Guardian Dogs

The Great Pyrenees is descended from the Hungarian kuvasz and the Maremmano-Abruzzese. It is considered the aristocratic relative of the St. Bernard and the Newfoundland. The Anatolian Shepherd Dog originates from Turkey and is quite probably more than 6,000 years old. King of the Hungarian guarding dogs, the Komondor is a heavy-coated white dog descended from a Russian dog of the steppes called Aftscharka. It has a white, corded coat that gives him a unique appearance. Akbash comes from the Turkish word for “white head.” The Akbash Dog is found today in rural Turkey, and, as far as can be determined, has been serving as a livestock protection dog in Turkey for millennia. The Maremma is directly descended from the first flock guarders that migrated from the Middle East, probably across the Adriatic from Greece. The Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient breed, descended from very early large Tibetan dogs, from which most, if not all, of today's Mastiff-type dogs descend.

Rearing guardian dogs with sheep creates an attachment or bond between the dog and the sheep. As the dog matures, it spends much of its time near the sheep and repels other animals that enter its personal space. This aggressiveness is limited by a decreased tendency to chase, a product of generations of selection for dogs that do not chase sheep. Even if the dog chases an intruding coyote away, it soon stops the chase and returns to the flock.

Guardian Dogs on duty in Pennsylvania

Most guard dogs are large and imposing, weighing 75 to over 100 lbs. They are large enough to startle or intimidate predators. Guardian dogs should be taught basic commands, such as come, sit, and stay and should learn to walk on a leash, but should not be allowed the privileges of a pet. Their job is to bond with the sheep, not the shepherd.


Young Maremma Guardian Dogs Eager to Do their Job

There is a theory that shepherds tried to match the color of their dogs to the color of the wool of their sheep. This would allow them to blend in, offering less of a scare or threat to the sheep, and making identification of dogs more difficult for predators.


A good guardian dog will never harm his charges.

Growing pups will exhibit guardian instincts as early as four to five months of age, but they will not become reliable protectors until they mature sometime after a year of age. Guardian dog pups are often raised with lambs to encourage bonding.


10-week old Great Pyrenees Pup: "McComb"