The landholder, whose property neighbours Yarratt State Forest and Goonook Nature Reserve, this week shot a large wild dog - believed to be an Alsatian cross-bred - after it attacked young calves in broad daylight.

The livestock fortunately escaped harm, but his two workmates and treasured pets were not so lucky last month.

As reported by the Times, the chained dogs were killed about three weeks ago by what is now believed to be a pack of seven dogs roaming the area.

The landowner had not sighted the dogs himself until this week, but a neighbour had earlier seen the seven-strong pack moving in daylight and not far from homes.

The shot animal is suspected to be one of those that attacked the domestic dogs, given broken teeth in its mouth indicating a recent fight.

The landowner has been living in the area for 25 years and says wild dogs are a part of life in that location, but the current pack was particularly brazen, with the shot animal actually moving to within 100 metres of the man's home in daylight rather than fleeing at the sight of humans.

One dog seen as part of the pack is well known to residents, a large black animal believed to be a cross-bred Malamute that has been roaming the area for several years.

The landowner has been discussing the problem with the Rural Lands Protection Board, which he said had provided excellent support in organising baiting and trapping.

He is also dealing with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the organisation telling the Times after the previous attack it would work with Rural Lands to arrange a baiting program even though it had not been determined if the dogs were coming from the national park. Conflicts with wild dogs are nothing new in Upper Lansdowne - with a neighbour losing several Friesian heifers about 18 months ago - but the brazen attitude of these animals is the biggest concern for the safety of residents and their livestock.

"We've been dealing with them for years, but they crossed a line when the killed my dogs," he said.