Finnish farmer uses two massive guard dogs to protect sheep from wolves

Two large livestock guardian dogs have begun working on Nina Nihtilä’s farm in Kärkölä, Finland, to protect her flock of around 300 sheep from wolf attacks, Yle reports. The dogs, Agatha and Somnus, are part of a new monitoring project by WWF Finland tracking the use of guardian dogs on farms.

The nearly six-month-old pups—a Central Asian Shepherd and a Maremmano-Abruzzese—weigh a combined 80 kilograms and have already started their training. Their presence and barking are meant to deter wolves rather than confront them directly. “It’s excellent that they have different temperaments,” Nihtilä said. “One might stay with the flock while the other chases off a predator.”

Nihtilä, a veterinarian and doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, adopted the dogs after her previous guardian dog died suddenly last summer. The farm had also experienced a wolf attack in 2025, prompting her to install a taller electrified predator fence. This year, a game-proof fence and the new dogs will reinforce protection.

WWF Finland launched a project in January to study guardian dog effectiveness, emphasizing that sturdy fencing combined with dogs offers the best defense. A 2022 guide by the organization provides Finnish farmers with training protocols for these working breeds.

The dogs, nicknamed “Team Home Security” and “Pinky and the Brain” for their contrasting personalities, will initially be supervised on pasture. Nihtilä plans to gradually grant them more independence as they learn to respect electric fences and avoid chasing sheep.