Livestock guardian dog

A Maremma Sheepdog LGD with its flock of sheep in Australia

A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a dog type bred for the purpose of protecting livestock from predators.

Livestock guardian dogs stay with the group of animals they protect as a full-time member of the flock or herd.^[1] Their ability to guard their herd is mainly instinctive, as the dog is bonded to the herd from an early age.^[2] Unlike herding dogs which control the movement of livestock, LGDs blend in with them, watching for intruders within the flock. The mere presence of a guardian dog is usually enough to ward off some predators, and LGDs confront predators by vocal intimidation, barking, and displaying very aggressive behavior. The dog may attack or fight with a predator if it cannot drive it away.^[3]

History[]

The use of dogs in protecting livestock originated over 2,000 years ago,^[4] with their use being recorded as early as 150 BC in Rome.^[5] Both Aristotle's History of Animals and Virgil's Georgics mention the use of livestock guardian dogs by the Molossians in the ancient region of Epirus.^[6][7]

Training[]

A Great Pyrenees with a herd of goats

The dogs are introduced to livestock as puppies so they "imprint" on the animals. Experts recommend that the pups begin living with the herd at 4 to 5 weeks of age.^[1] This imprinting is thought to be largely olfactory and occurs between 3 and 16 weeks of age. Training requires regular daily handling and management, preferably from birth. A guardian dog is not considered reliable until it is at least 2 years of age. Until that time, supervision, guidance, and correction are needed to teach the dog the skills and rules it needs to do its job. Having older dogs that assist in training younger dogs streamlines this process considerably.

Trials are underway to protect penguins with LGDs.^[8]

A "wolf-collar", commonly used as a neck-protection by LGDs against predators

In Namibia in Southwest Africa, Anatolians are used to guard goat herds from cheetahs, and are typically imprinted between 7 and 8 weeks of age. Before use of dogs was implemented, impoverished Namibian farmers often came into conflict with predatory cheetahs; now, Anatolians usually are able to drive off cheetahs with their barking and displays of aggression.^[9]

Traits[]

Kazakh shepherd man - his horse and dogs' primary job is to guard the sheep from predators.

The three qualities most sought after in LGDs are trustworthiness, attentiveness, and protectiveness; trustworthy in that they do not roam off and are not aggressive with the livestock, attentive in that they are situationally aware of threats by predators, and protective in that they attempt to drive off predators. Dogs, being social creatures with differing personalities, take on different roles with the herd and among themselves; most stick close to the livestock, others tend to follow the shepherd or rancher when one is present, and some drift away from the livestock. These differing roles are often complementary in terms of protecting livestock, and experienced ranchers and shepherds sometimes encourage these differences by adjustments in socialization technique so as to increase the effectiveness of their group of dogs in meeting specific predator threats. LGDs that follow the livestock closest assure that a guard dog is on hand if a predator attacks, while LGDs that patrol at the edges of a flock or herd are in a position to keep would-be attackers at a safe distance from livestock. Those dogs that are more attentive tend to alert those that are more passive, but perhaps also more trustworthy or less aggressive with the livestock.

At least two dogs may be placed with a flock or herd, depending on its size, the type of predators, their number, and the intensity of predation. If predators are scarce, one dog may be adequate, though most operations usually require at least two dogs. Large operations (particularly range operations) and heavy predator loads require more dogs. Male and female LGDs have proved to be equally effective in protecting of livestock.

While LGDs have been known to fight to the death with predators, in most cases, predator attacks are prevented by a display of aggressiveness. LGDs are known to drive off predators for which physically they would be no match, such as bears and even lions. With the reintroduction of predators into natural habitats in Europe and North America, environmentalists have come to appreciate LGDs because they allow sheep and cattle farming to coexist with predators in the same or nearby habitats. Unlike trapping and poisoning, LGDs seldom kill predators; instead, their aggressive behaviors tend to condition predators to seek unguarded (thus, nonfarm animal) prey. For instance, in Italy's Gran Sasso National Park, where LGDs and wolves have coexisted for centuries, older, more experienced wolves seem to "know" the LGDs and leave their flocks alone.

As pets[]

LGDs are generally large, independent, and protective, which can make them less than ideal for urban or even suburban living. Nonetheless, despite their size, they can be gentle, make good companion dogs, and are often protective towards children. If introduced to a family as a pup, most LGDs are as protective of their family as a working guard dog is of its flock. In fact, in some communities where LGDs are a tradition, the runt of a litter often was kept or given as a household pet or simply kept as a village dog without a single owner.

List of breeds[]

Many breeds of LGDs are little known outside of the regions where they are still worked. Nevertheless, some breeds are known to display traits advantageous to guarding livestock. Some specialist LGD breeds include:

Extant breeds[]

Breed	Alternate name(s)	Country of origin	Image
Aidi[10]	Aïdi, Atlas Mountain Dog, Atlas Shepherd Dog, Berber Dog, Chien de l'Atlas & Chien de Montagne de l'Atlas	Morocco
Akbash dog[11]	Akbaş Çoban Köpeği	Turkey
Aksaray Malaklisi	Turkish mastiff & Central Anatolian shepherd	Turkey
Armenian Gampr	Gampr	Armenia
Ashayeri Dog	–	Iran	–
Azerbaijani Shepherd Dog	–	Azerbaijan	–
Bakharwal dog	–	India
Bucovina Shepherd	Bucovina Sheepdog & Southeastern European Shepherd	Romania & Serbia
Buryat-Mongolian Wolfhound	–	Russia	–
Cane di Mannara	Cane da pastore siciliano, Mastino siciliano	Italy (Sicily)
Cão de Castro Laboreiro	Dog of Castro Laboreiro, Portuguese Cattle Dog & Portuguese Watchdog	Portugal
Cão de Gado Transmontano	Transmontano Mastiff & Transmontano Cattle Dog	Portugal
Carpathian Shepherd Dog	Ciobănesc Românesc Carpatin, Romanian Shepherd, Romanian Carpathian Shepherd, Câine Ciobănesc Carpatin, Carpathian Sheepdog, Carpatin & Romanian Carpatin Herder	Romania
Caucasian Shepherd Dog[12]	Caucasian Mountain Dog & Nagazi	Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Central Asian Shepherd Dog[13]	Alabai, Central Asian Ovtcharka & Aziat	Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan & Russia
Estrela Mountain Dog[14]	Portuguese Shepherd & Cão da Serra da Estrela	Portugal
Georgian Shepherd	Georgian Mountain Dog & Nagazi	Georgia
Ghadrejani dog	Central Iranian Shepherd	Iran
Great Pyrenees[15]	Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Patou, Montañés del Pirineo, Perro de Montaña de los Pirineos, Can de Montaña de os Perinés, Chien des Pyrénées & Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées	France & Spain
Greek Shepherd	–	Greece
Himalayan Sheepdog	Himalayan Shepherd & Himalayan Shepherd Dog	China, India & Nepal
Kangal	Sivas Kangal & Turkish Kangal	Turkey
Karakachan	Karakachansko Kuche & Karakachanska Ovcharka	Bulgaria
Kars	–	Turkey
Karst Shepherd	–	Slovenia
Komondor[16]	Hungarian Komondor, Hungarian Sheepdog	Hungary
Koyun dog	Bayburt Kelpi	Turkey	–
Kuchi	Sage Kuchi, Sage Jangi, De Kochyano Spai, Jangi Spai & Afghan Shepherd	Afghanistan
Kuvasz[17]	Hungarian Kuvasz	Hungary
Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdog[18]	Maremma Sheepdog, Cane da Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, Pastore Abruzzese, Pastore Maremmano, Abruzzo Sheepdog & Abruzzese Sheepdog	Italy
Mazandrani dog	–	Iran
Mioritic Shepherd	Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog, Romanian Mioritic, Ciobănesc Românesc Mioritic, Mioritic	Romania
Mongolian banhar	–	Mongolia	–
Mucuchies[19]	–	Venezuela
Persian Mastiff	Sarabi Mastiff	Iran
Polish Tatra Sheepdog	Tatra Mountain Sheepdog, Owczarek Tatrzański, Owczarek Podhalański & Polski Owczarek	Poland
Pshdar dog	Kurdish Shepherd Dog, Peshdar Dog, Kurdish Dog & Kurdish Mastiff	Iran, Iraq & Kurdistan
Pyrenean Mastiff[20]	Mastín del Pirineo & Mostín d'o Pireneu	Spain
Rafeiro do Alentejo	Alentejo Mastiff, Portuguese Mastiff & Mutt of Alentejo	Portugal
Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog	Ciobanesc Romanesc Corb	Romania	–
Sardinian Shepherd Dog	Sardinian Shepherd Dog, Fonni's dog, Pastore fonnese, Cane fonnesu, Cani sardu antigu	Italy (Sardinia)
Šarplaninac	Yugoslavian Shepherd Dog	North Macedonia & Serbia (Kosovo)
Shirak Sheepdog	–	Iran	–
Slovak Cuvac[17]	Slovak Chuvach, Tatransky Cuvac & Slovak tschuvatsch	Slovakia
Spanish Mastiff[21]	Mastín español de campo y trabajo, Mastín ganadero, Mastín Leonés & Mastín Extremeño	Spain
Tibetan kyi apso[22]	Apso Do-Kyi	Tibet	–
Tibetan Mastiff[22]	–	Tibet
Tobet	Kazakhstan mountain dog	Kazakhstan	–
Torkuz[23]	Sarkangik	Uzbekistan	–
Tornjak	Bosnian and Herzegovinian Shepherd Dog, Bosnian Shepherd Dog, Croatian Mountain Dog & Bosnian-Herzegovinian and Croatian Shepherd Dog	Bosnia and Herzegovina & Croatia
Vikhan Sheepdog	Chitral Watchdog & Pakistani Vikhan Dog	Pakistan	–

List of extinct breeds[]

Breed	Alternate name(s)	Country or region of origin	Era	Use	Image
Alpine Mastiff	—	Alps	Before 5th century BC to 19th century AD	Livestock guardian
Molossus	—	Southern Europe	Classical antiquity	War dogs, hunting, guard dogs & dog fighting

See also[]

• Guard dog
• Wolf collar

References[]

Citations[]

Bibliography[]

• Fogle, Bruce (2009). The Encyclopedia of the Dog. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7566-6004-8.
• Hancock, David (2014). Dogs of the shepherds: a review of the pastoral breeds. Ramsbury, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84797-808-0.
• Morris, Desmond (2001). Dogs: the ultimate dictionary of over 1,000 dog breeds. North Pomfret, VT: Trafalgar Square Publishing. ISBN 1-57076-219-8.

Further reading[]

• Dohner, Janet Vorwald (December 12, 2007). Livestock Guardians: Using Dogs, Donkeys, and Llamas to Protect Your Herd. North Adams, MA: Storey Books. pp. 122–123. ISBN 9781580176958. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
• Dohner, Janet Vorwald (October 4, 2016). Farm Dogs: A Comprehensive Breed Guide to 93 Guardians, Herders, Terriers and other canine working partners. North Adams, MA: Storey Books. p. 117. ISBN 9781612125923. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
• Kojima, Toyoharu (August 28, 2005). Legacy of the Dog: The Ultimate Illustrated Guide (Revised and Updated, 2nd ed.). Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN 9780811851138.

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Livestock guardian dogs.

• Livestock Guardian Dog Association
• Livestock and Wolves: A Guide to Nonlethal Tools and Methods to Reduce Conflicts, 2nd Edition
• Guarding Dogs: from the Transhumance to Pre-Zygotic Selection by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger
• Livestock guarding dogs: their current use world wide by Robin Rigg, a comprehensive review of current livestock guarding dog use
• Livestock Guarding Dogs: Protecting Sheep from Predators, a USDA publication
• Attention, Sheep Grazing in this Area: Livestock Protection Dogs in Use, a USDA warning sign
• in-depth video about LGD use by shepherds from OPB
• Guardian Dogs: Best Practice Manual for the use of Livestock Guardian Dogs from
• Livestock Guardian Dogs at Work: Another Side of The Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog
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