There are several breeds of dogs that are classified as Livestock Guardian Dogs. The Great Pyrenees is the most popular breed in North America. Some others are the Anatolian Shepherd, Maremma, Kangal, Akbash, Central Asian Shepherd, and Komondor. There are more in addition to these but I think these are the common ones.
Livestock guardian dogs are giant breeds and will weigh around 100 lbs. It’s common for females to weigh less, between 80-85 lbs and some males can be close to 200 lbs.
What are some of the other characteristics?
Nocturnal
Since most predators hunt at night. This is when a livestock guardian dog will be the most active. They may sleep most of the day depending on how much work they did the night before.
Barking
Most LGDs bark a lot. This is one of the ways they deter predators. Out of all the breeds, the Great Pyrenees are probably the most vocal. If you have close neighbors, educating them may help.
Once your LGD matures, they will figure out what is a threat and what isn’t and the barking should be less than when they were a puppy.
Sugar is still figuring things out. When she is using her “something is out there” bark, I send my husband out with her to investigate. This helps her learn and gives more confidence.
Lil Girl goes with her but there are times I know she’s thinking “really….again!”
Independent
Livestock Guardians are used to spending hours alone watching and guarding their herds. They don’t need to be told what to do. Early socialization can be helpful.
If Sugar doesn’t want to do something, she won’t. We are still working on training and commands.
If you are looking for a livestock guardian dog, make sure they are 100% LGD. If they are mixed, they should be mixed with another LGD breed and not something like a Great Dane, Aussie, or Heeler. I’ve seen many breeders try to pass off these dogs as LGDs. Now, they may do well, but there’s a good chance the other half of their instincts will kick in.