Livestock Guardians - Dogs

You might of read one of my recent posts about livestock guardians.  In that post I promised a follow up on Livestock Guardian Dogs, or LGDs, since there are so many different breeds.  Here, I'll cover the most common.

1.  The Great Pyrenees

My personal favorite of the LGDs, and the one most commonly found here in the southern United States.  The Pyrenees is a large, beautiful dog, fiercely loyal and a fantastic guard.  Here are their stats:

• Life Span:  10 to 12 years
• Size:  XL, male are typically 28-32 inches tall and weigh in at 110-120lbs.  Females are smaller (though not always), and are typically 26-29 inches tall and weigh in between 80 and 90lbs.
• Colors:  According to breed standards, these dogs are white, grey, tan or red, with white or white and badger markings the most common in the U.S.

The Pyrenees is fantastic especially if you are in a cool climate as they have very thick fur.  While they shed out fairly well, they may still require having their coat cut if you live in a warm climate.  

Pyrs are known for being thick headed and stubborn, and may be a challenge to train.  A lesson firmly ingrained becomes a lesson for life, and they are very intelligent.  

2.  Anatolian Shepherd

The Anatolian is a beautiful dog, and we see these a lot mixed with the Pyrenees in my area.  They are similar in size to the Pyrenees, but lack the really thick coat.  An Anatolian owner told me that in terms of personality, they exhibit the same loyalty and independent spirit that a Pyr has, only with a bolder, more aggressive guarding style (they are more apt to attack and intruder, as opposed to the Pyr who prefers to bark and chase).

• Life Span:  13 to 15 years
• Size:  XL,  males are the same 28-32 inches tall as the Pyrenees, but can outweigh them, at 110-140lbs.  Females are nearly the exact same size as males of the breed, and are found at 27-31 inches tall with a weight of 90-120lbs.
• Colors:  White, biscuit, liver, red fawn, blue fawn, and brindle.

Like the Pyrenees, the Anatolian is an independent thinker and can be stubborn.  

3.  The Maremma

The Maremma is a breed of sheepdog that originates in Italy, and is a bit smaller than either the Anatolian or the Pyrenees.  They are calm and intelligent, and take to training a bit easier than some of the other LGDs.  They are fiercely loyal to their flock or herd, but do best in pairs.

• Life Span: 12 to 15 years
• Size:  L, males are 26-29 inches tall and weight 75-100lbs.  Females should measure at 24-27 inches tall with a weight of 65-90lbs.  There are some strains of this breed that are considerably larger, and can weigh as much as 150lbs.
• Colors:  White

Like the Pyrenees, the Maremma has a thick coat and is best adapted for cooler climates.

4.  Akbash

Honestly, this is a dog that I have never seen in person, and the only ones I could find were expensive, registered animals in other states, so this may or may not be a good option for the smaller livestock owner.  They are however, beautiful dogs, and would be well suited to warmer climates as they shed down very similarly to the Anatolian.

• Life Span:  10 to 11 years
• Size:  XL, both males and females are 28-32 inches tall with a weight of  90-130lbs.
• Colors:  White

Other Options

There are several other breeds of LGD that may be good choices for you depending on local availability and what you are asking them to guard.  Most common in the U.S. are the Komondor, Kuvasz and the Tibetan Mastiff.  

The one thing to remember with any LGD is that they require a strong fence and will roam if given have a chance.  As a mentor once told me:

Think of an LGD as a greedy king - yes, home is his castle, but any lands he sees he instantly covets and desires to make his own.

An LGD is an important and long term investment, but one that I fully recommend to anyone with small livestock or poultry.  A year into owning ours, and we have not lost a single bird or animal to predation.

And that, makes every homestead happy!