The mastiff dog is considered the most effective system for protecting livestock in areas where wolves, bears or other predatory species live. As the wolf has spread into communities where the species had disappeared, the presence of these guard dogs has increased, and it is not uncommon to come across a herd of them guarding on a nature trip. In this situation, “both the rancher and the hiker, cyclist or walker must know how to behave,” says Ángel Gambín, president of the Spanish Mastiff Association. You can sometimes see signs on country roads advising visitors about the precautions they should take. Mastiffs usually have a calm and balanced character and know what their job is: to defend livestock without posing a danger to people. However, due to their physical characteristics, size and strength, and instinct to protect their flock, circumstances may arise where they believe they are in danger and may attack.
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The tragedy occurred this Monday with the death of a 27-year-old girl attacked by seven dogs – three mastiffs, two careo shepherds (dogs that guide livestock) and two puppies of the latter – between the Zamora towns of Roales del Pan and La Hiniesta shows that there can be very dangerous specimens, although this is not common. The police are still investigating what might have happened. Here we give some tips on how to behave in the presence of Mastiff cattle.
What to do if a herd guarded by Great Danes appears?
They should never cross the herd. It is best to surround the livestock on foot, maintaining a distance of at least 20 meters, and if the distance can be increased, all the better, explains David Pérez del Molino, member of the Perro de los Hierros Association. He looks after a herd of 140 goats in a wolf zone in the mountains of Madrid, which are looked after by four mastiffs. If the dog is in the middle of the street and the recommended distance cannot be maintained, it is best to turn around calmly, without nervousness and without running, as this can make the person prey in the eyes of the dog. Nor should we try to appease them.
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You must get off the bike and continue on foot as size or speed may be interpreted as a threat. When you run, you have to stop and keep running, which is supposed to help the dog relax. You can also use the bike as a barrier between the dogs and the person’s body, passing slowly but always maintaining the recommended distance and without getting into the middle of the herd.
What if the dogs bark?
It is their natural way of acting to scare the person away. Running, screaming, or making sudden movements will make them more nervous. “You have to remember that they approach a few meters and mark a safe area to warn you of their approach,” explains Pérez del Molino. They want to throw the intruder out. If they were targeting humans, the dogs would be useless, because it’s the strategy wolves use: one specimen tries to get the dog to move away from the herd so the rest of the pack can attack.
Should pets be on a leash?
When walking through the countryside with a dog, it is necessary to put him on a leash before approaching the herd, as this is one of the most dangerous situations. A large or small dog running towards sheep or goats poses a danger to the Great Dane. “The Great Danes will try to take them away from their animals and if the owner gets in their way at that moment, a misfortune can happen and even your dog can bite you,” explains Félix García, secretary of the León Canine Society and expert in dog behavior.
Is it a good idea to scare her?
Picking up a stick or rock and trying to scare or attack the dogs to get them away can be counterproductive because it will make them more aggressive.
What should the farmer do?
The rancher must have well-balanced dogs that must grow with the animals they will guard so that they identify with them and thus become part of the herd. If the shepherd is no longer used to working with mastiffs because the wolf has disappeared from his territory, he must be trained. “They are a very useful tool, but if you don’t know how to use them, they become a problem,” adds García, secretary of the Leonese Dog Society. If the animals are in areas where walkers are present, the mastiffs are free to roam, but the dogs that manage the livestock (and are not responsible for guarding) must be controlled if anyone approaches to avoid the mastiffs to upset. The shepherd must catch them or command them to stay still. The normal thing is that if an aggressive mastiff comes out, he is removed from the herd as he is not worth taking care of.
Are there Great Danes that are more dangerous than others?
The Mastiff is a protective breed, bred and selected over thousands of years, whose normal state is to accompany livestock rather than attack. “He usually lies down in a place from which he watches the livestock and when he spots someone he stands up, looks, barks and stands up, but if you don’t react and avoid entering his territory, he should not “I won’t chase you,” says Gambín, president of the Spanish Association of Spanish Mastiffs. There is now a variation and increasingly larger and some wilder mastiffs are seen, which is not necessary for livestock farming. These can be more dangerous.
Can you feed or pet them?
It’s counterproductive. You shouldn’t offer them food, pet them or ask them to take photos, no matter how friendly they are, says Pérez del Molino. They can get used to approaching people passing by, and if someone gets scared and runs away, a conflict can arise, leading to some damage.
How do you get a protective mastiff?
There is no control and they are not included in the new animal protection law, although the regulations still need to be worked out and a decision has to be made about which livestock guard dogs should be used. Usually they are not purchased, but are always exchanged between farmers, as it is believed that mastiffs from farms do not have the same protective instincts as those born into the herd. There could even be dangerous crossings that come from a different line and are more aggressive, say the experts interviewed. “The Mastiff thing is incredible. You introduce them to the cattle when they are two or three months old and they learn, and of course on many occasions they have their parents to teach them,” says Pérez del Molino.
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