Livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) are vital tools for reducing livestock-predator conflict, but their own welfare needs attention.
Livestock guardian dogs perform an ecologically valuable function — enabling coexistence between herding communities and predators like wolves and bears. Their welfare requires adequate nutrition, veterinary care, shelter, and appropriate social contact. LGDs working in isolation without human interaction can develop behavioral problems. Their welfare is often overlooked in discussions that focus only on their protective function.