Livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) are special breeds trained to protect herds of sheep, goats, cattle, and other livestock from predators like wolves, cougars, and coyotes. Known for their strength, intelligence, and loyalty, LGDs are crucial to Oregon’s agricultural landscape. This guide helps cyclists recognize LGDs, navigate encounters with them, understand their behaviors and role in rural areas, and become familiar with the laws that protect them.

These dogs are especially important if you support wolf reintroduction to the Western States like Oregon. This is an option that supports wolves without killing them. Further, these dogs are becoming increasingly important in rural and boundary communities where cougar populations continue to increase and be unchecked.

1. Recognizing Livestock Guardian Dogs

Physical Traits:
– Typically large breeds such as Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherds, and Maremma Sheepdogs.
– Thick, often white or light-colored coats to blend with the flock.
– Strong, muscular build suitable for long hours and rugged terrain.

Behavioral Traits:
– Aloof toward strangers and may bark to signal potential threats.
– Calm and gentle with livestock but vigilant when strangers approach.

How They Work:
LGDs use their natural herding instincts to stay close to their flock, relying on posture, vocalizations, and even body language to deter predators. Some work alone, while others may work in pairs or groups for larger areas.

 

2. How to Pass a Livestock Guardian Dog on a Bicycle

Encountering a LGD while cycling can be intimidating, but by understanding their instincts and behaviors, they will usually allow you to pass in a safe manner. (Sometimes a dog, maybe not a trained LGD, will not back off. In that case, your best option is to turn around and find an alternative route.)

Tips for Cyclists:

– Awareness & Recognition
First, recognize that the LCG is perceiving an attack (by you) on the herd it is protecting. You are approaching at a high rate of speed, and typically as a group of cyclists (i.e., a pack). As the dog(s) approach you, you ride faster, thus the perceived threat to the herd is heightened. The LGD view this as you trying to flank or surround the herd that they are protecting.

Instead, your actions should be to deescalate the situation. Make your intentions clear that you are not a threat to the animals they are protecting. Do not act in an aggressive manner.

– Slow Down and Approach with Caution:
When you see an LGD ahead, reduce your speed. Quick movements can trigger their protective instincts. Stop, get off bike, place the bike between yourself and the dog. Make it known you are human by removing your helmet and sunglasses. LGDs are trained to keep a boundary between strangers and their flock. They are not an attack animal.

 

– Remain Calm and Quiet:
Avoid loud noises or erratic movements. LGDs are less likely to perceive you as a threat if you stay composed. Do not behave in an aggressive or threatening manner.

– Avoid Direct Eye Contact:
Direct eye contact may seem aggressive to an LGD, so it’s best to keep your gaze lowered.

– The Encounter:
Several of the dogs will stand you off, at a distance of typically 10 feet. The other dog(s)will stay with the herd. They will aggressively bark, but they do not want a physical encounter.

– Move Steadily Away:
Continue past the flock at a steady pace, walking, without rushing. This lets the dog know you’re leaving without causing distress.

Livestock Guardian Dogs Reacting to a Bear

Livestock Guarding Dogs: From Work to Play in Seconds

 

At Lucky Creek Ranch we do not produce Great Pyrenees Pets, while most any dog can be turned into a pet, and some of the pups we have sold have gone on to live pampered house dog lives, that is not our goal. From the time a litter is born we try to have no more human contact with the pups than is necessary for their immediate health and well being. The first 10 days the pups and the mother will be kept in a separate indoor area away from larger livestock so we can monitor health and growth. After which the puppies and mother will be moved to an outside barn, where they are stalled in close proximity too, but not in contact with livestock. This will allow them to start accepting the smells and sounds of livestock at a young age. They will remain stalled for approximately 1 to 2 weeks at which point they will be given the ability to free roam in and about the barn and an attached fenced area that contains, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese and smaller goats; again aside from limited contact during the farm feeding routine the pups are not generally handled by people. The goal is to make the pups familiar with people as food providers, and a non threat but not to have the pups bond with humans. Ideally and this is a difficult concept for some, you want your LGD to tolerate you and love your animals. If given the choice of coming in the house or sleeping with their charges during rain, sleet or snow, a good LGD should choose to stay with the herd. [Lucky Creek Ranch]

3. Legal Protections for Livestock Guardian Dogs in Oregon

In Oregon, LGDs are protected by state law due to their essential role in livestock protection:

– Right to Work and Defend:
Under Oregon law, LGDs have the right to protect their flock, including barking or physically deterring threats.

– Protection from Harassment:
It is illegal to harass or harm LGDs while they’re on duty. Any injury to these dogs can carry legal consequences.

– Liability Protections for Owners:
Oregon’s legal framework protects livestock owners from liability when LGDs are performing their duties whether that be on public or private property.

For full legal details, refer to the [Oregon Revised Statutes on Livestock Protection].

Conclusion: A Key Part of Oregon’s Agricultural Community

Livestock guardian dogs are an essential part of rural life in Oregon, playing a vital role in protecting livestock and supporting farmers. By understanding their behaviors, respecting their space, and following safety guidelines, cyclists can coexist safely with these remarkable animals. For more information, consider visiting local farms or contacting the Oregon Department of Agriculture for educational programs on LGDs.

We breed dogs that are territorial, bond well with other animals and display a non-overtly aggressive temperament; this is not to say that our dogs are pushovers. The lack of overt aggression means that they view fighting as the option of last resort and that they are not apt to leave the herd and go charging after a predator in the distance. We prefer our dogs alert each other, come together and bark off the threat shoulder to shoulder; only fighting in the event that a predator keeps pushing in. In a livestock protection scenario wherein a dog has room to roam, an overly aggressive dog usually ends up dead; by human hands or by leaving safety to chase a lone coyote only to be jumped and eaten by the rest of the pack. [Lucky Creek Ranch]