{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T18:28:21Z","timestamp":1764095301852,"version":"3.45.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764028800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"DFG","award":["512603973"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["512603973"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Over recent decades, several predator species have returned to human-dominated landscapes in Europe, with wolves (\n                    <jats:italic>Canis lupus)<\/jats:italic>\n                    causing the most damage to livestock. In Germany, some \u2018pioneer\u2019 farmers started keeping guard dogs (\n                    <jats:italic>Canis lupus familiaris)<\/jats:italic>\n                    to protect their livestock, but these \u2018pioneers\u2019 faced opposition from a general public unfamiliar with methods of protecting against predators. To evaluate the use and management of guard dogs to protect various farm animal species against predators in rural areas frequently used by the public in Germany, we studied the behaviour of 113 guard dogs on farms across Germany that have frequent public contact. Two approaches were used: I) we observed guard dog proximity to and behaviour towards goats and horses with direct field observation, and II) we asked equine science and agriculture students trained in behaviour observations and official herd management commissioners to report their experiences of guard dogs during their initial visits to farms keeping various livestock species. These reports included observations of the dogs\u2019 behaviour and information about the farm and dog management practices, and showed that guard dogs preferentially stay within 1 farm-animal body lengths of goats and horses. They adapted to a large variety of tasks and could protect various species. They displayed friendly behaviour towards the owners of the farms and known persons, and all behaviour categories towards farm animals and unfamiliar persons in the presence of the owner. They were dominant and watchful towards unknown persons and external dogs. The farmers\u2019 training and socialising of their guard dogs appear to be successful, as older dogs, and large mixed-sex guard dog groups were consistently watchful against external individuals, but friendly towards farm personnel. In conclusion, guard dogs adapt well to guarding various species on German farms.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0337432","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T18:24:16Z","timestamp":1764095056000},"page":"e0337432","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Guard dog behaviour (Canis lupus familiaris) towards various animal species and humans on farms in Germany"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9120-680X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Konstanze","family":"Krueger","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kimberly Scarlet","family":"Camenzind","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Aida","family":"Kumpf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kate","family":"Farmer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8161-0342","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Maren","family":"Bernau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0337432.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1186\/s40462-022-00335-4","article-title":"The spatial and temporal exploitation of anthropogenic food sources by common ravens (Corvus corax) in the Alps","volume":"10","author":"V Jain","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mov Ecol"},{"key":"pone.0337432.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3897\/BDJ.7.e34825","article-title":"Dispersal history of the golden jackal (Canis aureus moreoticus Geoffroy, 1835) in Europe and possible causes of its recent population explosion","volume":"7","author":"N Spassov","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biodivers Data J"},{"key":"pone.0337432.ref003","volume-title":"Status, management and distribution of large carnivores-bear, lynx, wolf & wolverine-in Europe","author":"P Kaczensky","year":"2013"},{"issue":"6216","key":"pone.0337432.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1517","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1257553","article-title":"Recovery of large carnivores in Europe\u2019s modern human-dominated landscapes","volume":"346","author":"G Chapron","year":"2014","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"pone.0337432.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315175454-15","article-title":"Trans-boundary and trans-regional management of a large carnivore: Managing brown bears across national and regional borders in Europe","volume-title":"Large Carnivore Conservation and Management","author":"V Penteriani","year":"2018"},{"key":"pone.0337432.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109442","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocon.2021.109442","article-title":"Genome-wide diversity loss in reintroduced Eurasian lynx populations urges immediate conservation management","volume":"266","author":"SA Mueller","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biol Conserv"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0337432.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"345","DOI":"10.1017\/S1367943001001408","article-title":"Predators and people: conservation of large carnivores is possible at high human densities if management policy is favourable","volume":"4","author":"JDC Linnell","year":"2001","journal-title":"Anim Conserv"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337432.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"347","DOI":"10.1093\/jel\/eqq013","article-title":"Managing the Carnivore Comeback: International and EU Species Protection Law and the Return of Lynx, Wolf and Bear to Western Europe","volume":"22","author":"A Trouwborst","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Environ Law"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0337432.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1118","DOI":"10.1071\/AN16030","article-title":"Guardian dogs protect sheep by guarding sheep, not by establishing territories and excluding predators","volume":"57","author":"LR Allen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Anim Prod Sci"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0337432.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.2307\/4003429","article-title":"Livestock guard dogs reduce predation on domestic sheep in Colorado","volume":"53","author":"WF Andelt","year":"2000","journal-title":"J Range Manag"},{"key":"pone.0337432.ref011","first-page":"106","volume-title":"Large Carnivore \u2013 Livestock Conflicts in Europe. 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