Livestock guardian dogs, step by step
Interactive lesson: the dog that sleeps among the sheep — choosing the breed and number of dogs, the fold, fence and feeding station, wolves and coyotes, passers-by and the health of a working dog.
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The whole lesson as text
1. The guardian's job
A livestock guardian doesn't drive the sheep; it lives with them.
- With the flock, not ahead of it — The dog doesn't hunt the wolf or chase it for miles. Its job is to keep the predator from getting near the flock, by barking, scent and presence.
- Three qualities — Attentive: always with the flock. Trustworthy: doesn't harm the stock. Protective: stands up to a predator. The first two are raised; the third is largely inherited.
- Pup into the flock — The pup goes into the flock at 8–10 weeks. A dog from the house or a chain doesn't become a guardian; a pup that grows up beside a calm old bitch learns faster.
- Guardian breeds — Great Pyrenees, Maremma and Anatolian Shepherd; the Akbash, Kangal and the Balkan Šarplaninac and Tornjak do the same job. For a beginner the Great Pyrenees or Maremma is easier; working parents matter more than a show pedigree.
Why: It sleeps by the fold, patrols the pasture and stands between the flock and a predator. A wolf or coyote that reaches such a flock usually turns away, because big dogs meet it, barking and not giving ground.
- A guardian doesn't gather the flock or obey commands like a police dog. If you want an obedient dog for the yard and family, it's the wrong choice.
- German Shepherds, gundogs and hounds, Border Collies and Kelpies are not guardians: left among sheep unsupervised, they often chase.
2. How many dogs
The number of dogs depends on the predators, the flock, the terrain and how close you are.
- Small flock by the house — 5–30 head by the house, where loose dogs and foxes are the threat: 1 dog is enough, with fencing and night housing.
- Two against wolves — Where there are wolves or coyote packs, at least two dogs by the night fold. One goes out to meet the predator, the other stays with the sheep.
- A gap of 3–5 years — A dog and a bitch usually get on best. The young dog learns from the older one, and by the time the older one is old, the young one is already a worker.
- One at a time — Two pups at once tend to play with each other rather than guard the flock. Better one, then another a year or two later.
Why: Wolves and coyotes attack in pairs or packs. One dog can't defend the flock and drive off two predators at once, and it is often killed.
- Two males of the same age often fight in adolescence.
- If you don't plan a litter, talk to your vet about neutering: the dog still works the same.
3. Fold, fence and feeding station · Locked
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4. Wolves, coyotes and other predators · Locked
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5. The dog and people · Locked
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6. Food and health · Locked
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