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Raising Great Pyrenees and Other LGD Breeds as Family Pets: Too Much Dog for Your Household or Just Right?

Bri Wyzard

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Have you fallen in love with the adorable nature, appearance, and antics of a livestock guardian dog (LGD) breed?  Which one has grabbed your heart – the affectionate Great Pyrenees, the spirited Antolian Shepherd, the friendly Maremma?  Or maybe the sweet Spanish Mastiff, the loyal Kangal, or the highly intelligent Komondor?  I’m with you.  I wish I could raise them all! 

These dogs, however, have been bred for centuries or longer to be working dogs, guarding livestock in the wild countryside of the Old World.  So how do they do in households and fenced yards?

Do livestock guardian dog breeds, like Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherds, make good pets?  Yes, livestock guardian dog breeds make great pets for the right families.  These dogs love human companionship, and many are particularly good with children.  LGD breed dogs need extensive training, plenty of exercise, and lots of mental stimulation.  Keep in mind these dogs tend to shed a lot, and many breeds drool markedly.

If you are considering raising a Great Pyrenees or other LGD breed dog as a pet, or if you have a new puppy or adopted dog, this article provides information on what to expect from your dog, how to raise and care for your dog, and how to ensure you and your dog have a long and happy relationship!

What Breeds Qualify as Livestock Guardian Dog Breeds?

Livestock guardian dogs are specific breeds of dogs that were developed to guard livestock from predators, such as wolves, bears and cats.  These breeds were developed in several different areas, including the Middle East, the Caucasus mountains, and much of Europe.  Below is a list of the most common livestock guardian dog breeds.

In the United States, the Great Pyrenees is the most common breed.  Anatolian Shepherds, Kuvasz, Maremmas, and Akbash are other breeds more commonly found.  Most LGD breeds are still somewhat rare in the United States, but are slowly becoming more popular.

What Characteristics Do Livestock Guardian Dog Breeds Have and Why Should They Matter to Pet Owners?

Livestock guardian dog breeds were bred to have a very specific set of characteristics (with other traits, such as aggression and reactivity, more variable).  Many breed lines, no longer sold as working dogs, have lost some of these characteristics or have had them watered down.  However, even many pet and show line dogs will retain many of these characteristics to some degree. 

Of course, keep in mind that every dog is an individual, and so you never really know in advance what you’re going to get.  

If you have or are interested in getting a livestock guardian dog breed, it’s crucial that you understand LGD characteristics and what they mean for keeping a livestock guardian dog as a pet.  These breeds are very different from a lot of other types of dogs.  Their working dog heritage means they have different needs that need to be fulfilled.  They are definitely not the right dogs for many families.

Getting one of these breeds is a huge responsibility.  Many individuals will require a lot of training and socialization for a happy and healthy home with you.  Many LGD breed dogs end up as rescues because their original owners didn’t understand the time and care they would require.  Unfortunately for these rescue dogs, LGD breeds bond very closely to their families, and so being re-homed can be devastating for them. 

If you want an LGD breed dog, you’ll need to understand why these dogs do the things they do.  This is not only so you can determine if you’re the right caretaker for one, but also so that you know how to fix any problems that arise, how to keep your dog happy, and, let’s be honest, how to keep your sanity at times! 

Each section below explains a characteristic typical of livestock guardian dog breeds and how this characteristic may affect you keeping an LGD breed as a pet.

Characteristic #1: Livestock Guardian Dogs Are BIG!

All livestock guardian dogs are large and many of them are giant breeds.  The largest livestock guardian dog breed, the Spanish Mastiff, may be more than 220 lbs.  The smallest livestock guardian dog breed, the Sarplaninac, may weigh up to 100 lbs. 

Below is a chart comparing the sizes of the 21 most common LGD breeds.  For more on LGD sizes, check out my article here. 

See this content in the original post

What this means for you:

  • It is imperative for you to obedience train your LGD breed dog!  These dogs can be dangerous if not trained, whether intentionally attacking a stranger or accidentally hurting someone they jump on because they are excited to see them.  You must teach them manners and that they need to listen to your commands.

  • For my free step-by-step training guide that teaches you all the commands your dogs need to master, click here. 

Livestock Guardian Dogs Eat a Lot

Because livestock guardian dogs are so large, they will require a lot of calories.  However, these dogs were traditionally bred to live on marginal diets, which means they are very prone to obesity in the modern world.

What this means for you:

  • You may end up spending a lot of money feeding your LGD breed pet.

  • You need to be very careful not to overfeed your dog.  In such large breeds, obesity can cause a number of physical problems for your dog.

  • You especially need to watch how much you are feeding your puppy – if she grows too fast, she may experience pain (pano-ostiosis), and she will be at an increased risk of musculoskeletal problems as an adult.

  • For more on feeding, see my article here. 

Livestock Guardian Dogs Have Health Risks

Big dogs, unfortunately, are at risk for a number of health problems.  The most common health problems in LGDs are hip and elbow dysplasia.  Some breeds may also experience breathing problems, entropion, or heart problems.

What this means for you:

  • Pain management and medical bills may be in your dog’s future. 

  • Your dog may need extra love and TLC to ensure she is still happy. 

Characteristic #2: Livestock Guardian Dog Breeds Are SLOW to Mature

Livestock guardian dogs typically take 2-3 years to fully mature, and some, such as certain lines of Spanish Mastiffs, may take up to 4 years.  Just because they are big dogs does not mean they know how to behave as adults. 

What this means for you:

  • You need patience, patience, and more patience when raising an LGD breed.

  • Expect your LGD pet to have a prolonged puppyhood.  She may have a hard time learning how you want her to behave because she is immature. 

  • Even though your LGD breed dog is immature, she will still have a very large body.  Know that you will need to tolerate (and hopefully enjoy) a playful, immature, clumsy, very large animal with a lot of power and not a lot of control.

  • Training, training, and more training – for help, click here.

Characteristic #3: Livestock Guardian Dog Breeds Have Short Lifespans

Despite taking a longer time than other dogs to mature, LGD breeds tend to have lifespans that are shorter than those of most other breeds.  This is because they are such large dogs.  The average lifespan is around 10-12 years. 

Below is a list of many breeds and their average lifespans. 

See this content in the original post

For more on livestock guardian dog lifespans and caring for aging LGDs, check out my article here. 

What this means for you:

  • Sadly, you likely won’t have as many years to enjoy with your LGD breed dog as you would a smaller breed.

Characteristic #4: Livestock Guardian Dogs Are Outside Dogs

Livestock guardian dogs have been bred to live outdoors to guard the livestock.  Not only did most breeds travel with the livestock over long distances, many also were bred to roam for miles, patrolling for predators.

Can LGDs Make Good House Pets?

The short answer, yes definitely!  If an LGD is bonded to you and your family, she will make an excellent house dog.

The long answer…

The best kind of livestock guardian will not want to come inside the house.  I know of several that complain loudly and continuously if they are brought inside.  However, these dogs are already bonded to livestock.  If they had been raised as puppies in the house, they would likely do very well as house dogs as they would be bonded first and foremost to the family.

Even some very good livestock guardians would love to be house dogs.  My neighbors’ LGD, a loveable Great Pyrenees named Shaggy, was an excellent poultry guardian.  He, however, always wanted to go into my neighbors’ house, and my house, and anybody else’s house he could find.  He longed for human attention more than anything else.  A family a couple of miles away ended up adopting him as a house dog.  They did this against our neighbors’ wishes, but I think Shaggy must have been much happier there.  It probably felt like heaven to him. 

If you raise your LGD as a pet and not a livestock guardian, she will make an excellent house pet.  If you raise your LGD as a livestock guardian, she may still make an excellent house pet.

If you are planning on keeping a livestock guardian dog as a pet and want to keep her outside, think twice.  LGDs are incredibly social animals and need very close relationships for their health and happiness.  They do very well with families and do very poorly when kept alone.  These dogs need a lot of attention, mental stimulation, and proximity to the people with whom they are bonded.  If they aren’t bonded to and living with livestock, they need to be with you.

What this means for you:

  • LGD breeds can make excellent house pets, but because they are large dogs that were bred to travel and roam, they will need a lot of space and exercise. 

  • A back yard is an absolute must for these animals and they will need daily exercise. 

  • You may need to work on boundary training with your dog (i.e., teaching her to respect your fences).  For more on boundary training, check out my training manual.

  • You may need to work on leash training so your dog doesn’t pull you down the street.  If you are able to take your dog to parks where she can run and explore off leash, you will need to work on recall training (really you’ll need to work on recall training regardless).  For more on training these skills, check out my training manual.

  • You will need to socialize your dog to other people and dogs in order for walks to be safe.

Characteristic #5: LGDs Have Coats Made for Harsh Weather

As outside dogs, LGDs have very characteristic coats with major shedding twice a year (spring and fall) called blowouts.  Most breeds will also shed to a lesser degree year-round.  This “lesser degree” shedding can also be quite major, particularly for longer haired breeds like the Great Pyrenees as the meme below suggests. 

Shorter haired breeds, like the Spanish Mastiff and the short-haired variety of Estrela Mountain Dogs, don’t tend to shed as much.  However, as Spanish Mastiff breeder Brenda Negri shows in her YouTube video below, this “lesser” shedding can still be quite substantial:

Komondors are a unique breed as their hair is corded (think dreadlocks).  They do still shed their soft undercoat twice a year, but don’t tend to shed much otherwise. 

As an important side note for you to consider, many livestock guardian dog breeds drool A LOT.   Spanish Mastiffs are notorious for the amount of drool that comes out of them.  I also know from personal experience that Great Pyrenees can drool quite a bit.  They simply turn their heads to the side and it flies! Smaller breeds, like Sarplaninacs and Maremmas, drool less, if at all. 

What this means for you:

  • Your LGD breed dog will require regular grooming if she is going to live indoors with you, and you will likely constantly be needing to vacuum your house. 

  • Twice a year, during your dog’s blowout periods, your dog may require extended grooming sessions. 

  • See my article on grooming LGDs to learn the fastest and most effective way to groom these dogs.

  • You may need to wipe up drool from your furniture.  Keep drool rags handy and consider leather or faux leather furniture – it’s easiest to wipe. 

  • Smaller breeds of LGDs will not drool as much and maybe not at all.

  • Allergy sufferers and neat freaks need not apply.

Characteristic #6: Livestock Guardian Dogs Have Jobs – They Work 24/7!

Livestock guardian dogs were bred to protect livestock all day and all night.  They spent time both among the livestock and patrolling for predators.  They were constantly keeping tabs on all their charges and constantly surveying for any threats. 

Livestock Guardian Dogs and Mental Stimulation

In many areas, livestock were constantly at risk from predator attack both during the day and the night.  The dogs, therefore, were always working to keep them safe.  Think about that for a minute.  They were always working, always searching, protecting, and always alert. 

What does this mean?  These dogs are smart.  They are not only highly intelligent, but inquisitive, perceptive, and enthusiastic about problem solving.  They are always looking for things to do.  They require daily mental stimulation. 

What this means for you:

  • As pets, LGD breeds can no longer work with livestock, so you need to find another outlet for your dog’s inquisitive mind.

  • These dogs get bored if they don’t have something to do.  If your dog is constantly getting herself into trouble or doing things you don’t want her to do, she is probably looking for mental stimulation.

  • The best way to stimulate these dogs is through training.  I recommend obedience training (get my free guide), and I also recommend “brain” training.  The best online program I’ve found is Brain Training for Dogs (I’m a proud affiliate).  I highly recommend it.  Read my review of it here. 

  • Another way to stimulate these dogs is through puzzle toys.  See my article, The Best Livestock Guardian Dog Toys: Top Recommendations from DOZENS of Great Pyrenees Owners!, for more information.

  • These dogs need a lot of attention from you.  This will also keep them stimulated, not to mention very, very happy.  

Characteristic #7: Livestock Guardian Dogs Are Independent Thinkers When Required, but Work Best in Partnerships

Traditionally, livestock guardian dogs were bred to work with shepherds.  In some regions, shepherds were almost always with the dogs.  In other regions, shepherds were sometimes with the dogs and sometimes not.  Less commonly, some dogs would spend little to no time with the shepherds and were almost feral.

What this means is, aside from the shepherds who ran mostly feral dogs, most LGDs have been bred to work as partners with shepherds, and to work independently when their shepherds were not around.  Jackie Church puts it best in her LGD training manual:

She is speaking of Maremmas here, but the sentiment applies to all breeds of livestock guardian dogs. 

What this means is, despite the very popular myth that LGDs can’t be trained because they are so independent, these dogs were actually bred to please humans and therefore are susceptible to training.  Yes, they are independent thinkers.  Yes, some of them may be challenging to train.  But they are all trainable, despite what this great meme may tell you:

With patience, consistency and knowledge, any LGD breed dog can be trained and trained well.

What this means for you:

  • You need to work on forming a very close bond with your LGD breed dog so they view you as their partner, champion, and friend.

  • You need to spend a lot of time training your dog. 

  • Training needs to be enjoyable for your dog, and she needs to know that you are working on being her partner, not her controller. 

  • For help on how to train using positive methods, see my article on obedience training, Training Livestock Guardian Dogs. 

  • For step-by-step instructions on how to teach specific commands, see my Livestock Guardian Dog Training Manual.

 

Characteristic #8: Livestock Guardian Dogs Bond VERY Strongly

You might say that LGDs were born to love. They bond very closely to their livestock, giving their lives to protect them.  In fact, LGDs are typically devastated when their charges are taken away for slaughter.  It doesn’t matter if they don’t know where they’re going. They experience the loss and grieve heavily. 

This means that LGDs are very good at caring for weak and vulnerable animals.  The memes below show two adorable modern examples with Great Pyrenees LGDs:

LGDs also bond closely to their packs.  They work with each other day and night and are constantly communicating.  They strategize how best to guard the livestock, usually with some guarding more closely while others are out patrolling.  They talk to each other while on patrol, and let others know of predators lurking.  They come to each other’s defenses when danger is upon them.

And livestock guardian dogs bond with their shepherds.  They are partners in work and in life.  They learn to listen to their shepherds’ commands and love any affection they receive. 

What this means for you:

  • Your LGD breed dog will love, love, love you and will need your love in return.

  • Many LGD breeds are devastated if re-homed.  Be sure you know what you’re getting into before getting one for your family. 

  • LGD breeds tend to be very good with children.  See the YouTube video below for an example with a Great Pyrenees:

Characteristic #9: Livestock Guardian Dogs Have High Pain Thresholds

Because LGDs were bred to live with livestock, they would sometimes get knocked around, rammed, and even kicked.  In predator thick areas, they may also have violent confrontations with predators.  Both of these features resulted in dogs that were tough.  Dogs with lower pain thresholds made much better guardians, both because they could better tolerate pain and also because they had less fear of pain. 

What this means for you:

  • You will need to keep a close eye out for health problems in your livestock guardian dogs.  Because they can tolerate pain, you might not notice right away if they are sick or injured.

  • LGDs will often tolerate rough behavior from children and family pets (and may act like they don’t even notice it).

  • Keep up on grooming your livestock guardian dog so you can look out for any sign of injury or irritation.  Make sure you keep their toenails trimmed, ears cleaned, teeth brushed, and paws free of mats. 

  • For thorough instructions on livestock guardian dog grooming, see my grooming article. 

Characteristic #10: Livestock Guardian Dogs Are Highly Protective of Their Loved Ones and Homes

This one is a no-brainer.  LGDs were bred to protect their charges and their territory with their lives.  This can lead to a number of problems for people wanting to raise livestock guardian dogs as pets, including:

  1. Aggression to animals and people

  2. Roaming (read: escape from yards) to see what’s going on, to see who’s around, and to keep their family safe from threats

  3. Barking day and night to alert you to potential threats and to warn or scare potential threats

These problems are enough to turn most wannabe dog owners off.  The right families for these dogs will look at these as challenges to overcome, not deal breakers. 

Let’s look at each one of these in turn to see what you can expect and what you can do to prevent or manage these behaviors.

Characteristic #11: Livestock Guardian Dogs May Be Aggressive

Livestock guardian dogs are super gentle with their families.  They are known to tolerate even the roughest and loudest behavior from children and family pets. 

Our neighbors’ Great Pyrenees, Shaggy, believed our home was also his home (we joked we had joint custody).  My little 10 lb Shih Tzu, Fergus, would viciously attack Shaggy all the time, biting and tearing at his legs and sometimes his face if Shaggy leaned down to smell him.  Shaggy always completely ignored him after his initial sniff.  It was like he didn’t even notice him at all.  He’d stand there, mouth open like he was smiling and tail wagging as Fergus tried to murder him.

Below are two adorable video that help illustrate this concept.  The first video shows what appears to be a Great Pyrenees snoozing as baby goats jump all over him.  The second video shows Great Pyrenees Betty’s response to playful goats. 

However, some LGDs can be very aggressive to strangers as they view them as intruders and threats to the family and home.  But with the proper training and socialization, even these dogs can be cuddle bugs to every person or animal they meet. 

Some breeds are much more reactive than others and will require much more training.  For example, Central Asian Shepherds, Caucasian Ovcharkas, and Armenian Gamprs can be deadly if not trained and socialized to strangers. 

A special a note about these three breeds – sadly, many of them have been used as fighting dogs.  If you want one of these breeds, be very careful where you get them.  Make sure the breeder is not selling you a dog from a fighting line, especially if you are new to dog training.  Dogs from fighting lines are certainly not lost causes, but it may be harder to train them not to be aggressive.  They are not recommended for inexperienced dog owners. 

What this means for you:

  • Most LGD breeds will be very gentle with your children and family pets.

  • Because LGD breeds can be aggressive to strangers (animals and humans alike), socialization is a must!

  • The earlier the socialization, the easier it will be. 

  • You must obedience train your dog.  They need to listen to your commands, such as “leave it” and “come.”  An untrained LGD breed dog can be a very dangerous dog.

  • For more training, see my free LGD Training Manual.

  • Be sure you know the background of the dog you buy and avoid fighting lines.

  • Consider avoiding adding a more aggressive breed to your family if you are inexperienced. Choose one of the many other LGD breeds instead.

Characteristic #12: Livestock Guardian Dogs Have a Need to Roam

All livestock guardian dogs will roam to some extent if they are able.  LGDs have been traditionally used to move very long distances with their charges, and most would need to constantly patrol the area to chase out any threats.  The majority of LGD breed dogs, particularly from working lines, will still have this quality. 

Our neighbors’ LGD, Shaggy, kept their poultry and my poultry safe from predators in the area, mainly coyotes.  He would roam for miles, marking everywhere.  Any time he heard the tiniest sound (we usually didn’t hear anything, but could tell he did), he’d run off over the hills to check it out.  He was an amazing guardian. 

Some breeds roam more than others.  These are the “roaming” breeds.  “Close guarding” breeds, on the other hand, tend to spend most of their time with the livestock rather than patrolling.  These breeds will often try to find (or roam to) a high vantage point every once in awhile to take a look around and make sure they don’t see any threats, but for the most part, they stay put. 

Breeds known to roam a lot are:

  • Akbash

  • Anatolian Shepherd

  • Great Pyrenees

  • Kangal

Breeds known to be “close guarding” and roam less are:

I’m actually in the process of trying to purchase a couple of Spanish Mastiffs myself.  These dogs tend to respect fences, and this is one of the many reasons I can’t wait to add them to my home!

What this means for you:

  • Livestock Guardian dogs raised as pets are notorious escape artists.  If there is any way to escape your home or yard, your dogs will figure it out (and they are smarter than you in this arena). 

  • They will run through, jump over, or dig under most fences, so you will need to have excellent fencing (possibly with a below ground element to prevent digging) and/or work diligently on boundary training your dog.

  • For more on what kind of fencing you need for LGDs, including for jumping and digging problems, see my article on fencing.

  • For more on boundary training your LGD, see my article on boundary training.

  • A bored dog is more likely to try to escape.  Obedience training, ‘brain’ training, exercise, and puzzle toys can be very helpful.

  • For more on obedience training, check out my free step-by-step training manual.

  • For more on brain training, see my review of Brain Training for Dogs, an amazing online training program, here. 

  • For more on LGD toys, check out my article on Choosing Great Pyr and LGD toys.

  • If you are really worried about roaming, consider a “close guarding” breed like the Spanish Mastiff or Maremma.

Characteristic #13: Livestock Guardian Dogs Have a Need to Bark

Livestock guardian dogs use barking as one of their primary predator deterrents.  Many have a very intimidating bark that scares off many predators.  LGDs are extremely communicative dogs who have been bred to bark for a number of reasons. 

LGDs bark primarily to raise the alarm.  If they think they sense a potential threat, they will bark to alert the shepherd, the livestock, and their fellow pack dogs.  In the two videos below, you can see Great Pyrenees livestock guardians barking in action.  The first video shows a dog who is expressing a low level alert bark.  The second video shows a livestock guardian dog communicating with his charges that something may be awry:

LGDs will also bark seemingly at nothing.  Because LGDs have such heightened senses and are incredibly inquisitive, they are barking at something – it may just be something beyond our senses.  Or it may just be the wind blowing, a plastic bag out of place, or any other tiny detail the rest of us don’t notice.

These barks serve as both alerts and as messages to potential threats. Livestock guardian dogs are just trying to keep their homes and families safe. 

Many working livestock guardian dogs may bark a lot at night.  Predators tend to come around more at night, and so this is when LGDs are most active and most likely to bark.  Check out the meme below of a Great Pyrenees:

Some breeds bark more or less than others, and some are easier to train to bark less than others.

Breeds that generally bark more than others are:

  • Akbash

  • Great Pyrenees

  • Komondor

  • Kuvasz

Breeds that generally bark less than others are:

Breeds that may be easier to train to bark less than others are:

  • Anatolian Shepherd - however, read this article for an example of a dog who was very loud and extremely hard to train – remember, you never know what your new dog will be like, so be prepared for anything!

  • Karakachan

  • Maremma Sheepdog

  • Spanish Mastiff

What this means for you:

  • “Excessive” barking is a very common behavior in LGDs raised as pets.

  • Your pet LGD may bark a lot both during the day and the night.

  • If you have nearby neighbors, you will need to make sure they will be on board with you buying a dog that potentially barks a lot.

  • The good news: with consistent and patient training, livestock guardian dogs can be trained to stop barking so much.   Check out my free LGD Training Manual for help achieving this. 

Livestock guardian dog breeds can make the best pets ever for the right families, but they are a huge commitment.  The most important parts of raising one of these breeds are that you have lots of love, time, and attention to give them, and you have the time, patience, and knowledge to train them well.  Enjoy your beasties!

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