KORA Bericht Nr. 2 e August 1999 ISSN 1422-5123 The use of guard dogs in the Swiss Alps: A first analysis Jean-Marc Landry Koordinierte Forschungsprojekte zur Erhaltung und zum Management der Raubtiere in der Schweiz. Coordinated research projects for the conservation and management of carnivores in Switzerland. KORA Projets de recherches coordonnés pour la conservation et la gestion des carnivores en Suisse. KORA, Thunstrasse 31, CH-3074 Muri, Tel +41-31-951 70 40, Fax +41-31-951 90 40, Email: [email protected] KORA report No. 2 english: The use of guard dogs in the Swiss Alps: A first analysis First editon: KORA Report No. 2 french: L’utilisation du chien de protection dans les Alpes suisses: Une première analyse Autor Jean-Marc Landry Auteur Chemin-Dessus Author CH-1927 Chemin [email protected] Übersetzung Adrienne & Peter Jackson Traduction Sus Villars Translation CH-1172 Bougy-Villars Bearbeitung Patrik Olsson, KORA Adaptation Adrian Siegenthaler, KORA Editorial Bezugsquelle KORA, Thunstrasse 31, CH-3074 Muri Source T +41 31 951 70 40 / F +41 31 951 90 40 Source [email protected] Titelfoto Ein Patou des Pyrénées hütet eine Schafherde Photo de la page titre im Mercantour (Frankreich). Front cover picture Patou des Pyrénées surveillant un troupeau de moutons dans le Mercantour (France). Patou des Pyrénées guarding a flock of sheep in the Mercantour (France). Jean-Marc Landry Fotos Jean-Marc Landry Photos Figures Dieser Bericht kann zum Selbstkostenpreis beim KORA bezogen werden Ce rapport est en vente au prix de revient au KORA This report is available at cost price at the KORA Anzahl Seiten/ Pages: 28 Preis/price/prix: SFr. 7.00 ISSN 1422-5123 ©KORA August 1999 3 The use of guard dogs in the Swiss Alps: A first analysis Jean-Marc Landry Figure 1: The guard dog Orlando sniffing the nose of a lamb 4 Landry Jean-Marc KORA Bericht Nr. 2 Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. The use of dogs to protect sheep herds against large predators 5 2.1. Origins of guard dogs and their use 5 2.2. Working principles for guard dogs 7 2.3. Differences between guard dogs and herd dogs 10 2.4. Present use of guard dogs in different countries 11 2.5. Ongoing projects in various countries 12 3. Effectiveness of this preventive system 12 3.1. Problems and limitations of guard dog use 12 3.2. Other means of prevention 13 3.3. Comparison between use of guard dogs and other preventive systems 16 4. The use of guard dogs in Switzerland 18 4.1. Preliminary conditions for the introduction of guard dogs in Switzerland 18 4.2. Limitations on the use of guard dogs in Switzerland 19 4.3. Necessary infrastructures and financial implications for the use of a guard dog 19 4.4. Possibility of using working dogs of Swiss race as guard dogs 20 5. Conclusion 21 6. References 21 7. Annexes 24 Tabel of Figure Figure 1: The guard dog Orlando sniffing the nose of a lamb 3 Figure 2: A two months old Great Pyrenees with lambs 7 Figure 3: Border collie stalking a sheep while the St-Bernard remains neutral 10 Figure 4: Donkey in a flock of sheep 14 Figure 5: St-Bernard guarding a flock in the canton of Valais 21 August 1999 The use of guard dogs in the Swiss Alps: A frist analysis 5 1. Introduction (Clutton-Brock 1995). A more recent study (Vilà et al. 1997) confirms the wolf as the true ancestor of Over the past 20 years, the distribution area and the the dog, but puts the origin of the dog at more than number of wolves in Italy have shown a net increase. 135,000 years ago (Gauthier in 1990 already sug- A small population of wolves has been known about gested that the dog might go back 40,000 years). in the Genova region since 1985 (Boitani & Ciucci Wolves and dogs would have continued to exchange 1993). Two wolves were seen for the first time in genes. It was only in the Neolithic Age, when the France (Alpes Maritimes) in November 1992 (Le- hunter-gatherer became cultivator, and therefore sed- quette et al. 1995). Since the end of the 1980s, sight- entary, that man certainly brought about a new selec- ings of wolves have increased in the French and Ital- tiveness to the dog by isolating it more and more ian Alps. from wolves and letting it wander, for example, in The Swiss Alps contain the environmental condi- the villages where it came to feed (R. Coppinger tions necessary for the survival of a small population pers. comm.). of wolves (Landry 1997a). The mountains, however, The far distant ancestor of guard dogs is said to are also exploited by man, namely for hunting, tour- be a mythical mastiff which lived on the high Ti- ism and animal husbandry. This husbandry has led to betan plateaus from prehistoric times (Guardamagna densities of herbivores generally higher than those 1995). Chinese chronicles relate that such a dog was reached by wild species. Despite the abundance of offered to the Chinese emperor in 1121 B.C. game near areas of summer pasture, the losses of (Guardamagna 1995). Very large dogs, however, al- sheep which are not guarded are likely to be high ready existed in Assyria in the 13th century B.C., as (Kaczensky 1996). For example, at least 119 sheep can be seen in representations of dogs on various were killed by at least two wolves from July 1995 to bas-reliefs or on terracottas coming from the ruins of May 1996 in the Valais (Switzerland). The damage Babylon or Niniveh (Guardamagna 1995). More- was estimated at more than SFr. 57,000 (Landry over, Alexander the Great is said to have received 1997b). The capture of an ovine animal is easier and two dogs from an Indian king, which he brought less dangerous than that of a deer and involves less back to Macedonia in 326 B.C., in the Molosses re- expenditure of energy (Valverde 1964). Unfortu- gion. Since then, these dogs have been given the nately, a wolf (or a dog) can be seized with murder- name of molosses (previously ”Indian dog”). These ous frenzy within an artificial system such as a herd molosses were used by the Romans for circus games, of sheep (just like a fox in a hen run) and it may kill for combat and to guard their villas and estates a lot of animals without eating them. In a mountain- (Guardamagna 1995). Anon (1913, quoted by Cop- ous region, animals seized by panic can also easily pinger & Coppinger 1993) mentions the existence of fall from rocks. It will be necessary therefore to de- a treatise on the management of Roman farms pub- velop effective means of protection for livestock, lished in 150 B.C. The treatise is so well supplied adapted to the situation in the Swiss Alps, which are with information on the use of guard dogs that if no at the same time economically and socially viable for other book existed, it could be used today the farmer and the shepherd. (Coppinger & Coppinger 1993). The authors of this treatise mention two types of dog. One was used to 2. The use of dogs to protect hunt predators and game, the second to protect herds. sheep herds against large predators Other authors put the existence of these two types of dog well before the Roman period (Strebel 1905). 2.1. Origins of guard dogs and of their use The mythical mastiff of Tibet is said to have been the origin of the two principal stocks of molossoids: All the present races of dog originate from the wolf (Scott 1968, Wayne & Jenks 1991). More precisely, • one with squat form, with short hair and a short the dog is believed to be descended from a small muzzle, suited for fighting, for combat, and for sized wolf, the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes), guarding estate houses (Canis villatices and according to Scott (1968). Its place of origin is be- Canis pugnatices) and which gave rise to present- lieved to be the Near and Middle East (Scott 1968) day bulldogs; and its appearance in the Mesolithic Age, more than • the other with a more harmonious silhouette, long 14,000 years ago (Scott 1968, Davis & Valla 1978, hair and normal muzzle, used to defend livestock Nobis 1979). Remains of dogs, however, have been against predators (Canis pastoralis) from which found at places far removed from each other, though present-day mountain dogs are descended (Guar- nothing yet permits us to know if domestication took damagna 1995). place several times independently or if it spread from The first indications of the domestication of sheep one region (Olsen & Olsen 1977, Morey 1996). (beginning with the Asiatic mouflon) and of the goat However, the great diversity of dogs which already (starting with the bezoar goat) were found in western existed long ago, suggests a varied genetic heritage Asia (Iraq and Iran) and go back about 7.000 or 6 Landry Jean-Marc KORA Bericht Nr. 2 8,000 years B.C. (Leonard 1974, Gauthier 1990). Slovenia Krasky ovchar (Kras shepherd dog) Domestic dogs and sheep appear together for the Caucasus Kavkaskaya ovcharka (Caucasian first time in archaeological sites dated 3,585 B.C. shepherd dog)-several local types (Olsen 1985). It is probable that the first ancestors of (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaydjan, Dagestan) guard dogs arrived in Europe in the company of no- Russia Kavkaskaya ovcharka (Caucasian shepherd madic shepherds (Iberians originating in the Cauca- dog)-mountains type and steppe type Southern th Russian shepherd dog sus in the 6 century B.C., silk route, etc.) and Sredneaziatskaya ovcharka (Central Asian spread in Europe (Grignon 1982, Coly 1994, Cruz shepherd dog) 1995).