Livestock Guardian Dogs are entrusted to protect their stock and flock from predators, but as you see in the video below (shared under a Creative Commons Attribution license, reuse allowed), sometimes – and without being asked – they break up squabbles among the “children,” themselves.

The video shows off a peace-keeper named Michael, a Great Pyrenees who keeps the peace at Rancho Relaxo, a non-profit animal rescue organization and sanctuary in New Jersey. Caitlin Cimini, the rescue’s president and founder, has always shared photos of the animals in her charge on the rescue’s Instagram page, but when she shared the video of Michael breaking up what he thought was a sheep “fight” between “Flick” and “Banks” (they were actually playing), the video was soon shared all over social media.  We came across an interview with Cimini in which she mentioned that after Michael restored order, he proudly strolled over to Cimini for a well deserved head scritch.

When the US government tested several breeds of guardian dogs at the Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho a while back, researchers determined that the most successful of the breeds in the USSES study was the Great Pyrenees. Some of the tested breeds were unsuited for fenced pastures, some played with the sheep more than protected them, and some had a high kill rate during their adolescence. The Great Pyrenees in the study performed well on both farm and range situations, and there were no Pyrenees bites reported by the USSES study. This non-aggressive temperament was perceived to make the breed a good choice for use in areas with a relatively high human population.

Owners who have the breed as a companion appreciate their gentle temperament and intelligent (if not occasionally willful) nature. Intimidating for their size and “woof!” Pyrs are not “attack” dogs, but their inclination to guard is instinctive.

Image: By © Marilyn Barbone | Dreamstime