Other Livestock Guardians
Livestock or flock guardians are usually large, muscular and swift--capable of
tremendous bursts of energy. Often working in desolate areas under
minimal human direction, good flock guardians have the ability to quickly
assess situations and make intelligent decisions on their own. This
independence can be disconcerting to an owner who expects the
flock guardian to be submissive and act only upon command. In order to
develop a good working relationship with a flock guardian dog, an owner
must understand this instinctive behavior.
Although domesticated for centuries in their native habitats, these dogs
are not very far removed from their feral ancestry. They protect those
within their flock and within their territory. Their flock may be human
and/or animal, and their territory may be as far as they can control.
In some countries, livestock guardians breeds nearly were decimated by
invaders who found they had to kill the flock guardian dogs before they
could control a country.
While livestock guardian breeds have some characteristics in common, these
dogs differ from breed to breed, within breeds, and even among
littermates. There are approximately 26 different breeds of
flock guardian dogs:
-
Aidi
-
Akbash
-
Anatolian Shepherd
-
Armant
-
Ca de Bestiar (AKA Perro de Pastor Mallorquin)
-
Caucasian Ovcharka
-
Estrela Mountain Dog
-
Great Pyrenees
-
Greek Sheepdog
-
Himalayan Sheepdog
-
Kangal Dog
-
Krasky Ovcar (AKA Karst Sheepdog & Istrian Sheepdog)
-
Komondor
-
Kuvasz
-
Maremma Sheepdog
-
Polish Tatra (AKA Polish Mountain Dog, Owczarek Tatrzanski, & Tatra
Mountain Dog)
-
Portuguese Cattle Dog
-
Portuguese Watch Dog
-
Pyrean Mastiff
-
Rumanian Sheepdog (AKA Carpathian Sheepdog)
-
Sarplanina (AKA Illyrian Sheepdog)
-
Slovak Cuvac
-
South Russian Sheepdog (AKA South Russian Ovtcharka)
-
Spanish Mastiff
-
Tibetan Kyi Apso
- Tibetan Mastiff
A great deal of research and evaluation should precede the decision to
obtain a flock guardian dog. It is just as important to make an honest
assessment of personal compatibility and the suitability of home
environment for these working dogs as it is to research the individual
breeds, breeders, genetic problems, temperament in lines and individual
puppies.
Maremma Sheepdog at work
