These 21 sheep herding dog breeds serve as guardians, standing watch over sheep to ward off wolves and other predators.
#1 Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British dog known for its ability to work in herding sheep. Border Collies will even herd children in the family. They are also capable of searching for missing people in open areas.
#2 Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog from the US. These dogs need almost constant attention. I love Australian Shepherds because they excel at controlling slow-moving flocks of sheep and herds of cattle.
#3 Australian Kelpie
The Australian Kelpie is a medium-sized dog that is used to muster livestock, primarily sheep, goats, and cattle. Kelpies are intelligent and easy-to-train dogs, making them capable of handling thousands of sheep at a time.
#4 Old English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is the archetypal shaggy dog that grows a long coat with fur covering the face and eyes. It comes from the pastoral type dogs of England. They were originally bred to herd sheep, and they can respond to whistled commands.
#5 Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog
It is a breed of large livestock guardian dog that originates in my native country. It is a calm and well-mannered dog. Its name comes from the Romanian word mioară, meaning young sheep.
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#6 Bearded Collie
The Bearded Collie is a charismatic droving dog from Scotland, originally used to herd both sheep and cattle. It is an agile herding dog with a shaggy coat. They have high energy levels and need 1 to 2 hours of exercise per day.
#7 Shetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog is an eager companion from the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It was bred for herding and protecting sheep in the rugged terrain.
#8 Welsh Sheepdog
Welsh Sheepdogs are a medium-sized breed from Wales. They are bred for their herding abilities. Some have been trained to compete in dog agility trials. Their life span is 12 to 15 years.
#9 Icelandic Sheepdog
The Icelandic Sheepdog is an all-around herder of small-to-medium size from Iceland. The coat is thick and provides good protection from the weather. It is used for herding and protecting livestock, particularly sheep.
#10 Norwegian Buhund
The Norwegian Buhund is a medium-sized cold-weather worker that is closely related to the Icelandic Sheepdog. It is extremely lovable and is known for its love of children. It is used as a watchdog and a herding dog.
#11 Finnish Lapphund
The Finnish Lapphund is a medium-sized breed of Spitz type that is intelligent and quick to learn. The breed was used as a shepherd dog for herding reindeer, sheep, and cattle.
#12 Pyrenean Shepherd
The Pyrenean Shepherd is a herding breed from France that is mainly used for herding flocks of sheep throughout the Pyrenees Mountains. It is an active breed, sometimes described as a ball of fire. It was first recognised by the Société Centrale Canine in 1926.
#13 Briard
The Briard is a French breed of large shepherd dog that has a wavy coat of either gray, tawny, or black. The dog originates in the province of Brie in France, and it is traditionally used both for herding sheep and to defend them.
#14 Berger Picard
Berger Picards are known to be the oldest of the French sheepdogs. They are generally healthy dogs with an average lifespan of 12 to 13 years. They were used very effectively as both sheep and cattle herders.
#15 Polish Lowland Sheepdog
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog is a shaggy-coated breed native to Poland that thrives on exercise and hard work. Polish Lowland Sheepdogs are highly adaptable dogs that are always eager to please their loved ones. They are excellent workers of sheep and will work well with cattle.
#16 Puli
The Puli is a breed of Hungarian herding dog that has a dense coat that hangs down in corded strands. I love the breed sint is great at reading my mood. It was bred for centuries to herd sheep and guard livestock.
#17 Komondor
The Komondor is a big, white dog with Hungarian roots that is wary of strangers but affectionate and protective of their family. Its main task is to guard flocks of sheep or other livestock against feral dogs, coyotes, and wolves.
#18 Maremma Sheepdog
It is an Italian breed of livestock guardian dog that is indigenous to Central Italy. The Maremma is a large and heavy dog that was bred specifically for guarding sheep and other livestock.
#19 Estrela Mountain Dog
The Estrela Mountain Dog is a large breed of dog from Portugal. You should know that the Estrela Mountain Dog is a formidable opponent for any predator. The Estrela Mountain Dogs were used to protect sheep and cattle.
#20 Caucasian Shepherd Dog
I like this large livestock guardian dog native to the Caucasus region, which usually weighs 45 to 70 kg. It is used to serve as guard dogs and bear hunting dogs.
#21 Kangal
The Kangal is a Turkish breed of dog used as a flock guardian dog, and can be quite independent at times.