“Trust the Science”

From the Bed of Tarma Shena

The biggest lie of the 21st Century.

Science is defined as “The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained.”

Science is a living, breathing, ever evolving search for answers. To say that we have found the answer is to imply that no new information will ever be forthcoming. A state we have proven to be untrue time and again.

Think of all the advancements that have been made in the last fifty years. Breakthroughs in medicine, astronomy, and technology. We didn’t even have the internet that long ago.

Not to mention all the little things that science has decided they didn’t know everything about and have new information for us now. Like how chocolate doesn’t really cause acne and I’m still not sure if eggs are good or bad for us. Milk, “It does a body good!”, does it? The jury is still out considering the conflicting reports on the subject.

In case you’re behind, all the dinosaurs didn’t go extinct AND some of them did actually evolve into chickens. Humans DID NOT evolve from apes and our closest common ancestor was about five billion years ago, Pluto is the ninth planet, oh wait it’s not a planet, ok how about dwarf planet, fine.

We are continuing to learn and expand our thinking about so many subjects, EXCEPT Livestock Guardian Dogs. When it comes to this small breed group we are going to cling to fifty year old myths and misconceptions with the tenacity of a two year old with an ice cream cone when even the original researcher amended many of his statements in later years.

We are going to waste time and energy arguing about who started it and fail to address who is perpetuating it. Texas A&M’s Livestock Guardian Project has a notoriously ugly fail rate. Their big progress in the last ten years? We now pet them on the head occasionally and teach them to ride in the truck from field to field.

Why is one of the most influential agricultural institutions failing so miserably?

Follow the money. The ranchers who use these dogs don’t want to have to do any work because fifty years ago people believed these dogs should be raised and worked with minimal to no human contact and they are going to continue to demand that these dogs work for them despite the fact that they refuse to work for the dogs.

They fund the research, so the research is tailored to their wants with total disregard for the miserable outcome year after year. And when I say fail rate, the most common “fail” is death. Shot, poisoned or lost being the top three. Some things are improving, technology is helping to track and contain dogs, but it doesn’t change the way they think about them.

Their research shows that purebred dogs do better than mixed breed lgds, and they encourage producers to use them, but for a fee any “breeder” can list their cheap five way cross on their group. So keep in mind their “breeder list” is paid for.

Would you continue to eat at a restaurant where close to half the patrons died of food poisoning? Or a councilor who’s clients committed suicide? How about a salon where everyone’s hair falls out?

And the worst part… they are taking their failing methods and telling every small homesteader to use the same training. Let’s say for the sake of argument that the research to find a solution for big ranchers is necessary, how is that same “research” applicable to a small farm with ten acres and goats and chickens. With kids and farm stands and visitors.

I reached out to them, I gave them free access to our program, I asked only that they stop applying their “research” to everyone. To give better advice to people on small homesteads. Nada, he finished eight percent of our material in six months.

We need to speak up and do better for our dogs. We ask them to do so much when they get so little in return.