Flock Guardians Discussions

Great photo! Not sure I would like it as my home from home though

It is not really surprising that the dogs ignore the shepherd if it not someone they have much to do with or, in fact, even know very well. I wonder if the description regarding the relationship between dog and shepherd is harking back to a time when the shepherd brought the LGD up from a pup and lived with his flock etc.

There is a Hovawart in our puppy class. He looks like a tall Golden Retriever cross and is quite aloof with the other pups and their owners. His owners seem quite naive...he's going to be a steep learning curve I suspect.

You are most likely correct, especially about the responsible owners who understand the breed's needs being able to handle and own them without issue. It is the inexperienced, unprepared (or worse) owners that are the worry with this type of dog.

I didn't mean that no LGD should live in an urban environment, just from the breed description of their working lives, that they sound ideally suited to life in the mountains.

I know, was just an aside comment really.
Of course there's definitely potential for trouble if you combine large dog with unsuitable /irresponsible human.
Ever since I brought Cato home I've been aware of the need for adequate socialization, which I'm doing my upmost to provide. Btw I don't expect him to like or even care about most people, I expect him to tolerate them when out and about, that's all I ask. As for other dogs and animals, currently he seems generally disinterested in other non-canines, this could change of course. As for dogs, he's interested but not yet overly so, in other words, he can be quite easily persuaded to ignore them, on lead at least.

Therefore understanding your dog, your breed of dog and the inherent instincts that are within

Too many people buy a dog for its look, yet really want the temperament of a friendly Labrador. Those that research their breeds know what they could (possibly) be in for, in terms of inherent instinct.

It will be very interesting to see how Cato matures. I have found with my GSDs that often their protective/guarding side lies dormant until they mature.

Instinct takes over more than other breeds ...

I am sure reading some European show reports that some (Russian I think) Flock Guardian breed would not let the judges get near them

How many flocks need guarding and from what? Glad we have them,be so useful to cross with a bull breed and then we will have a truly useful dog in the inner cities! Just what we need an aloof dog with a mind of its own with a mindless owner!
I am sure they are lovely etc but we surely have enough problems without importing more.

In Abruzzo (Italy) they have wolves and some bears and so the dogs are used for them.

Having said that, the wolves are really bold in Italy because they are protected and so are not very scared of people and a guy in the next village to me lost a lot of sheep when a pack of 13 wolves came, his 2 maremmas saw the pack and did a runner. They might be brave but they aren't that stupid.

Well and truly outnumbered

As a real fan of flock guardians I can wholeheartedly say that some LGDs absolutely should not be being bred here in the UK. There are too many people and not enough space. Estrelas, TMs, Komondorok, Maremma etc. are well established here and breeders have been ensuring that the dogs have good temperaments. Ovcharkas are a totally different kettle of fish. They are 100 times sharper than many LGDs. There are no responsible breeders of these types of LGD in the UK to my knowledge - just byb selling 'the best guard dog' for £2000 +. That's very worrying to me. You have to wonder about the motivation of people importing and breeding these dogs then selling online to the highest bidder.

Do you see any at shows ??
CO'S or CAO'S that is ....

No, not UK shows. They aren't recognised here.

Thought there might be FG type shows , are they Fci recognised ?

i think in the right homes as many are on here, I think they do fantastically. And there are some I really really like.The motives, however, for why a lot of people want to own them, the free add type adverts im going on here, is a bit eyebrow raising though I think. There's a few I quite like, but I don't think my life would ever accomodate as such.
As many have said, some are still very primal. And some have really retained strong instincts. I love pyraneans, (I know I've spelt that wrong!) due to a photo that used to hang in our old house of a pair my mum owned many many years ago. She loved them dearly and many of their quriky stories are infamous amidst our family but there are also weighed against the horror story of when the bitch, about four and speyed, took umbridge with a visitor of whom she had known all of her life...but something about this person coming through the gates to our old house didn't sit well with her on this day apparently, and in my mothers words she very nearly killed the visitor she seemed to have an issue with. And all five foot two of my mother really was quite powerless.
I think they are all fantastic breeds, but need a LOT of understanding. More than many members of the average public could have really.

As a side note I always remember seeing an american program about ovcharkas, I think, that really scared the undies off me. The breeder "temp tested" the tolerance of tiny pups, and sold them as natural guards etc etc. There was a guy who literally got dragged by his.
I think some really aren't suitable for the environment of this country as others have said.

Have just lost our Anatolian Shepherd to cancer (4 yrs old) just under two weeks ago...she was born in England,and was the best dog we have ever had...She was a rescue from Battersea.

A gently beautiful giant,frightened to death at first she was,and would not come near us for a couple of weeks.
In the end she had learnt to trust us and loved us as we loved her.

You must be heartbroken and feel utterly cheated to have lost her so young, it's just not fair sometimes.

Absolute disaster waiting to happen, for reasons Loki says I believe.

And such beautiful dogs!

yep they are FCI recognised. I know FCI countries do speciality shows for flock guardians but not here sadly. I would be great though to have a show for all the KC recognised LGDs over here.....hmmmmm......((starts plotting))))