Livestock Guardian Dogs
What is a Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGD) and how are they different from other types of dog?
Akbash Dogs are found throughout the world. They live in suburbia, as members of families, and on farms and ranches, as protectors of sheep, goats, emus, alpacas, and poultry. Akbash Dogs are almost always selected for their protective instincts. They don't retrieve frisbees, excel in obedience training, or sit quietly in your lap, nor are they ideal show dogs due to their independent nature and tendency for aggression towards strange dogs. Thus, the main reason for having an Akbash Dog is and should be protection. The fact is, along with protection comes a gorgeous dog who can be very affectionate and a devoted companion.
It is difficult to adequately convey the character of a breed in a few written pages. Based solely on this kind of information, you might select a breed in one week, and regret that choice for many years. Therefore, most of this section will be devoted to selection of a breeder, so that you can learn in detail what this breed is about, from the most knowledgeable people.
Akbash Dogs are not for everyone. Their attributes include a strong protective instinct, loyalty to owner, intelligence, good health, and striking beauty. In the right settings, they will protect livestock or children, farm or home. On the other hand, they shed copious amounts of hair, wander if given a chance, and compete with back hoes as excavators. The most serious draw-back (which is also their strength) is behavioral. Akbash Dogs have been selected for millennia to act independently. They protect their property and charges without commands from people. Therefore, if they don't respect the people they live with, or if they have reason to believe the children in their family (translate family = pack) might be in danger, Akbash Dogs may bite people or animals. Any dog that weighs over 100 pounds at maturity is likely to present behavioral problems to those who don't know how to raise and train a dog, maintaining firm discipline. This is true of all breeds, just amplified in protection breeds. The bottom line is, you've got to know what you are doing when you select a livestock protection breed for your home.
For starters, do you have a large, extremely well-fenced yard for a big dog to exercise in? Remember, these are large dogs who can jump, climb, burrow or dig their way out of many types of enclosures if they are so motivated. Do you know how to recognize early dominance displays, prior to outright aggression? If not, then you either need some thorough doggie education, or should consider another breed of dog. As a companion dog owner, you must be prepared to provide a LOT of early and continuous socialization for your pup as he matures into an adult, take him to puppy classes, and later perhaps to obedience classes. Socialization means exposing the pup to all kinds of other animals, places, people and things, like car rides, walking on-leash in traffic areas and entering buildings such as veterinary clinics. As a large breed, Akbash Dogs must be constantly supervised around children, until they are fully mature and reliable which can be up to 2 to 3 years of age. They are not automatic babysitters inside or outside the house, even though they generally like children, especially the children in their own family. Exposure to other dogs is critical, since the breed is naturally suspicious of and often aggressive towards strange dogs. This can be a serious problem in an urban environment where there are other pet dogs in close proximity, or when taking the Akbash Dog for a walk. Normally, they are not safe in dog parks, where they may take a dislike to another dog, or where a challenge from another dog may result in a fight.
If you, the adult choosing a breed, lacks the experience of raising and training a more malleable, less protective breed of dog, perhaps you should look elsewhere for a suitable companion dog. There are many fine choices available, some of them being discussed in our references at the end. Otherwise, continue reading, to learn about ways to evaluate breeders.
For More Information:
Livestock Protection Dogs - Selection, Care and Training, by Orysia Dawydiak and David Sims. Alpine Publications, 2004. Included are chapters on selecting a breeder and a puppy, and puppy aptitude testing.
Livestock Guardians - Using Dogs, Donkeys and Llamas to Protect Your Herd, by Janet Vorwald Dohner. Storey Publishing, 2007. A comprehensive guide.
Your Purebred Puppy, Second Edition: A Buyer's Guide, Completely Revised and Updated, by Michele Welton. Holt Paperbacks. 2000. AKC- recognized LPDs are included in this book, along with 175 other breeds. An honest appraisal of all the breeds, their strengths and weaknesses.
People, Pooches & Problems - Understanding, Controlling and Correcting Problem Behavior in Your Dog, by Job Michael Evans. Howell Book House, NY. 1991. Recommended for owners of companion dogs.