Sandra Plourde

I've worked as a dog behavior consultant since 2009, helping owners with various breeds, including guardian types. I oppose HB 1133 as introduced. Key points: • LGDs are hardwired to bark as a primary deterrent—it's not trainable out like obedience issues. • The "trained or in training" clause is problematic; few (if any) NH trainers offer formal LGD certification, and instincts drive the behavior more than certificates. • Barking thresholds/fines could unfairly penalize small/home farms relying on nighttime protection, especially with predator pressure in rural NH. • Current exemption works for most legitimate users; add education/mediation instead of new regs that might discourage farming or lead to more relinquishments. • Middle ground: Voluntary best practices (e.g., acreage buffers, neighbor outreach), incentives for bark management tools, or better enforcement of existing nuisance laws without carving out special categories. This bill risks hurting the small producers it aims to help while not addressing root causes like unprepared owners or sprawl conflicts.