About Livestock Guardian Dogs

Reader Contribution by Kirsten Lie-Nielsen and Days Ferry Organics
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Livestock Guardian Dogs, or LGDs, have been used by shepherds and farmers for centuries. Bred and trained to instinctively protect their herd from predators, LGDs are an alternative to attempting to hunt or scare off threats to your farmyard.

Dogs have been used for protection since their first domestication. In fact, along with their hunting abilities, protection is probably one of the primary reasons canines became part of human households. Over thousands of years, breeds have developed that specialize in protecting flocks and herds.

The most well known LGD is probably the Great Pyrenees, a large white dog from the mountainous regions of France and Spain. Other popular breeds include the Maremma Sheepdog, the Kuvasz, Akbash, and the corded Komondor. Farmers seek out LGDs as an alternative to fencing, which is not always affective, and arming themselves, which would require constant vigilance.

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