A livestock guardian dog (LGD) is a domesticated canine

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

 used to defend livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

 against predators. LGDs are commonly referred to as "sheep dogs" since they most often have guarded flocks of sheep, but most are capable of guarding other species of livestock. They are classified as pastoral dog

Pastoral dog

A pastoral dog is any individual dog of any breed or type used for mustering, guarding or otherwise managing livestock.Pastoral Dog might refer to the:...

s. Unlike herding dog

Herding dog

A herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a type of pastoral dog that either has been trained in herding or belongs to breeds developed for herding...

s (also often called "sheepdogs") such as the Border Collie

Border Collie

The Border Collie is a herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It is the most widespread of the collie breeds....

, an LGD does not control the movement of the flock with predatory actions causing bunching. Instead, LGDs tend to blend into the flock and generally ignore the individual animals in favor of keeping an eye out for potential threats. While bunching behavior is observed, it is the livestock that tend to bunch around the guarding dogs, especially on open range when predators are near.

Training

The dogs are introduced to livestock as puppies so they "imprint" on the animals. This imprinting is thought to be largely olfactory and occurs between 3 and 16 weeks of age. An LGD raised with sheep will generally not be an effective guardian of cattle or goats and one raised with cattle will not be an effective guardian of goats or sheep. The imprinting is critical because LGDs tend to behave in a non-predatory and protective way only with animal species they have been raised with. Proper socialization and instinct, not training, are key to rearing an effective LGD. Bonding LGDs to cattle is more difficult than bonding them to the smaller livestock species. However, the practice of bonding guarding dogs to cows is becoming more common, especially in places such as the American West where the reintroduction of predators has conflicted with cattle herds in areas where predation had been rare. There are even trials underway to protect penguins.

In Namibia

Namibia

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

 in Southwest Africa, Anatolian

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog also known as Karabash is a breed of dog which originated in Anatolia and was further developed as a breed in America....

s are used to guard goat herds from cheetahs, and are typically imprinted between seven and eight weeks of age. 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 aggressions.

Traits

LGDs are generally large 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 dog

Companion dog

Companion dog usually describes a dog that does not work, providing only companionship as a pet, rather than usefulness by doing specific tasks. Many of the toy dog breeds are used only for the pleasure of their company, not as workers...

s, 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 would often be kept or given as a household pet or simply kept as a village dog without a single owner.

Anywhere from one to five 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 range operations usually require two dogs. Both male and female LGDs have proved to be equally effective in protecting of livestock. However, in regions where dogs were used in annual transhumance

Transhumance

Transhumance is the seasonal movement of people with their livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and to lower valleys in winter. Herders have a permanent home, typically in valleys. Only the herds travel, with...

 migrations, males were often used exclusively as LGDs since pregnant females and newborn pups would likely perish on the long journeys.

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 will attempt to drive off predators. Dogs, being social creatures with differing personalities, will take on different roles with the herd and among themselves: most sticking close to the livestock, others tending to follow the shepherd or rancher when one is present, and some drifting farther 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.

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 that physically they would be no match for, 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, non-farm animal) prey. For instance, in Italy's Gran Sasso National Park

Gran Sasso

Gran Sasso d'Italia is a mountain located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The Gran Sasso forms the centerpiece of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park which was established in 1993 and holds the highest mountains in continental Italy south of the Alps and is part of the...

, where LGDs and wolves have coexisted for centuries, older, more experienced wolves seem to "know" the LGDs and leave their flocks alone.

List of breeds

There are many breeds of LGDs, many of which are little known outside of the regions in which they are still worked. These include:

• Abruzzese Mastiff
  Abruzzese Mastiff
  The Abruzzese Mastiff is a breed related to, but distinct from the Maremmano-Abruzzese from the Italian region of the Abruzzi...
  
  
• Akbash Dog
  Akbash Dog
  The Akbash Dog is native to western Turkey in the region known as the Akbaş, and it is primarily used as a livestock guardian dog.-History:...
  
  
• Anatolian Shepherd Dog
  Anatolian Shepherd Dog
  The Anatolian Shepherd Dog also known as Karabash is a breed of dog which originated in Anatolia and was further developed as a breed in America....
  
  
• Armenian Gampr dog
  Armenian Gampr dog
  Armenian Gampr is a breed of livestock guardian dog that originated in the Armenian Highlands, including the territories of modern Eastern Anatolia of Turkey and the Republic of Armenia. The Armenian Gampr was bred by local people using primitive selection...
  
  
• Bucovina Shepherd Dog
• Carpathian Shepherd Dog
  Carpathian Shepherd Dog
  The Carpathian Shepherd Dog is a breed of large sheep dogs that originated in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.-History:...
  
  
• Cão de Castro Laboreiro
  Cão de Castro Laboreiro
  The Cão de Castro Laboreiro, or Dog from Castro Laboreiro, or Portuguese Cattle Dog or Portuguese Watch Dog, is a dog breed of the livestock guardian dog type, originating from Castro Laboreiro in the northern mountains of Portugal....
  
  
• Caucasian Shepherd Dog (Caucasian Ovcharka)
• Central Asia Shepherd Dog
  Central Asia Shepherd Dog
  The Central Asian Ovtcharka is recognized by FCI, as a Molossoid type dog breed of Russian origin. Most breed representatives reside in Russia, and local kennel club officials refer to Central Asians as one of the most popular dog breeds in the country, often rating it as the #1...
  
  
• Cão de Gado Transmontano
• Cão da Serra da Estrela
• Dogo Sardesco
  Dogo Sardesco
  Dogo Sardesco is a breed of dog used as a guard dog, livestock guardian dog, working dogRare and fairly unknown outside Italy, the Dogo Sardesco was developed in the villages of Sardinia as an all-around working Molosser...
  
  
• Great Pyrenees
• Greek Shepherd Dog
• Himalayan Sheepdog
  Himalayan Sheepdog
  The Himalayan Sheepdog is a Nepalese breed of dog that has become very rare. This Mountain dog is similar in appearance to the Newfoundland and the Tibetan Mastiff. They have a large body and have been known to have a loud bark.-Appearance:...
  
   or Bhote kukur
• Kangal Dog
  Kangal Dog
  The Kangal Dog is regarded as the national breed of Turkey. The Kangal, which weighs 100–165 lbs fully grown, was originally used as a livestock guardian dog...
  
  
• Karakachan Dog
  Karakachan Dog
  The Karakachan is a breed of dog that originated in Bulgaria as a mountain livestock guardian dog. Other names are Karakachan Shepherd and Thracian Mollos. The dog is named after the Karakachans, Balkan nomadic shepherds...
  
  
• Karst Shepherd (Kraški Ovčar)
• Komondor
  Komondor
  The Komondor is a large, white-colored Hungarian breed of livestock guardian dog with a long, corded coat....
  
  
• Kuvasz
  Kuvasz
  The Kuvasz is a dog breed of ancient Hungarian origin. Mention of the breed can be found in old Hungarian texts. It has historically been used to guard livestock, but has been increasingly found in homes as a pet over the last seventy years....
  
  
• Leonberger
  Leonberger
  The Leonberger is a breed of large dog. The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. According to legend, the Leonberger was ostensibly bred as a 'symbolic dog' that would mimic the lion in the town crest...
  
  
• Maremma Sheepdog
  Maremma Sheepdog
  The Maremma Sheepdog, in Italian Cane da pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, usually referred to as just Maremmano, is a breed of livestock guardian dog indigenous to central Italy, particularly to Abruzzo and the Maremma region of Tuscany and Lazio. It has been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to...
  
  
• Mioritic
  Mioritic
  The Mioritic is a large breed of livestock guardian dog that originated in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.-Appearance:The Mioritic stands about tall at the withers and weighs . This massive dog is covered in thick fluffy hair...
  
  
• Perro Majorero
• Polish Tatra Mountain Sheepdog (Polski Owczarek Podhalański)
• Pyrenean Mastiff
  Pyrenean Mastiff
  The Pyrenean Mastiff is a large breed of dog originally from the Aragonese Pyrenees in Spain.- Description :The Pyrenean Mastiff is a very large dog, males 77 cm and females 71 cm at the withers, although they can be up to 81 cm . They have a heavy white coat with large darker spots...
  
  
• Rafeiro do Alentejo
  Rafeiro do Alentejo
  The Rafeiro do Alentejo or Alentejo Mastiff, also called the Portuguese Mastiff, is a breed of dog that originated in Portugal. The Rafeiro do Alentejo is of the livestock guardian dog type, and the name refers to its area of origin, Alentejo, in south-central Portugal...
  
  
• Sage Koochee
  Sage Koochee
  The Kuchi dog is an Afghan herding dog, taking its name from the Kuchi people of Afghanistan. It is also a guard and working dog following the nomads, protecting caravans and flocks of sheep, goats, camels and other livestock from wolves, big cats and thieves...
  
  
• Šarplaninac
  Šarplaninac
  The Šarplaninac or Šarplaninec , also known as Sharplaninac/Sharplaninec, Illyrian Shepherd Dog or Yugoslav Shepherd Dog-Šarplanina is a dog breed of the livestock guardian type originally from Serbia and Macedonia.- Appearance :The...
  
  
• Slovak cuvac
  Slovak cuvac
  The Slovak Cuvac is a Slovak breed of dog, bred for use as a livestock guard dog. This mountain dog—also known as Slovensky Cuvac, Slovak Chuvach, Tatransky Cuvac and Slovensky Kuvac—is closely related to the Hungarian Kuvasz. The alternate German and English spelling Tchouvatch reflects the...
  
   (Slovenský čuvač)
• South Russian Ovcharka
  South Russian Ovcharka
  A South Russian Ovcharka, also known as a Ukrainian Ovcharka, or South Russian Sheepdog, is a large, long-haired , white sheepdog....
  
  
• Spanish Mastiff
  Spanish Mastiff
  The Spanish Mastiff, or Mastín Español is a large breed of dog, originating in Spain, originally bred to be a Livestock guardian dog and a guard dog whose purpose is to defend livestock from wolves and other predators...
  
  
• Tibetan Mastiff
  Tibetan Mastiff
  The Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient breed and type of domestic dog originating with nomadic cultures of Central Asia.-Names and etymology:...
  
  
• Tornjak (Bosnian and Herzegovinian - Croatian Shepherd Dog)

External links

• Livestock Guardian Dog Association
• 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
• in-depth video about LGD use by shepherds from OPB
  Oregon Public Broadcasting
  Oregon Public Broadcasting is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of Oregon as well as southern Washington. With its headquarters and television studios in Portland, OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF translators, and over...