Bonding older LGD dogs to sheep.

 

Bonding older dogs to sheep.
©Louise Liebenberg (2023)

A question that comes up regularly is how to bond an older livestock guardian dog LGD) to the livestock if they have not previously been with livestock? This question however will need a little more clarification as to why a LGD has not been raised with livestock prior to adulthood? In most cases, anyone who needs their livestock protected from serious predators will usually not “waste” their time on a dog that has not been raised with stock. Most livestock operations will either breed their own replacements and, will then raise them in a way they feel is most successful for their operation. Very few of these producers will take a gamble on an unknown adult dog with their livestock, as it could result in dead and injured stock or a lot of dog management to try and integrate it in with the livestock.

In some instances, people will take a chance on a rescue, where very little is known about the history or even the raising practices that the dog was exposed to. Some of these people are willing to try and, are prepared to take the time to work with the dog to make a LGD from it. In fact, my very first LGD was a rehome, had never been raised with sheep before and in my total ignorance I just placed the dog out with the stock trusting entirely on instinct and good breeding to kick in despite, no bonding or raising with the stock. This dog was a saint, and everything worked out very well for us and she become a very successful LGD. In my naivety I certainly thought that LGD were very simple. You just take the dog, put him in with sheep and all is good. My second, and later third rescue/rehome dogs were sheep killers, their instinct and good breeding did not kick in and they viewed sheep as play objects and soon realised that lamb tasted good. Despite my firm belief that I could work with them and get them to a point of reliability with the stock, these dogs never bonded to the sheep nor became reliable.  I had enough sheep knowledge that I could see that the sheep were never ever comfortable around either of those dogs, and yet the sheep trusted my first LGD. Over the years I have certainly come to appreciate the sheep’s ability to gauge if the dog is trustworthy or not. Following these three dogs, I soon realised that raising a pup myself, offered the highest chance of success.

Over the years I have come to believe that it is simply not all genetics and instinct, a large portion is also raising them in an environment that will provide them with the most opportunity to learn about livestock. Just because a pup might be a LGD breed or mix of LGD breeds does not guarantee that it will be successful. If the dog comes from multiple generations of non-working lines, its recent ancestors have never even sniffed a sheep or coyote and no selection has taken place on working ability, then despite it being a LGD breed, chances are fairly low that this dog will be successful in its job as a LGD. It is well known in many working breeds, if you do not use the instinct, you lose it. I have seen generations of show line bred border collies who have totally lost their instinct to herd sheep. Just because it is a border collie, does not always mean it will be a working sheepdog.
The loss of instincts can disappear quickly, particularly when breeders focus on other qualities over those needed for the job. If having a perfect build is more important to a breeder than working qualities, then you breed away from the instinct and selection for the other qualities becomes more important.

To ensure selection for good working qualities to pass on to future generations, breeding dogs do need to be evaluated on their ability to do their job. Are the protective of the flock, are they bonded, will they chase off predators, will they watch over newborns, do they have a low prey-drive, are they trustworthy, attentive and protective of the livestock?

When an older dog is acquired to protect the livestock, it is often not clear what genetics and instinct are selected for. The next big hurdle is the early raising and training. As socialization and introduction to sheep at a young age is important to the development of the pup, an older dog often misses out a large chunk of this learning experience. It is so much easier to teach a young child a new language or skill than it is to teach an adult. Although not impossible, it certainly takes more time. Similarly, the young pup that is raised with livestock from the start will learn to read the sheep, will learn to respond to sheep behaviour and body language, they will seek companionship from the sheep. All this information is freely assimilated by a pup. It is also for the rancher a lot easier as an 8-week-old pup is not able to physically harm the sheep, it is easier to trust the pup alone with the sheep than adding in an adult dog, unsure if it will be safe with the sheep or not. An 18-month-old dog can do a lot of physical damage to a flock of sheep should some predatory response be ignited. The process of freely learning, is a concept that works well in all forms of training and management, whether human or animal.

Developmentally, pups do have phases or windows of learning opportunities that have been well researched and defined. The ideal window for socialization of LGD pups to livestock, is typically between 7 and 16 weeks of age. Once again, it is not impossible to bond an older pup to the sheep, it just becomes more of a challenge. If the pup is already bonded to the house, yard and kids, the pup may never want to bond to the sheep.

The question of how to bond an adult dog to the sheep will require a lot of time, effort and facilitation and the outcome is unknown. With some dogs, that goes smoothly, and others never do bond with the stock.  There is not one method that is a 100% guarantee that works. It is about working with the dog and offering every opportunity to bond to the sheep.

What I would recommend one does with an older dog who you want to attempt to bond to the livestock is the following: I would make a bonding pen, that has very secure dog proof fencing. I would place 5 or 6 large adult sheep in that pen, maybe even rams who are accustomed to LGD. It does not work well if the sheep have never been around LGD before, as their response to a large dog in their pen, will be complete panic. If you have no sheep that are used to LGD, it might be worth buying some from an operation who does use LGD. I would then start by introducing the adult dog on a leash to the sheep. I would closely monitor the dog’s behaviour and interest in the sheep. If the dog looks calm and controlled, I will slowly allow the dog to roam around the stock while I am supervising. I would let the dog drag the leash, if needed I can quickly intervene. When you must leave, I would either place the dog on a zipline or in a secure kennel within the bonding pen. I will ensure that the sheep need to come close to the dog to eat or drink or have some shade in the vicinity of the dog. I would repeat this process until I feel the dog and sheep are comfortable with each other. The dog will be tethered or supervised constantly for the first month of two.
The dog will closely be observed for any good and bad signs. Lunging and snapping at the sheep would be corrected, fearfulness will be ignored, and calmness will be quietly praised. Slowly, the time the dog is allowed to roam freely with the sheep will be extended. I would supervise closely, and slowly move away and spy on the dog from further away. Camera’s are a nice technological aid in being able to spy on the dog. Provided the dog shows no aggressive or predatory reaction, I would continue this path. I will only allow the dog to be free overnight and not supervised, if I am convinced the sheep will be safe, they are calm, and the dogs is relaxed and comfortable around the stock. Once this has been achieved, I will expand the pasture and add in a few more sheep. Watching closely how the sheep and dog interact. With a pup, from the time is a pup to the time it is going out with the flock is usually a process of around 8 to 10 months. I would be looking at a similar timeline for a newly introduced adult dog. Often people make the mistake of trusting the dog to quickly, do take the time to ensure both dog and sheep are comfortable in their presence. Watch for signs of the dog being attentive toward the sheep. The most important quality initially is simply for the dog to be trustworthy and not harm the sheep in any way. Playing with the stock might not seem harmful, but it is. One really does need to pay attention to the details of the behaviour for both the dog and the stock when introducing an adult who has never been with livestock before.  I have written multiple articles on bonding and on looking for good and warning signs, when working with an older dog, it might be a good idea to reread some of those articles.

Good Homes and LGD

 

Good homes
©Louise Liebenberg (2023)
Written for The Shepherds Magazine.

When I read through many of the social media livestock guardian dog (LGD) pages, I am absolutely shocked at the number of dogs looking for a new, good home. It is not just the odd one here and there but instead a continuous stream of failed LGD looking for a great non-working home, someone looking for a placement of their dog on a bigger ranch, or with a more experienced trainer. Friends of mine who work with rescues are overwhelmed with the shear number of LGD and mixes of LGD entering the shelter/ foster system, and within that system, there simply are not enough good homes for all these unwanted LGD.  In many cases, it is not even just LGD mutts that end up in rescues, a lot of purebred dogs can be found there too. The number of “rehomes” is excessive, however the number of litters from LGD breeds being advertised is staggering, many of which, are not even from working dogs. In all honesty, there is little to no market for most of these pups. Recently, a breeder has struggled to give away, for free, a litter of a rare breed LGD pups. Ultimately, these pups are 4 or 5 months old, become a handful to handle and are expensive to feed, these pups ended up in a variety of homes, whether suitable or not, simply to “get rid of them”, the leftovers ended up in a shelter. Many of the people who drop off these pups in a shelter hope they will find that illusive “good home”. For many of these pups, the good home ends up being euthanasia.

The myth of the good home needs to be addressed.  Those folks looking for a new placement for their roaming, sheep worrying or chicken killing dogs have this idea that these dogs would be better suited to a bigger ranch. What many people forget is on larger, commercial operations, the sheep or cattle are the main source of income and the people who live this lifestyle, are often very busy. It takes time to graze animals, check fences, doctor sick animals, haymaking. Few shepherds are willing to take on an uncontrolled, problematic dog, often with questionable genetics and poor raising. These dogs can be a threat to their own livestock (and livelihood) and few have the time to invest in someone else’s failed dog. It is not simple to rehabilitate a failed LGD.   The person wanting to find the “good home” does not understand the risk, stress, time and cost it would take to make this type of dog into a functional dog.   I know, I would not risk my own sheep’s lives or risk the chance of my own dogs getting injured in such a situation.

If the “good home” is not a large sheep operation, perhaps it is with small acreages or homesteads? Sadly, these places are often not suitable for failed LGD either. Most homesteads or micro farms have neighbours who may not appreciate a LGD barking all night. Most smaller homesteads do not have the work for the dog or the ability to fence to contain a roaming LGD. Few people are willing to risk having a large breed dog, who has perhaps shown some killing behaviour around livestock, be in contact with their own and neighbors’ children.  Added to this, there is not only the threat of a bite incident with an unknown adult LGD, but the liability of a dog roaming and potentially causing a vehicle accident is just too overwhelming for most people to contemplate. Few homesteaders have the experience to work with a problematic dog.  
Finally, the in-town, pet home is an even less likely option. Their natural guarding behaviour, their canine aggressiveness, their stranger wariness, the strength, and size simply do not lend themselves to town or pet living situations. There simply is no demand or not enough good homes for unwanted LGD.

The “good home” for the failed LGD rarely exists. People who start with LGD need to be aware of this. Few people are wanting a wool pulling, lamb eating, chicken killing, calf chasing large breed dog. The moment you take that cute pup or multiple pups’ home, your options for an alternative home “if they don’t work out” is almost non-existent. The responsibility of breeding and placement is with the breeder. However, it is the first owner’s responsibility to give this pup the best chance of success and to commit to owning this dog for its life span. It is very important that new owners are supported in making the best decisions they can to ensure the pup has a lifelong home.

Sometimes the best decision is for the person enquiring about LGD, is to choose to not get an LGD.  As hard as it maybe to hear, not every situation warrants an LGD. Many of the rehomes are coming from smaller homesteads who only have a few poultry or maybe a handful of other livestock. Many people are unprepared for the work it takes to get a dog to be reliable with poultry and other small stock. Few are prepared for the sheer determination a LGD can have to escape from its pen, or the aggression it can display towards strangers or animals unfamiliar to it. The time, cost and work it takes to get a poultry safe dog is vastly underestimated.

It is time for the LGD community to say no to selling pups into situations where the chance of failure is high. We need to be vocal about how most LGD were never bred to be guardians of poultry or rabbits, and that most immature LGD will harm them, given the opportunity. They were bred to cover large distances moving with the shepherds and their flocks and are mostly not suited to small acreages. They are strong and independent thinkers which makes them hard to train, obedience is not a top priority for these breeds. They are physically strong dogs who do best in serious working situations. We need to talk about how not all LGD work out, many do harm stock while growing up, it is a challenge to keep them fenced in on smaller places, they bark a lot, they are not always the friendliest dogs, they might even kill the beloved cat. Many people need a large dose of realism and people new to LGD need to hear this.

Part of the problem also lies in the volume of LGD and LGD crosses being bred. It is hard to manage intact animals. Perhaps, the continual pushing of later spay and neutering is contributing to the excessive number of pups being born. Of course, in a perfect world, it is better to hold off on spaying and neutering until the dog is over two years of age, but the reality is heat-cycles in females are easily missed and before you know it, the LGD is bred by the collie. Few people are even capable of recognizing when their female is in heat, and many do not have a place to lock her up in for a three-week stint. There is a risk in everything, our dogs live a risky lifestyle. Early spaying and neutering might have some health risks, but so does pregnancy and unwanted litters.  Spaying and neutering makes for more manageable working dogs, and I am a firm believer that owners should make the decision when to spay and neuter based on what works best for their operation.

Finally, we need to call out bad management and raising practices that contribute to failure in LGD. Quite frankly, we need to keep the “pet dog” mentality out of the working dog world. Many LGD fail due to misconceptions that pups can only bond to their owners and families while living in a house.  Or, the notion that the pup must bond first to its human family before it gets placed with the livestock.  The sad thing is, this LGD shelter and unwanted pups’ problem reflects on our industry. The ranchers and shepherds who need working LGD are viewed as the cause of the problem. We need to be cognizant of this.  As a livestock and LGD owning community, we need to do our best to help curb the enormous influx of these breeds into shelters and the number of LGD being bred. We can do our part by educating and mentoring suitable owners and dissuading the acquisition of a LGD into situations with a high chance of failure.  We need to talk about the realities of owning these dogs, and taking responsibility for the dogs we bring onto operations. The mythical good home does not exist and often the outcome for the failed LGD is death.

When good dogs go bad (Part 2)

 

When good dogs go bad (Part 2)
©Louise Liebenberg(2023)

Written for The Shepherds Magazine

In the previous article, I discussed some ideas and considerations for when you have a predation event and you suspect that the LGD might be involved.

The first step to take is to ensure that the livestock is in a safe area and a place where you can manage and supervise any interactions the LGD has with the stock. In every predatation event, you do want to try and ensure that the sheep are moved from that area and in a safe place closer to you to be able to monitor them. If that is not an option, then you may want to consider placing some electric nets in the pasture to make the area where the sheep graze a bit smaller and where you have a better overview on them. You do not want any pattern of predation (wild or domestic) to continue. To rule out your own LGD, it is advisable to remove the dog from the stock. This will serve two purposes; if you have another predator attack while the LGD is tethered or kenneled then you can probably rule out that your dog might have caused the death of the sheep. Kennelling or tethering the dog for a few days will do the dog no harm, while you try to figure out what animal did predate on the sheep.  Secondly, if your dog was involved, you certainly do not want him to continue this behaviour and you want to remove any possibility that the dog can do more damage to the livestock. Tethering or kenneling buys you a little time to figure out what your option is.

The next step would be to only allow your LGD back in with the livestock if you can supervise and watch his interactions. You could set up a remote camera system, or simply spy on the dog. It might be hard to “catch him in the act” but you can certainly watch for warning signs. If you have no time, then kennel or tether him until you can supervise. If you are concerned that wildlife killed the sheep, you may want to consider placing the dog on a zipline in the pasture. This allows the dog still to be present with the sheep, he can bark and be a deterrent, but he can not fully engage with the sheep as the sheep can move away from him. Do be aware, that the limited movement your dog has on a zipline, could make him vulnerable to predators. I like to use a combination of deterrents, dog on zipline, electric fences, close to home and possibly additional fox lights.

Behaviour or warning signs can include things like jumping and barking at the livestock, nipping, chewing ears, standing over them, excessive and aggressive resource guarding, over-interest, stalking and staring, moving the sheep, disruptive behaviour, stress and tension in the dog around the livestock, dragging them around by the legs and neck, wool pulling, chasing, over excitement or triggered behaviour ( so when livestock do normal livestock behaviour, the dog gets overly stimulated by this) and of course any outward aggression toward the stock. If the dog is not experienced around newborn lambs, that in itself can be trigger to the dog, the newness, smells of blood and afterbirths, bleating and ewes who become more aggressive toward the dog than usual.

If after a few weeks of supervision, you see no concerning behaviour you can try the dog for longer periods alone with the stock. Ensure the livestock he is in with, is not weak, sickly, or very young. Often a dog will “pick” on a specific animal over and over. Remove any of these animals. I would not trust a “suspect” dog overnight alone with the sheep at this point. 

Your dog might only show concerning behaviour under very specific circumstances. For example, the dog could be fine with newborn lambs with a ewe around, but could be predatory to lambs who are “lost”, such as a triplet lamb left behind or lagging behind. The dog might be reactive to a lamb that is calling all the time, or a chicken who is flapping a lot. Sometimes, eating and licking afterbirths can lead to predatory behaviour. I do not mind a dog eating an afterbirth but will not tolerate a dog licking and pulling on it while the ewe is still birthing or if a dog is over involving himself with the birthing. Some dogs may never be reliable with newborns but are solid with larger lambs.  Some dogs become aggressive towards rams during breeding season, it could be the “new” animals, or the smell or the higher hormone levels. Some dogs become obsessive with cycling ewes.  Some dogs do turn bad from what starts off as scavenging behaviour, so they did not cause the death of the sheep, but did start to eat it, this can lead to an escalation and in some cases to predation (this is often how wild animals start to predate on the sheep, it starts as scavenging behaviour and later becomes predatory). This is not always the case as I do know many dogs who can eat dead stock and never harm a live one. It is hard to isolate what changes in the dog to go from reliable to predatory.

Another trigger can be the bad behaviour of another dog. Some LGD will not guard the livestock from other dogs. If those dogs, for example, other farm dogs or pets, chase a sheep, the LGD might participate with those dogs. A mother dog might not correct her own adolescent pups when they rough play with the sheep or even kill them.

LGD walk a very fine line between living with the sheep and not becoming predatory towards them. It is logical that not everyone will “work out”. Some just have a higher prey drive than others, and some are easily stimulated into bad behaviour. Some of the “harder” breeds can have a higher failure rate than the more placid breeds simply because they tend to have a higher aggression level. Think of a ewe butting a dog and the dog retaliates, in a harder breed this is a little more common.

The problem with predatory behaviour is that once it is stimulated, it is very hard to stop. It is a self rewarding behaviour.  I like to think that the predatory behaviour is dormant in most LGD, and hopefully is remains that way, however if stimulated, it certainly awakens something in the dog.  It is like a little border collie pup getting turned on to sheep, it goes from nothing to turned on in an instant and once this pup is zoned in on the sheep it is virtually impossible to turn off. It is only through training and control that the pup can learn to switch off its work mode when not needed, but it is never gone. 

With the LGD, I feel it is very important to make sure that the predatory instinct does not get stimulated or awakened, because you cannot put that “genie” back once it is out. The old saying of prevention is better than a cure, is applicable here. Try to ensure the young dog is not placed into situations that could illicit a predatory response. Here are some examples for this:

•  By raising a pup with the livestock from a young age you take the excitement of being around the livestock away. The pup will learn that livestock belong in his world. A pup raised in the house or away from stock will often meet the stock in a very elevated and excited way, this can lead to wanting to run, chase and overzealous reactions by the dog, which causes the sheep to run, this in turn excites the dog to chase. Once it starts to chase, the first step to predatory behaviour could be awakened.
  
  
• Allowing a young dog to be too involved with the birthing process, particularly if it is licking lambs, pushing the ewes away, eating afterbirths while ewe is still lambing. The smell of the blood and fluids can excite the dog. Some dogs end up attacking the ewe while she is trying to protect her lamb from an overzealous dog. Teach the dog to back off and not interfere.
  
  
• Remove weak, sick, and gimpy animals.
  
  
• Watch the dog if you restrain a sheep, if it gets really excited because of the struggling of the sheep, a reprimand and backing it off is what the dog needs.
  
  
• A dog that is “playing” with the sheep is honing his predatory skills. Stop that immediately.
  
  
• Excessive and aggressive resource guarding is another behaviour to pay attention to.
  
  
• Dogs generally do not grow out of bad behaviour. They do learn how to avoid being caught or how to do it when no one is around. They must be taught it is unacceptable. 

The chances of a LGD being rehabilitated from predatory behaviour towards the livestock is low. Particularly, if the dog has been allowed to repeat this behaviour multiple times. It is so important, even if you are not sure if the dog is responsible for the death of the sheep, to ensure it does not have the opportunity to repeat that behaviour. If a dog kills a lamb the first time it might have happened accidently, the second time the dog learns and the third time it is a pattern.

You can still have a chance to modifying the behaviour if it is at the accident stage, but once it learns and forms a pattern, making a reliable LGD of this dog, becomes nearly impossible. It is also always easier to modify the behaviour of a young dog than that of an older, mature dog who has learned a specific self rewarding behaviour.

Some people can make a work around. with a dog that has proven to not be totally reliable. Some will only have the dog in with non-breeding stock, or just adult livestock, or only in with larger livestock like cattle, some even have the dog work in a moat situation where the LGD is on the outside of a livestock fence. All these work arounds are okay as the dog can still be somewhat functional.  In many cases these are good solutions for the dog who may not be reliable in all situations but is still useful in specific situations.

The key take away is that not all LGD are perfect. Some show troublesome behaviour early and others can develop issues when mature. It is hard to know exactly what causes the dog to change. If a predation even happens while the LGD is in the field with the sheep, I will always first suspect the dog and take measures to control and supervise his interactions with the sheep. If you can rule out the dog, then you might want to question why the dog did nothing to stop the predation while he was in the field. Either way, it is not a good situation. If you want to have a chance of trying to rehabilitate a dog, then you must ensure it can never repeat that behaviour and it is never placed in a situation where it can be triggered into bad behaviour.

How to find your next guardian dog pup.

 

How to find your next guardian dog pup.
©Louise Liebenberg (2022)
Written for The Shepherd's Magazine

Once the decision is made to add a livestock guardian dog (LGD) to the ranch, the search begins to find a suitable pup or adult dog that can be added to your flock. In many cases people are a bit unsure how to go about finding a “good” breeder. In this article I am going to offer some suggestions on how to find a breeder or pup.
It can be a challenge to find the right dog for your operation and many people are a little stumped where to look and what to look for. Since Facebook does not allow animal sales posts and Craig’s list might not be the best place to find your future guardian dog, finding that pup or breeder can be a little daunting, particularly when new to LGD or even livestock raising.

I think the first step is to look at your operation and decide what you are really looking for, each operation is different and that means the needs are also different. If you have a large, grazed range type flock, in an area with many predators your requirements are very different than a small homestead type of operation.  Writing down a list of wants and needs is a good place to start.

The next step is doing your research, read books, read breed websites, join some LGD pages and learn as much as you can before you purchase a pup. Spending a few days doing research is a good investment of time. A LGD should not be purchased on a whim, as it is a 10 plus year commitment and the lives of your livestock and, potentially your livelihood will depend on the LGD doing a good job.

You could include contacting breed clubs to help narrow down the type of dog you are wanting. Some breed clubs focus more on pet and companion dogs and others value and uphold working dogs. Either way, it is still a good starting point for general information and potential leads on litters. It is good to learn more about the traits, character, size, coat, temperament, of each specific breed. There are well over 40 different LGD breeds, each with their own ingrained characteristics. Some breeds have milder natures while others are higher drive dogs.

Personally, I think the actual breed is a little less important than finding the right breeder. For example, you need a truck, it can be a Dodge, Ford or GMC, all similar vehicles but each is slightly different. It might be more important to find the right dealership that will provide you with quality service, terms and who will provide support and help when and if you need it. Similarly, most LGD share a lot of similar traits but finding the right breeder who can mentor and guide you might be more important than the breed itself.   Some breeders offer a lifetime guarantee for support, while others offer support to the end of their driveway.

I think the best route to finding the right breed or even breeder is to speak to the folks who already use LGD. This could be through sheep organizations, producer forums, and neighbors. Find producers who raise livestock in a similar area and manner as you do. Ask them about their dogs, where they got their dogs or even any issues or recommendations they may have. We raise livestock in a very high predator area but also in an extremely harsh cold climate. Finding dogs who have been raised and worked in similar circumstances will ensure a high probability of success.  I think we need to move away from solely searching for dogs just through the internet and we need to go back and pick up the phone and speak to other producers. Having these conversations will be both educational and will most likely lead to more contacts and references on who might have pups available and who to avoid.

Then the process starts on contacting various breeders and talking to them about their breeding program, how the pups are raised, what the parents of the pups are like and how they work, veterinary information, price, and any other things you might need to know. Some breeders make require you to sign a purchase agreement, breeding restrictions may apply, others might require proof of spay/ neuter or even things like hip dysplasia testing. It is good to know ahead of time what the expectations are on both sides.  Some buyers prefer a “no strings attached” approach and others value the input and contact with a breeder. If possible, ask to meet the breeder and the parents of the pups. Be aware that some breeders might have a waiting list and so getting a good pup might mean you have to wait for it.

Questions that could be important to ask include things like:
What type of support do you offer?
Should my life circumstances change, are you willing to take the pup back or help with rehoming?
What program would you recommend for the initial raising of the pup?
Do you offer any guarantee’s and if so, what?
What age can the pup leave the litter? (Should be at least 8 weeks and older)
How experienced or knowledgeable is the breeder?

There are also lots of reg flags when puppy shopping. 
Here are some to be aware of:

• Breeders selling crosses with non LGD breeds.
• If the breeder cannot spell their own breed name correctly then that would be a warning sign regarding how well they know their own breed.
• Pups that have colours, size, ear set or other distinguishing features that make you question the parentage of the pups.
• Selling pups too young.
• Breeders who have multiple litters all at the same time, are they a puppy mill? Are they in the business of dog breeding or breeding a litter for the livestock operation?
• Beware of fancy terms; Holistically raised (does this mean no veterinary care?), or breeders who create a “new breed”, along with a new fancy made up name?
• Breeders who own no livestock.
• Show breeders toting their ribbons and claiming that instincts do not get lost even after multiple generations of no work or selection.
• If you are needing a full time working dog, beware of folks saying pups need to be raised in the house and are not ready to work until over 2 years old.

In a nutshell, the old fashion “word of mouth” is still often the best way to find the dog you are needing and wanting. Utilise the internet to learn as much as you can and be very aware of all the conflicting information. Try and figure out if the person commenting or advertising on the internet has valid experience or not. Do some reading; books, websites of LGD breed clubs (it will soon be apparent who focuses on pets or working traits) subscribe to industry magazines as many have an advertising section and often in sheep related magazines you can find advertisements for herding and guardian dogs, speak to breeders directly, be clear on what you are wanting or needing.

Impulse buying is never a good strategy, neither is emotional buying. I think purchasing your next flock protector should be a business decision; is it a good investment, do I have time, are there other or better ways to protect my livestock, how much do I need a dog compared with how much do I want a dog, is a LGD what I want, or do I want a general farm dog? Do I have the space, number of livestock and work for an LGD? Is good fencing a better option? What is my plan if the dog does not work out? Can I manage the dog in a suitable way to avoid unwanted litters? What do I need to facilitate to ensure the pup has the highest chance of success? What is the long-term plan with the dog, how many other LGD do I need? When should I add a second one? Can I manage things such as in-pack fighting, roaming and other possible behavioural problems? Do I need to consider neighbors and the impact of having a large breed dog barking a lot will have on them?
There are multiple things to consider before acquiring the pup and being systematic in your approach in researching and speaking to people will ensure a thorough decision-making process. Not all situations warrant an LGD, and recognising this might be the most important decision you make!

Unsung Hero

 

Unsung hero
Louise Liebenberg
Written for The Shepherds Magazine

This past week all my social media feeds were about a young livestock guardian dog (LGD) that battled some coyotes to save his sheep. The story was shared far and wide and it made me realise that for many of us full time shepherds this is “normal” for our dogs, we keep these dogs with our flocks to do this exact job. Many of our dogs, although very much appreciated and loved, never will get the media attention that this dog did. We all have “unsung hero’s” in our back pastures, in this article I am going to share the story of one of mine.

I lost one of my most favorite livestock guardian dogs (LGD) last week to old age, normally I am not one to really express publicly, the sadness I feel when one of the team passes on. This time it is a little different and I would like to share some of the lessons I have learnt from this dog. His name was Vuk, which is the Serbian word for wolf. Vuk, has challenged many of my previously held ideas on what LGD should be and do. He forced me to reassess my thoughts on how LGD work, and to not limit their working ability because of how I expected them to be.
Vuk came to me as a 12-week-old puppy from his breeder in Pennsylvania. The first year with him was a struggle.  He was high energy and was rather difficult to form a relationship with as he was fiercely independent and although being friendly enough, simply had no time for anyone.  As a pup he was always on the go, I used to joke that he should have been a sled dog rather than an LGD. He could not relax and seemed “hyper” all the time. With the sheep, his energy and activity level was certainly not something the sheep were used to. The found him disruptive and I was irritated by him. I always felt the energy level of the LGD should match that of the sheep. I liked the slow and steady types. This young dog was so energetic, that I sincerely questioned if he would make the grade as an LGD.  Whenever he moved, the sheep became startled. When he was about a year old, I mentioned to his breeder, that I may consider rehoming him, he was just not "my kind" of dog.

He was everything I thought was wrong with a LGD, he was high energy and did not really want to be a “close” type of guardian dog. I questioned if he was bonded with the sheep as he never really “snuggled” with the sheep.  He was never far away, but never chose to be close to the sheep, or huddle up against the sheep during the frigid winters here in Canada. However, as he was never inappropriate toward the livestock, and he never set a foot wrong towards the sheep. He never showed any predatory behaviour towards them; never played with them, was not rough, he never pulled wool, nipped, or chased them, and it was this, that made me decide to keep working with him.   I learnt not to try and shape Vuk into being the dog I wanted, instead to learn to work with him and his unique character.

Once I had that mind shift, things changed. When he was old enough to go and work on the larger bush pastures where the predator pressure was high, he settled into his job. He would patrol hundreds of acres of bush and pasture, and his energy level became an asset. He was tireless in checking out regular predator trails and chasing off predators. He would come and check in with the sheep and be off actively patrolling again. By the time he was three years old he was had fully settled into his job, he was calm and controlled around the sheep as he had enough work to keep his mind and body busy. He was always checking in with the flock, laying in an area he could watch over them, and was highly protective of them. I have seen him battle coyotes, tree bears and be on the watch for cougars. I have even seen Vuk fearlessly chase away a large bison bull from our cows. Wolves are part of our environment, and I am sure his presence and determination helped keep wolves away from the livestock. We could see tracks in the snow where confrontations have taken place and we would find dead coyotes in the pastures, He was powerful, fast, and smart and never backed down from a confrontation.

Vuk understood his job and that was evident in all his interactions with the livestock. He was the guardian of the livestock and left the mothering of lambs to the ewes themselves. He was adamant about chasing ravens and eagles out of the pastures and would guard a dead sheep’s body from scavengers until I removed it.  He was more a warrior than the nursemaid type.  Although he was never the type of dog that would allow lambs to jump up on him, or lay down close to him, he was super reliable with lambs.  He valued his personal space and when a lamb or calf would come and lay near him, he would get up and move to another spot. In many ways he was like this with us too. He would come for some petting but would after a few minutes, trot off back to the livestock. He would watch over lambs and calves with vigilance and dedication.

He could often be found watching over a bunch of calves, while the cows went to eat or drink. He read the body language of any animal perfectly. If he got to close to a cow with a newborn calf and she gave him “the look”, he would quietly move further away and gave her space, enough so, that the cow did not feel the need to run him off. He was very in tune with the reactions of the livestock, he would back away from an ewe that might feel nervous around him yet would stand his ground around the big bulls.  He was probably the dog with the best ability to “read” the livestock I have ever worked with. The sheep and cows soon grew a bond with this dog and trusted him.

He was a true leader when it came to the other dogs, he was respectful of the older females and would work well within the team. Most of the other dogs really liked to work with him. He was an excellent mentor to other young dogs. He was fair when it came to young males, he did not go looking for a fight, but if the fight came to him, he would deal with it. He was adaptable and could be moved around with other dogs and situations where he was needed, from the calving corrals one day to large, forested sheep grazing pastures the next.

He taught me that patrolling or perimeter type dogs are as valuable at their job of protecting the sheep as close guardians. He proved to me that high energy is not a bad trait to have. Having a strong lupine build, that could move,  was more advantageous than big slow cumbersome dogs when dealing with predators. Despite not being a dog that liked to be physically close to the sheep, it did not mean he was not bonded to them.  Having the space to work, the challenges of his job and ability to utilise his energy made him into a fine working dog. His ability to read the livestock become so finely tuned, that it really took my breath away to watch him work around an ornery cow, or a young ewe.

As he grew older, I made some attempts at retiring him, fearing he might be killed by predators. He wanted nothing to do with that and would take every opportunity to escape back to the livestock. During the harsh winter months, I would put him in the heated shop and then back in the pastures when the weather was milder, this is where he was happiest. This winter his health declined, and a few weeks back he passed away.

I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to work with such a fine dog, and that I had the right environment for him to be the best he could. I grew to admire and respect this dog deeply, and as he aged, he was more accepting of me cuddling him and I think he actually started to enjoy it!  He changed my perceptions of what a good working dog could be.  Over the years we bonded to each other, and I adored this dog, and he will forever be one of the great ones in my life, perhaps the greatest.

Vuk, no sheep or calves were ever lost under your watch! Thank you.

 

 

Bonding and Trustworthiness

 

Bonding and Trustworthiness
Louise Liebenberg(2022)

Written for The Shepherds Magazine

I have written many columns for this magazine on Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD) and the regular readers may be accustomed to me writing about the importance of understanding the nuances in behaviour and the use of language to describe this behaviour.  Terms are tossed around without fully grasping the differences or similarities. We cannot fully appreciate the level of working ability our LGD display, or even manage some behavioural issues that pop up, without fully understanding the differences in the behaviour. A lot of behaviours look similar and yet, they are not. It is in this gray area where confusion and misunderstanding can grow. I like to explain these subtle variations in the hopes to provide some more clarity on the behaviour these dogs display.

This article is going to dive a little deeper into two concepts and how they differ: bonding and trustworthiness.  The most successful livestock guardian dogs are those who are bonded, trustworthy, attentive, and protective towards the livestock. This is the gold standard in working LGD. Some LGD can be effective, to a slightly lesser degree, if they are perhaps not quite as protective or attentive toward the livestock. Less effective dogs can have a deterring effect on predators, but may no be as effective as some other dogs are. The problem arises when a LGD is not trustworthy, this is a total failure, as no shepherd can tolerate a dog that is harming the stock. Trustworthiness can be described as an absence of predatory behaviour towards the livestock.

Trustworthiness and bonding look very similar in normal LGD/ sheep interactions, a dog who is trustworthy can live with the livestock and will do them no harm. A dog can be trustworthy and yet, not be bonded to the sheep.
Many people struggle to differentiate between the two. This can be seen in the numerous comments on social media pages, where people talk about what a fantastic LGD their Pitbull is, or their Labrador. What these people are seeing is a dog that is trustworthy with their livestock, mostly through training and socialization. Rarely, do these dogs live full time with the livestock as our LGD do, so it is not really a true reflection on trustworthiness under all circumstances. Very many breeds, not only the LGD breeds, can become trustworthy around the livestock, the general farm dog is usually a trustworthy dog, but that alone, does not make him an LGD.

Bonding on the other hand is the attachment the dog makes with the livestock, and this attachment is fostered through intense socialization with livestock from a young age. This attachment becomes the primary attachment for the pup. He learns that sheep are his companions and later, his charges. Bonding differs with trustworthiness in the (free) choices the dog makes. A dog who is bonded with the livestock will chose to be with the livestock, it will move with the sheep when they graze, they will want to be with the livestock rather than hang out elsewhere. I have a female LGD who is so bonded with her sheep, if she gets locked out the pasture (usually accidently) she will dig under the fence to get back in with them. When the sheep move around the pasture, she moves with them. She protects the sheep wherever the sheep are.  The bonded dog is attached to the sheep and not to the “space” (pasture, field, corral). A bonded dog can certainly be territorial, but when that territory changes, as it does with flocks grazing in open spaces, then it becomes important for the dog to want to stay close to the livestock. The LGD choses the livestock over being with people, other dogs, or the yard.

Bonding is not just the dog bonded to the sheep; the relationship is bi-directional. The sheep also need to bond to the dog. We must appreciate the level of trust the sheep need to have in the dog (predator) we place with them. To achieve this level of trust both species need to bond with each other. I can usually see on a sheep flock whether the sheep trust the dog or not. If the sheep give indications that the dog is not trustworthy it is important for the shepherd to pay attention to the dog. The sheep “know” if the dog is showing predatory behaviour.

What many of the folks who advocate to “raise them in the house” are doing, is simply training their LGD to be trustworthy around the livestock, but not allowing the dog to form a bond with the sheep. There are very many LGD who are trustworthy, but not bonded to the sheep. These dogs can still make excellent guardian dogs, even though they might not feel super attached to the sheep, the territorial instinct kicks in and the dog will protect the sheep within their area. Good fences usually facilitate this, as the dog can be contained in the area the livestock grazes.

People who have never owned a bonded dog, do not actually know, or see what the difference is between the two. They often mistake bonded with trustworthy, particularly when the dog is confined to a specific area.  We do not know, what we don’t know, and unless you have worked with dogs so loyal, devoted, and protective of their sheep one might never truly appreciate the difference.

Now, don’t get me wrong, a trustworthy dog is an amazing dog and that is what we strive for with the LGD. We need them to be trustworthy, but it is an amazing bonus if they are also truly bonded to the sheep.  

When it comes to poultry, the focus is simply for the dog to become trustworthy. LGD and chickens rarely actually “bond” to each other. When it comes to guarding styles most LGD working with poultry, guard more out of territorial protectiveness as opposed to being bonded to the animals. Most times, chickens are also fairly limited in their range that the move about in, so a trustworthy dog who is territorial will often work well in chasing small predators away.

Years ago, ranchers felt that the dog was bonded to the sheep when it only stayed close to the sheep, many ranchers felt the more perimeter style guarding meant that the dog was not bonded or even doing its job. I believe there are some breed differences here, where some breeds are staying naturally closer to the livestock than others. I also believe that difference depends on the level of boldness in the dogs, if they have a pack to support them, age, level of predator pressure and other factors will shape the style of guarding the dogs do.  Some breeds are more “looking for a fight” type, while others are content to stay closer to the sheep. A bonded dog will still patrol but will come back to the sheep and stay with them.

For many smaller homesteads who may be dealing with few smaller predators, having a trustworthy all round farm dog might be sufficient for their needs. On a larger range operation, shepherds are needing LGD who are bonded to the stock. Trustworthiness does not always mean bonded, but do not discount the value of a reliable dog!

It is heartwarming to truly see these deep relationships the dogs form with the sheep. The sheep look to the dog for guidance and direction, and the dog feels the need to protect them. This is the relationship we want to foster!

 

Introducing a new LGD puppy

 

The submissive behaviour of the pup is clear. The pup has its ears drawn back, licking behaviour around the mouth, low body posture and low tail. It is a bit harder to see but the eyes of the pup have a soft and friendly expression. The older female is calm, ignoring but her attitude is gentle towards the pup. These are all good signs.

How to introduce a new LGD puppy into an existing pack of LGD

©Louise Liebenberg (2021)
Written for The Shepherds Magazine

I have in a previous article discussed how Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD) and other farm or ranch dogs interact together, in this article I would like to focus more specifically on the introduction of a new LGD, pup, into an existing group of LGD.

Introducing a new LGD puppy between the ages of 8 to 12 weeks, usually goes without too many problems provided, the existing dogs demonstrate normal dog behaviour. Most dogs will willingly accept a new puppy into the pack. Older males will often display a certain level of uninterest after the first introductions. An older female can show a little more disciplinarian types of behaviours. If the puppy irritates her, she will most likely snap, growl, “hold” the muzzle of the pup or roll the puppy. It is often a lot of noise, but little harm is done. The pup will howl and whimper and do as if he is seriously injured. In most cases, it is just his ego that is put out. A younger male is generally the most sociable to a new pup and will often display a lot of enthusiasm and play behaviour towards the pup. Younger males make excellent companions for pups. Females can be a little bitchier than their male counter part, but usually will also engage a little more with the pup.

Some pups can be totally overwhelmed when meeting new dogs. These pups can sometimes show defensive behaviour, growling when another dog approaches them. Care must be taken with these pups that the older dogs do not react negatively towards them because of this.  It is a good idea to let the pup settle in, rest, eat and relax a bit before introducing them to the other ranch dogs.  Waiting a few days might not be a bad idea. These pups often react poorly simply because they are stressed from being separated from littermates and travelling to a new place. The change of livestock can also be a stressor, take things slowly and ensure he or she is placed in with kind ewes so that the pup does not get hurt by the livestock, most working raised pups will be happy to be with the sheep. An indirect way to start introducing the new pup is through scent. The scent of the pup will be on you, so when you feed and interact with the other dogs, they will start “knowing” the pup through its scent being on you. 

It is easier to introduce an 8-week-old pup to the existing pack than it is an 8-month-old. Older pups can be rather rambunctious, and some may react a little more aggressively towards the established dogs. Reading the behaviour of these older pups is essential during introductions. If it looks like he may react aggressively it might be a good idea to first let him meet an opposite-sex dog first. You really want to avoid any form of conflict during the introductions as that could set things off on the wrong foot. Dogs do hold grudges, and if things go wrong initially it might be awfully hard to convince either dog to get along. 

This is a fence line meeting. Both the pup and the adult male are showing relaxed behaviour and they want to hang out together, as both are in the same corner. The male shows some interest, and the pup is calm. I would have no concerns placing these two together at this point.

Observe the body language to judge how acceptive your LGD are of the puppy. If your adult is showing friendly and curious behaviour you would expect to see a relaxed posture, slow tail wagging, a higher tail set, butt sniffing and even some invitation to play, like a play bow. These signs tell you that the adult is happy to meet the pup and it will be okay to let them interact. If the adult dog is showing more hostile behaviour such as ears pulled back, rigid body, tenseness, growling, snarling, stiff legged walking, lip lifting, hackles raised you really want to be careful as anything could trigger this adult to attack the puppy. Take introductions to this adult very slowly and carefully.

 

Behaviours the young pup might display when meeting new adults are generally submissive in nature, low tail wagging, rolling over onto back, some mouth licking, crawling and low to the ground, tail between their legs and urinating. These are good signs as it shows that the pup knows how to respond correctly to strange dogs. He is being submissive and respectful, and every normal adult dog will not harm a pup that is displaying these behaviours.

The safest way to introduce the new pup is to allow them to meet on neutral ground. Dropping the pup off in the pasture the resident LGD lives in, can be a little intrusive. Try introducing them in a field where there are no sheep, toys, or a shelter that the resident dog might feel the need to guard. Some older dogs can be very territorial so meeting at a fence line can result in the older dog wanting to guard his area, similarly, a dog who is tethered can be are very protective of their space. If you do fence line introductions take both to a neutral area for the initial introductions.

Keep the pup (and the resident LGD) on a lead, set the pup down outside the fence and just observe both dog’s behaviour. If both show curiosity, and friendly then bring the pup into the field where they can engage in butt sniffing and other social meeting behaviours. Ensure someone is with you to keep control over the adult, “just in case” things do not go well, this way you can control the interaction. Be aware of your own role in these interactions as you might be the trigger to cause some tension. The resident dog might feel some jealousy towards the pup, or attention seeking behaviour could be a reason for stress. Try and remain very calm and neutral and just observe what is going on.  For the most part these meet and greets do go well.

An adolescent LGD meeting a mature dog in our LGD team. You can clearly see the submissive behaviour of the younger dog to the right, low body posture, tail low, sniffing/licking around the mouth. The older dog has her tail raised, but her body language is not aggressive. The younger dog is showing deference to the older dog.

You can expect the older dog to possibly growl at the pup or show some dominant behaviour toward the pup, however it should not be threatening. An older dog will very quickly place boundaries on a new pup which is not a bad thing. Reading the dog’s behaviour is important to know when the adult dog is being aggressive and can harm the pup, or when it is more corrective and simply warning the pup.
Most dogs work out their social ranking quickly and learn how to interact in a positive way. I have found with my own dogs that they are very tolerant of a pup; however they will reprimand a pup for being overly enthusiastic, irritating, obnoxious and not being mindful of their space and food.

I feel that most of these introductions go well provided both pup and adult dogs are well adjusted and show normal dog behaviour. Small things like taking out food, bones, and toys to reduce the potential of conflict is always a good thing to do.  I have a safe puppy kennel in the pasture so when I am not around to supervise these interactions and to ensure the safety of the young pup, I will place the pup in the kennel. Here the pup can eat, sleep, and still see what is happening in the pasture and be in contact with the other dogs.

While some dogs delight in welcoming a pup into the house, other adult dogs do not open the "welcome wagon". If the adult dog is not friendly, introductions might need to take longer, particularly on neutral ground and on a lead. Sometimes the older dog needs a few more weeks to warm up to the pup and that is okay. If the adult does not accept the pup within a few weeks, while the pup shows good behaviour, the adult dog may have some behavioural issues that could make it hard to have more dogs working with it.

I think the key to good introductions depends a lot on the owner’s capability to read dog body language, to remain calm and to not make a big deal of it. I have expectations of my own dogs to accept my working border collies, any new LGD pups I add into the pack, to accept new livestock or even a different species of livestock. My LGD are expected to behave in a normal and natural way and if they do not, I will step in a reprimand or correct unwanted behaviour.

This is a fence line meeting. Both the pup and the adult male are showing relaxed behaviour and they want to hang out together, as both are in the same corner. The male shows some interest, and the pup is calm. I would have no concerns placing these two together at this point.

What LGD breed is best for my situation?

 

A shorted coated Estrella working in Portugal. The Estrella also comes in a long-coated version.

What LGD breed is best for my situation?
©Louise Liebenberg (2021)
Written for The Shepherds Magazine


 With over forty different breeds of Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) breeds, a common question is what breed would work well for a specific situation. Often, the responses are as simple as “I love my … (breed name)”. Rarely do people explain what makes “their” breed unique or why they chose them.  Over the past four decades, several researchers have tried to establish which breed is the best. Coppinger and his colleagues compared Anatolian, Maremma, Sarplaninac and, crosses between these breeds. More recently, Daniel Kinka and Julie Young compared Kangals, Karakachan, Transmontanos and White Dogs (a generic name for a cross of white LGD often found in the USA).  The conclusion from their study was that most of the breeds are more like each other, than different (in regard to working style). This should not be a huge surprise as all LGD have the same job to do and it makes sense that these breeds would be similar in how they respond to predators.

The athletic and reliable Turkish Akbash working on a sheep ranch in Northern British Columbia, Canada.

It is also hard to compare breeds as every working situation is unique, the predators that the dog is expected to protect from, can range from raccoons and weasels to bears and wolves. Even the pressure that certain predators place on the flock varies, in some region’s wolves are thick and in other regions there may be none. How flocks are managed can affect how the work of the dogs is perceived. Owner bias makes comparing breeds difficult as each person will value different traits, temperaments, and abilities all within their own reference point. Sometimes, the lack of good statistical data can get in the way of fair comparisons, if you are studying a population of thousands of dogs, the data will generally be more accurate than if you are studying just a handful of dogs. An example of this is the Great Pyrenees (GP). The GP is often associated with roaming, however there are probably more GP and GP crosses than any other LGD in North America. Yes, these might roam more, simply because there are so many more GP around.

A white Sarplaninac working in Northern Alberta, Canada on a sheep and cattle ranch.

Gross generalizations about breeds are of course, not really the “right” thing to do, for every generalization, hundreds of exceptions will be found. In some instances, there might be more variance between individuals within a breed than between different breeds. However, most people still like to know some of these generalizations, to be able to narrow down which breed might suit their situation best. I know making such a comparison is “treading on thin ice” as some people might feel their breed is being misrepresented. My advice to people looking for LGD is to meet breeders, talk to fellow livestock owners and visit with various dogs. The breeder might ultimately, be more important than the breed itself, as it is the breeder who can help and mentor you while learning to work with LGD.

I do believe, it is primarily, the wolf, that has shaped the behavior and temperament of our LGD, and this can be reflected in the reactivity and aggression level in LGD. The first gross generalization I will make is; if you look at the map of Europe and move from west to east, the breeds tend to get harder the further East you go.  Why would this be? Perhaps it has to do with the number of years that the wolf has been extirpated in certain countries. Wolves were officially declared extinct in France in the 1930s. It is only since the 1990’s that wolves have really started drifting from Italy back into the French Pyrenean Mountains.  Before this, few Great Pyrenees dogs had seen or faced a wolf for many generations in their home country.  With no need for the GP to be aggressive toward wolves for close to 60 years, perhaps this led to selection of milder natured dogs who display high nurturing traits as opposed to high aggression traits. Italy has been a stronghold for wolves in Europe when many other countries had extirpated them. Regions where wolves have always existed, shepherds have always worked with their Maremmano-Abruzzese Sheepdogs. The “Maremma” would rate higher for protectiveness simply due to the ongoing selection for dogs to be able to work in wolf territory. Russia and central Asia has a large population of wolves (wolves were never extirpated here) and is home of the Ovcharkas. Breeds that are large, powerful, and regarded as high aggression breeds. Predator density plays a big role in the selection of aggression and ferocity in LGD.

People asking which breed would work best for them, often have a list of criteria for the future LGD, these can include no roaming, barking or must be super friendly to visitors and tolerant of dogs. It really does need to be mentioned that all LGD like to roam and expand their territory. All LGD bark, that is part of their working strategy. Incessant barking is often found in immature dogs. Friendliness to strangers can be encouraged through more intensive socialization, however some breeds are naturally more standoffish. As for tolerance towards visitors’ dogs, it is unfair to expect the LGD to be tolerant to strange dogs and yet protect again canine predators.

A pair of working Sarplaninac dogs guarding goats in the mountains of Macedonia.

I am going to make some broad comparisons, as this may help people narrow down certain criteria that people starting with LGD might find handy. I will also include the common abbreviations for the breed names as I go along. I think ideal LGD to start with, are those breeds that have been used for many years in North America. I have selected the more common breeds for this overview and breeds I have some experience with.

Good breeds for the inexperienced homes or ones looking for an easier going temperament may include Great Pyrenees (GP), Maremma, Akbash, Anatolian Shepherd Dog (ASD) and Spanish Mastiff (SM). Breeds that are sharper in nature and possibly better suited to high predator areas would include:
Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd (CAS), Sarplaninac (Sar or Shar), Karakachan, or Kommondor (Kom).  This does not rule out the easier breeds cannot work in high predator areas, I know many that function well; however their temperaments are perhaps a bit easier to get along with.

Breeds better suited for warmer climates: most LGD breeds are double coated however some have a shorter length coat. These would include Akbash, short-coated Estrela Mountain Dog (Estrela), Kangal, ASD and CAS.  Longer coated breeds include the Maremma, GP, Sarplaninac, Karakachan. Corded coat is the Komondor and will require a lot of coat maintenance.

Athleticism or breeds that need to cover larger areas. These breeds are often found in Europe and Asia on the more steppe type landscapes include the Akbash, Kangal, ASD some Maremma and CAS. The mountain types are often heavier coated breeds and more stout body types. These would include the Great Pyrenees, Sarplaninac, some Maremma and Karakachan.
Depending on lines the Spanish Mastiff can vary from big and heavy, to sleek working types. Some breeds have such variance a lot will depend on what each breeder selects for. Some are described as “show type” vs working type.

Coppinger in his studies talked about trustworthiness and compared some breeds for this trait. I think some breeds may require more supervision and guidance as young dogs.  Breeds that may be easier to start and that have a high trustworthiness can include the GP, Maremma, ASD and Akbash. Breeds that may require more supervision may include the Sarplaninac, the Kangal, CAS and some Maremma, as they are late maturing and this may lead to some more extended play periods,

Certain breeds are more driven to run down and chase predators while others are content to bark and warn predators away. The more driven breeds would include the Kangal, CAS, Sarplaninac, while the ones possibly more content to stay around closer to the flock would include the GP, Maremma, Karakachan, the Estrella, SM and Akbash.

Size, many people feel that to be an effective guardian dog working with apex predators, they must be large. Size is not so much an issue, I believe character, determination and a certain degree of aggressiveness is what makes the difference. Some breeds are just more willing to fight and are naturally more aggressive than others. Large sized breeds are SM, Caucasian Ovcharka and CAS.
Medium sized breeds include Maremma, Estrella, Karakachan, Sarplaninac and Great Pyrenees. Tall breeds include Kangal, ASD and Akbash.

Some people only want white LGD, this will limit the breeds to chose from to Kuvasz, Polish Tatra Kommondor, GP and Maremma. Many LGD are coloured.

Availability is often an issue. The CO is regarded as a high aggression breed, but it is virtually impossible to find good, working CO. Most are bred for show or as guard dogs for pet homes and very few are bred in North America as LGD. Similarly, with the Sarplaninac. Most Sarplaninac imported to the USA are from show breeders and for many generations have not been used as LGD. The Sarplaninac and many of the other breeds, have also been used for dog fighting in their home country, breeding selection has been based on dog fighting. Many of these dogs fail as working LGDs, simply because they do not posses the traits of nurturing, calmness, and attentiveness towards the livestock.

Each breed brings a unique balance of “skills” to the proverbial table, and to the discerning buyer, the right breed for their situation is “out there”. Some ranchers like to use a combination of breeds, the feel this maximizes effectiveness whereas I feel each breed has the capabilities to fulfill  all the roles required to protect the flock.

Why are some breeds simply not LGD

 

Why are some breeds simply not LGD?
©Louise Liebenberg (2021)
Written for The Shepherds Magazine

It must be in the air lately, but the last few weeks I have spent a disproportionate amount of time explaining to people that their Cane Corso, Elkhound, Wolfhound and Boerbull are not livestock guardian dogs (LGD). So, perhaps an article about this topic is due and then instead of having the same discussion over and over I can share this article with my view on what is and makes a Livestock Guardian dog and why other breeds are not LGD.

I will start with some common statements about LGD.
LGD are breeds that are used to protect livestock from predators. They live with the herd or flock full time and are regarded as “part” of the flock of animals. They work instinctually and are not “trained” to guard or attack predators.  They are bonded to the livestock and through this bond feel a strong attachment to these animals, they feel compelled to protect them. LGD do not “herd” sheep but sheep do follow the LGD and look to the guardian dog for safety.  Active herding like a border collie does, is not what LGD do. All LGD share a similar methodology in how they work, and most share similar phenotypical characteristics that make them suitable for the job. These physical characteristics include size (most are large breed), lupine build, all except one, have a double coat (even the shorter haired breeds), all have ears hanging down, correct jaw and bite (no Brachycephalic head structure), all are loose and thick skinned. LGD can be found across Europe and Asia in any area where sheep are raised, sheep are mostly raised on marginal lands, high mountains, semi dessert and rough land. Most European and Asian countries have their “own” breed of LGD. They are the oldest type of “sheepdog”, earliest accounts go back 2000 years, LGD pre-date herding dogs and are as such the “original sheepdog”. There are basically three types of sheepdog/shepherd dogs, the guardian, the herding, and the droving dog.

Simply co-existing with the livestock does not make a dog an LGD, it needs to have the innate traits of attentiveness, protectiveness and trustworthiness combined with the physical attributes to ensure it can do it job optimally.

In my opinion, certain breeds belong to the group of livestock guardian dogs, but not every dog of that breed is a livestock guardian dog. The dog is only an LGD, if he or she is out doing his job. If someone has a pet Great Pyrenees in the suburbs, the dog is from the group of LGD but is not actually performing the task of being an LGD. I would call that dog a GP, but not an LGD. The LGD is a job description for a specific group of breeds. Within the groups of most kennel clubs the Livestock Guardian Dog does not have its own group name and can be found spread out among multiple groups, ranging from the Herding and cattle dogs to the Mastiff types to Mountain types.

When reading through breed standards of other breeds from the various kennel clubs; America Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), and Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) much confusion is created with the use of certain words and language. A lot is lost in translation and in some instances, whoever wrote the breed standard obviously was not well versed in specific jobs for dogs or humans. Traditionally, sheepdog refers to a guardian dog and not a herding dog, however it has become synonymous now with a “dog used by a shepherd”. The word sheepdog can now mean a breed that either herds, droves, or guards the sheep.

With the Sarplaninac, the breed English version of the breed standard specifically notes that they are used in cattle operations, however, the original meaning was lost in translation. The original word was “livestock” and when translated into English became “cattle”. That Sarplaninac are used primarily to guard sheep and goats in their home country and not cattle, illustrates this translation flaw. Reading a breed standard does require some critical thinking and understand the origin and exactly the type of job done by the dog. Not all breed standards reflect the actual role the dogs played and for the writers of the standards, many lack the specifics, using broad language to describe a general role the dog might have had. Even now, some dogs may have had a job as shepherd, but many have either lost their job or the work has changed over time. Where the German Shepherd Dog was a herding breed it is now primarily used as police dog and family guard dog. The selection criteria for this breed has changed over time and one may be hard pressed to find an original sheep herding GSD now days.

There is a big difference between what a guard dog does and a guardian dog. Some people prefer to use the name livestock Protection Dogs as opposed to livestock guardian dog, to differentiate these roles. I prefer the word guardian simply because it also implies a nurturing/protecting behaviour. People who have never worked with LGD or are new to LGD often do not understand why their Labrador or Pitbull are not LGD, particularly when that dog is reliable around the livestock. It may bark or even chase a coyote on occasion, however, that still does not make it an LGD. Every farm dog should learn to not kill the other animals on the farm, that is called socialization and training.  It is the same as your house pet not killing your house cat. They must learn to co-exist with one another. Being a LGD is more than just being accepting/tolerant of the livestock.  Being trustworthy around the livestock is an important part of being a LGD, but it is not the only trait that makes it an LGD. Often those people who feel their Lab or Aussie makes a good LGD do not have their dog living full time in the pasture with the livestock and that is the first big differentiation between LGD and general farm dogs.

I have heard a few people suggesting that Norwegian Elkhound make good LGD. This makes may head spin a little. The general breed description is as follows: “Shipmate of the Vikings, guardian of remote farms, herder of flocks and defender from wolves and bear, a sometime hauler and a hunter always, and a companion to restless wandering men.”  However, reading further, its true nature or job is described: “they are classified as hounds by virtue of their job description: trailing and holding warm-blooded quarry.” (https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/norwegian-elkhound/) 
 That the initial description describes it as a companion, found living on farms, this describes a general all-round farm dog as opposed to an LGD, its main task was to help the hunter find his game. Some of the people suggesting elkhounds as LGD, allude to this general description citing that historically Elkhounds did work as LGD. Elkhound may have warned its owners of wolves or bears in the area, its job can be better described as being a property sentry as opposed to an LGD. It was never expected that an elkhound does battle with predators, nor would it live full time with the livestock. This is reflected in the size, weight and general conformation of the breed, nothing physically about this northern Spitz dog, suggest that it could fall under the same working category as all the other LGD breeds.
Similarly, an Irish Wolfhound might once have been used to chase down wolves however they too were never required to live full time with the livestock, bond with the sheep and protect them. Too often once sees cross Irish wolfhounds promoted as LGD, what is forgotten is that hounds were traditionally used to run down and hunt big game, something that you certainly do not want in with your sheep. I think the biggest clue that these breeds are never LGD is if in their breed name, words such as hound, retriever or terrier are mentioned.

Now onto the bully breeds, the Boerboel is the ultimate South African farm dog. I was born and raised in South Africa and just about every farm had a Boerbull. Boer is the Afrikaans name for farmer. In its breed description it is described as the farmers companion, the protector of the farm and livestock. This breed description, similarly, to the Cane Corso and so many mastiff types where more generalized farm dogs. Sure, they would protect “hearth and home” but were not specialized LGD, with that one singular task. They are the “watch dog” of the farm or ranch, somewhat intimidating to see, will bark at strangers, or even predators in the vicinity but they were never used solely to guard a bunch of sheep. As with the Elkhound, their conformation, coat type and other physical features does not lend itself to living year-round in the mountains and other harsh climates with the livestock.

Part of being a full time LGD requires the dog to live full time under all weather conditions with the livestock it needs to protect. If the dog does not live with the livestock it becomes hard to protect them.

 In my opinion the true working LGD lives full time, year-round with the animals it needs to protect. It must have the desire and ability to protect the animals from predators. It must be willing and capable to do battle with predators should the need arise. A LGD conforms to a specific type of build, not too large to lack maneuverability and not too small to be vulnerable during a predator attack. The dog needs to have the coat type to be able to withstand all weather conditions. The floppy ears and soft expression are said to have a less predatory look, and this helps in keeping the sheep calm. I am not sure if this is true, but it is noteworthy that every LGD breed shares this trait and yet spitz breeds and many high drive herding breeds have erect ears. All wild canids have erect ears!

LGD must have the ability to bond to the livestock, the LGD will guard the sheep no matter where they are and not just be a territorial guard dog. The LGD will have been bred and certain traits selected for to perform its job. It needs to be attentive to the livestock, trustworthy and protective. The LGD must have the courage to face up to large predators and the gentleness to be around newborn livestock. The LGD must be an independent thinker as it is not the shepherd who commands the dog to protect the livestock, it is instinctual to want to protect the prey animals it lives with.

I do think that many people looking into using LGD on their homestead, may in fact not be looking specifically for a LGD but are instead looking for an all-round farm dog that covers the diverse role that traditional farm dogs did. The Old Yeller, Rin Tin Tin or Lassie types of dogs. The ones who live alongside all the farm animals, that plays with the kids, guards the yard and family, and a companion to the farmer. Due to its presence on the homestead, these dogs do have a deterring effect on predators. Ultimately, I think many small homesteads may be better served having an all-round farm dog than a specialist such as the livestock guardian dog.

The LGD needs to form a bond with the livestock so that it feels compelled to want to protect them no matter where the livestock graze.