Livestock Guardian Dogs

Without a doubt one of the best jobs for the Estrela Mountain Dog

The Estrela Mountain Dog was especially created for this work and for centuries that he have done such task. It is a dog that does this job with extremely seriousness and responsibility, after all, the shepherd trusted on his dogs his most precious thing - the flock

The Estrela Mountain Dog is not a herding  dog,  he does not lead them or conduce the sheep's (as  border collies do), but he protects them.

  The Estrela Mountain Dog, can work as livestock guarding dog the entire time or as backing function

If it will be the entire time, the dog will have to be breed and grow (since young ) with the flock (living and sleeping with them) to create an extremely strong bow between the dog and the flock. In these cases the dog is with the flock all the time of day and of night, either if it is  sun or rain.   It will watch the flock, and the surrounding area, but its priority will be always the flock

  If it will be as backing function, as for example, a dog that lives in a farm or in a ranch,  besides protecting the flock, it also as  to guard the farm , and protect  his owner and family. This dog will not lie down next to the flock but in a point where he can watch everything, and will patrol the whole area frequently

His guarding instincts appear at the age +- 6 month, but only full developed at 18month.

  The behaviour of the Estrela Mountain Dog as a livestock guarding dog ( entire time) : 

  When a flock is leaved at the guard of a Estrela Mountain Dog, he will assume this responsibility with great seriousness. 

   It can work alone, but it also work functions very well in small groups. He patrol the flock frequently  and patrols the surrounding territory.   If it  have more than a dog, they work in a group. In these cases of patrolling, in general they patrol in parallel bars, usually staying one with the flock

After patrolling the territory (what they do frequently) they lain down in a place  where they can observe the flock. From times to times they patrol and bark on a  strong and serious manner warning all predators.  Normally  they do not lie down together, but they place themselves in strategically points. If there is some sick or injured sheep's, one of the dogs will be always be with them (protecting the weakest). When the sheep's are born  they some dogs lick them (helping their mothers) and take care of them. Note that the sheep's trusts 100% in the dogs

When the flock is in motion, the dogs assume strategically positions, they follow the flock in the flanks or at the front (if there are more than a dog, they distribute them  all over the flock), preventing any attack of predators. If some sheep of the flock  stops and stay back  the dog stay with her protecting . 

  They become especially alerts at night

When detecting anything anormal ( n general these dogs detect first something strange by smelling or/and  for the hearing- both senses are very refined), they get up and inspect. If they  detect an intruder they sets in threatening position launching strong barks. If there are only one dog protecting he goes closer to the intruder threatening him with strong barks, in  the case that there are  more than one dog  protecting, one dogs stay  always with the flock while the others  goes in direction of the threat. In general, after this threatening approach and these strong barks the intruder goes away , if not, the dog will  attack it without mercy (either intruder of 2 or 4 legs). The dog will attack without thinking about the damages for it, putting always its life in risk and it would not hesitate in giving its life to protect what is at his responsibility

We find that this dog would be a perfect guard of flocks in any part of the world, because it  conjugates force with agility and with guard desire , unhappily few are the ones that are used, because there are little available information.