United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2051

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political 

beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint 

of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 

Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or (202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA 

is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

Issued August 2010

Livestock 

Protection 

Dogs:

Protecting Sheep

From Predators

Learn More 

For more information on the use of livestock 

protection dogs and other wildlife damage management methods, contact the USDA, Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife 

Services program toll free at 866-4USDA-WS 

(866-487-3297) or 301-734-7921. The use of 

livestock protection dogs is an important nonlethal method for predator control, encouraged 

by Wildlife Services as part of an integrated 

approach to resolve potential human-wildlife 

conflicts while safeguarding agricultural resources. To learn more, go to www.aphis.usda.

gov/wildlife_damage/. 

For more information on the management 

of public lands for multiple uses, contact the 

USDA’s Forest Service at 202-205-0893 or DOI’s 

Bureau of Land Management at 202-912-7204. 

If you encounter a band of sheep while 

visiting America’s public lands, it is best to 

alter your route to minimize any contact. 

However, if you cannot avoid contact: 

Do:

4 Watch for livestock protection dogs near 

sheep (usually large dogs, white or tan in 

color). 

4 Remain calm if a livestock protection dog 

approaches you. 

4 If you are on a bike, dismount and put the bike 

between you and the dog. 

4 Tell the dog to “go back to the sheep” or say 

“no” in a firm voice. 

4 Walk your bike until well past the sheep. 

4 Keep your distance and choose the least 

disruptive route around the sheep. 

4 Keep your dog leashed. 

Do Not:

4 Chase or harass the sheep or dog(s). 

4 Make quick, threatening movements towards 

the sheep or dog(s).

4 Try to outrun the dog(s).

4 Attempt to befriend, pet, or feed the dog(s). 

4 Allow your dog to run towards or harass the 

sheep. 

4 Mistake a dog as lost and take it with you.
Why Use Livestock 

Protection Dogs? 

If unprotected, sheep are vulnerable to a 

variety of predators including coyotes, wolves, 

mountain lions, bears, and domestic dogs. Livestock protection dogs are a primary and traditional means of protecting sheep from predators. 

Modern livestock ranchers may elect to use proPredators account for more than 30 percent of sheep and lamb losses.

by. Livestock protection dogs are not pets; they are 

trained working dogs. Feeding or petting them will 

distract them from their job of protecting sheep 

and may encourage them to approach and follow 

other recreationists they encounter. 

Generally, if you are on foot, horseback, or an allterrain vehicle and come close to sheep, a livestock 

protection dog should have time to see and/or 

hear you approach and recognize that you are not 

a threat to the livestock. However, a rapidly approaching mountain biker, suddenly surprising the 

livestock protection dog, may appear to be a threat. 

Hikers with domestic dogs may be perceived as 

a greater threat. An unleashed dog encountering 

sheep likely will be perceived as a predator, which 

could cause an aggressive confrontation with the 

livestock protection dog. 

Public lands offer fulfilling outdoor recreational 

opportunities. To avoid negative encounters with 

livestock and/or livestock protection dogs and 

enjoy a peaceful experience, recreationists should 

follow common sense guidelines.

tection dogs as an important and effective means 

of reducing predator attacks on sheep. Livestock 

protection dogs live with the sheep, patrolling the 

perimeters of sheep grazing areas to ward off potential predators. Livestock protection dogs have 

been used around the world for centuries and 

are an essential management tool in the United 

States. Without livestock protection dogs, thousands of sheep and lambs would be injured or 

killed by predators in the United States every year.

Sharing Public Lands

Millions of visitors enjoy recreational opportunities available on public lands, including hiking, 

mountain biking, and trail riding. Management 

practices for public lands are designed to allow 

multiple uses of our natural resources. In addition 

to recreation, livestock grazing is a useful activity common on public lands that supports healthy 

watersheds and wildlife habitat. Responsible grazing can be used to manage vegetation to reduce 

invasive species, limit wildfire fuels, and encourage 

plant growth. Grazing allotments, administered 

by Government agencies, occur on lands managed 

by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 

Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Bureau of Land Management. 

Recreationists and ranchers share a love of the 

outdoors. Working together helps ensure that all 

those who use public lands can have a positive 

experience. Please treat all lands as you would 

like others to treat your property. Leave gates 

as found, stay on existing roads and trails, obey 

posted signs, and pack your garbage out.

Avoiding Conflicts

As more people enjoy and utilize our country’s 

public lands, there is an increased potential for conflicts between people and livestock protection dogs. 

Livestock protection dogs are in place to protect 

the sheep in these areas, and if you do not appear to 

be a threat, the dogs will often just watch you pass