeping it from the livestock. After a few bites and using her nose, she'd scoop material over the food and pat it down until satisfied that the odour has been sufficiently masked.
The fact that Karma chooses to eat more or less each day, may depend upon her workload or caloric requirements; a pattern has yet to be determined. Livestock guard dogs spend much of day snoozing and the night alert and touring around. Kept busy enough, she may not have time to eat.
Just shy of a year, Karma has recently been introduced to the larger bite sized dog food and now enjoys the challenge of a good dog food crunch.

Komondor LGD

Karma the Komondor is an LGD, a livestock guard dog, and guards a herd of alpacas at IslandLife Farms on Vancouver Island, BC Canada. Now 11 months old, she has fully bonded with the 16 alpacas and 1 llama under her watch. She's also taken a fond liking to the farmers and will often happily greet them when they enter the fields; still sometimes choosing to stay with her herd.
Komondors are believed to have been the dogs of the Cumans, a group of people originally living in China. The Cumans were displaced at the end of the 10th century and in 1246 were allowed to settle in the center of the Hungary on crown lands and lands that had been abandoned due to the Mongolian invasion.
The Komondor remained primarily in the rural areas as a livestock guard dog, for sheep. These areas were large enough that their human companions couldn't always see the distant herd. To be an effective guard, the Komondor had to rely mostly on its own senses to detect and defend against danger.
It's not surprising that the Komondor resembles a sheep. This powerful guard's defence tactic is to visually fit in with the herd, and when necessary, to surprise an intruder with unrelenting power and will.
Here on the farm, Karma certainly fits in with the herd; today she spent some time off with the alpacas to frolic in the fallen leaves.

Alpaca Alarm

It's 3pm, and from out in the fields, an alpaca is heard sounding an alarm call. In quick response, the farmer throws on her shoes and dashes out from the house. She wonders why she doesn't hear Karma's signature guarding bark, the one used to ward off potential threats...
At any sign of danger, alpacas will make a shrill squeaking sound to alert the rest of the herd. Often one alpaca will take on this responsibility and a female, Comet, has stepped up to fill this role. In response to the call, the alpacas group together and scan in the direction of danger.
As it has been seen before, Karma usually heads up the herd and barks at the intruder.
Today is an exception, and yet a true example of the guarding instict of a mature Komondor livestock guard dog. What the farmer realizes is that all this commotion is caused by 2 young deer grazing in a back field. Instead of chasing the deer away, as many dogs would do, Karma keeps quite close to her alpacas, constantly looking around at each of them to ensure they are all accounted for and safe. She has identified the threat and determined that it's not worth leaving the herd to defend.
The farmer offers Karma praise for her actions, and it's taken with an endearing pride. As the alpacas head off to graze, Karma follows trotting, only to flop down in the glade and continue her snooze.

Livestock Guard Dog

Karma the komondor is now 6 months old. She has gone through many stages, not unlike other puppy breeds; all things to help her develop and establish where she fits in. Karma is now a ray of sunshine. Okay, she still has her silly moments, most of which are spent rolling in the fresh cut grass with four paws in the air. Her range has expanded from one field to half of the fenced 5 acres, the other half is reserved for the farmers, chickens and "the opportunist" aka Salix the hiking/house dog. When Karma matures (in about 2 years), the farmers plan on giving Karma free range of the land, as she will likely make a good guard, even for the laying hens.
Right now, the farmers have no trouble entering the alpaca fields; they are often greeted with a panting friendly face. To keep her focused on her work, however, the farmers have to use the utmost restraint and stick to their intended task. Karma does get at least one full good rubdown a day, just to show the farmers' appreciation. This really is a rewarding time for both; they both get a great cuddle. It's also a good time for her to get used to having her ears, eyes, and coat checked. As a komondor, she's already starting to develop her unique corded coat, and it will require much together time to have her future dreadlocks looking neat... well relatively neat, she is an outdoor dog.
Karma has now started to perform her intended duty; she has developed the sense that she must guard her fields, and her alpacas. The farmers discovered her bark on day one, when she was only 8 weeks old, yet now she's knows when to appropriately use it. Some guidance has been necessary on this. Karma now barks at people walking down the road, perhaps those who walk a bit slower or stop to see the newest members of the alpaca herd. She barks to let them know she's home, to ward them off, and then lets out a few barks just to make sure they're gone. This is early guarding behaviour and it's likely that she'll settle down and only bark when required. Asleep by day, and alert at night, she keeps the farm family safe.

Karma the Komondor

It was a cold and rainy March day for the farmers. Thankfully, there wasn't much to do outside, as alpacas have few needs other than fresh hay, clean water, and a sturdy shelter.
Karma, their livestock guard dog in training, or rather livestock guard puppy, however, had big plans for the day. She spent most of her time getting dirty out in the rain. She made a complete "puppy" of herself by rearranging all moveable items that were previously, and carefully, placed by the farmers. She is a Hungarian Komondor, and in a couple of months, her usually fluffy white coat will start to grow into long cords, similar in appearance to dreadlocks. As the farmers had planned, Karma is being raised outside with the livestock. This is to ensure that she bonds with her herd. She has never been in the farmhouse, and by 2 years of age will mature into an independent thinking protector against the potential threat of cougars, bears and neighbourhood dogs.