Livestock Guardian Dogs

I am told that Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) are different from most other dog breeds. I can't say I know firsthand because they are the only kind of dogs I have had, but they are certainly different from the stereotyped dogs I've seen and heard about. Here are a few differences and facts about them:

• They were bred for hundreds of years to watch sheep in the field with little or no human commands or interaction.
• There were bred and expected to be able to make good decisions without being told what to do. 
• They are very independent. 
• They do not need human attention the way pet dogs have been bred to be, although most of them do enjoy it.
• They can be difficult to obedience train because of their independent thinking abilities.
• They need time to "think about" a cue or command before behaving (so at least at first, give them a few seconds to "sit" before  you give up on them).
• They do not fetch. 
• They are nocturnal because most predators are nocturnal. (Keep that in mind if you want one as a pet and you have neighbors.) 
• They bark a lot. (Also keep that in mind if you want one as a pet). 
• About half of them develop at least mild food aggression. This is not usually considered a problem because it keeps the livestock from eating their food so it has never been bred out of them. But resource guarding can cause issues between dogs and livestock so keep that in mind when planning for an LGD. 
• They were bred to wander with flocks of sheep and patrol a large radius so many of them are known to wander and good fencing is a must. 
• They love to dig. 
• They are usually very gentle with babies and young children. 
• They get very large. Large breed dogs tend to mature more slowly so cannot be fully trusted with livestock until after age two. Many never chase stock, but some puppies will try to play with stock and if this happens they must be separated so they can "see but not touch" the livestock until they mature or training has proven them to be fully trustworthy. (Chickens are hardest. Please don't leave a teenage dog alone with chickens!)
• They have a double coat so most are fine and actually really like cold weather. Their coats also provide insulation and protection from the sun in the heat as long as they are taken care of properly (not shaved!). 
• There are many different LGD breeds and most are white, but not all.
• They would give their life for their herd--and their herd might be you!

Daizy hunting mice.