Cindy Benson first became interested in livestock guardian dogs as a way to protect the 120 miniature donkeys on her property in Gold Hill, Oregon. Mountain lions were terrorizing the herd, so she got a big, fluffy Maremma, an Italian sheepdog used for centuries to ward off wolves.
“They go out there and they work all night long,” Benson said. “They are everywhere that I am not, and they're using senses that I could only dream of."
She soon became obsessed, diving into the behavioral science of the animals.
“I found that there are lots and lots of people with questions about these dogs,” Benson said. “And more and more of [the dogs are] being pressed into service, oftentimes put in situations that are unsafe for them.”
She pursued an education in livestock guardian dogs, eventually becoming a trainer and creating an online course.
As wolf packs increasingly roam Northern California, she said she’s as busy as ever teaching others about these working breeds. She doesn’t know how many people use her resources to guard against wolves specifically, but she believes livestock guardian dogs are a good solution for residents in rural areas like Siskiyou County, California.
“It's far superior to anybody carrying a gun or using poison or traps or any of that,” Benson said.
Because wolves are a protected species, residents have limited options to defend against the predator. The Siskiyou Board of Supervisors sent a letter in April to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, claiming wolves have killed at least 78 livestock since 2021.
Recently, the department launched a strike team to work with ranchers to prevent wolves from killing more animals in the rural region.
“Livestock guardian dogs are a tool that we do recommend to protect livestock,” said Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the department.
He said dogs are especially successful at protecting sheep.
“We've only had one documented wolf attack of sheep in California,” Tira said. “We largely attribute that to the presence and effectiveness of livestock guardian dogs.”
But Tira noted the dogs tend to be less effective in protecting wide-ranging cattle.
Benson said it’s important to choose the right breed when selecting a dog to protect against wolves. She recommends something along the lines of a Central Asian Shepherd or Caucasian Shepherd, which have the gumption to face a wolf.
It takes more than one dog, Benson said, since wolf packs can lure one guardian dog away from the herd. She currently has 23 livestock guardian dogs at her Oregon property.
“I have a big geeky mind and I learn from them all the time,” Benson said.
