No Brendan, LGD's don't work like that. Most of it is instinct, with a %age learned, such as normal puppy behavior of not chasing or playing rough. If we were talking any other type of dog, I'd agree with you. But we are talking LGD's-Pyr, Anatolian, Akbash, Maremma, and a host of other Livestock guardians-LGD bloodlines only no mixes of outside non-lgd bloodlines. These dogs bond with their charges, be it livestock, fowl, or people, and they become a pack or a herd, whichever you prefer. Probably the only reason a well bred lgd would eat one of their charges would be the threat to the herd-the sick one-and then they would normally segregate it, and after natural death eat. It eats it because it became a threat to the herd simply by being sick or dead, which would lure predators to the herd. This behavior is often mistaken for them killing it by newbies to ownership. No, they are not like other dogs. These dogs actually take care of their charges, be it keeping it warm, or cleaning up after a birthing, or staying with an animal stuck in the fence. Oftentimes they eat every other or third day, similar to wolves, who are their mortal enemy. If you ever have the opportunity to observe their interaction with their charges, please do. I've seen a pup actually remove a pail off of a goats head once-truly amazing the care that was taken, the thought process, and the sincere concern for the doe. Of course your scenario can happen, but it is highly unlikely and improbable, and of course there would be no need because the dog would have food readily available at his/her leisure. Brendasue

What would I do? What have I done? All of it. Not only have I walked onto the neighbors dogs on a rampage trying to get at my llamas (thank god for strong fences) they then turned on me and I had to make a weapon out of anything I could grab. I have found tom cats killing my cat's kittens inside my house after they tore off the screen in the window to get in. I have beaten raccoons in the head with an extra large flashlight with all of my 200+ lbs while they were trying desperately to get into a bird cage where I had a breeding pair of cockatiels - only to have them hiss and walk away, and I mean I hit them hard over and over. You won't win. The only thing to do is build a super strong fortress around your place and only let your animals out when you can defend them. At one time I had many large coops for show poultry as well as the llamas and some sheep. I could only afford to build super strong pens for some of them. It took a lot of management, I had to spend a lot of time shuttling animals from secure pens to pasture. It was a big pain - but after building the fortress I never lost another animal, I never had to poison or trap anything, I never had to shoot anything, I never had to confront another neighbor over what their dogs were doing on my property. My animals adapted to the routine and it made living in the country much more peaceful and not a war zone. At the time I didn't have a dog and I was amazed at my neighbors behavior. We would have neighborhood meetings to discuss problems and I would loudly announce that the best thing about the fourth of July was that hot dog weiners and antifreeze were both on sale and that I wasn't going to waste my bullets teaching their dogs manners. I never poisoned anything but you would think these people would realize the problems they were causing. Nothing worked. I eventually moved away and now years later I have once again moved out in the country. Everybody that visits asks when I am going to get livestock again - they miss the llamas and the sheep and the chickens. I don't plan on getting anything until I build a fortress around the whole place, strong enough to keep my stuff in and their stuff out. You need strong fences if you want to run guardian dogs - sometimes they mistake a jogger or someone walking the road as a threat and they slip through the fence to bite the intruder. You'll have another problem if your dog kills someone on a public street.

Two points. Torture is a relative term. Is it torture when a lion catches an antelope and begins eating it before the antelope is completely dead? Is it torture for the antelope to be chased by the lion? Is there really any difference between the terrified antelope and a cow being forced up a killing chute and killed quickly with a blow to the head? Humanoids have eaten plants and animals since before we were Homo sapiens. We killed animals however we could. Forcing herds over a cliff and leaving most of the animals to rot, since there were too many to eat before the rest began to decay. Most people in the US are appalled by the thought of eating dog or horse meat. Because we have enough wealth to keep those animals as pets, making them more special to us. I can't visualize eating monkey meat and I would never open a clam/oyster and eat the insides. I have tried roasted opossum(once was enough---greasy, nasty tasting) and like rattlesnake. I've butchered chickens, hogs, and cows, processed them, cooked them, and enjoyed eating them. What people eat is what they grow up eating. Point two. Everything dies. Some things die quickly, some die slowly. Ever see a cow or deer with wasting disease? Or a starved horse or a dog? Pitiful sights. Makes me mad. People have the ability to choose what they want to eat. Those same people have no right to force me to abide by their beliefs---like PETA(I like my version of P(eople)E(ating)T(asty)A(nimals). You want to eat chocolate covered spiders? Have at. Don't be surprised if I say "No Thanks".

Quirky's right...I watch "Animal Cops Detroit" on the Animal Planet and it's a joke. They don't rescue an animal or bust a negligent owner unless the animal is dead or nearly dead. If the owner, after being rebuked by the officers does manage to throw a couple of kibble out in the back yard for their animal, the cops applaud the owner's actions, saying bull-sh*t like "It really looks like he's making an effort", lol! One of the most common things I hear on that show (and occasionally here) is "Maybe she/he just doesn't know"...as in maybe they don't "know" that they are supposed to feed the animal, or not keep it outside in below zero temps without any shelter, food or water...truly idiotic. I so wish that the penalties for animal abusers were harsher.