A team of researchers investigated how different outdoor management styles influence the social and communicative behavior of the Fonni’s Dog, a traditional Sardinian livestock guardian breed. The study included 70 adult Fonni’s Dogs—35 living in kennels and 35 free-ranging on livestock farms—each observed while interacting with their owner.
Using a detailed ethogram adapted from established literature, the dogs were evaluated for body language and behavioral responses. While certain categories of behavior varied depending on whether dogs were confined or free-ranging, all dogs showed strong collaborative motivation with their owners—a key trait of the breed. This included attentive body postures, orientation toward the owner, and cooperative actions.
Importantly, both groups displayed behaviors that fulfill the Fonni’s Dog’s primary guarding and territorial defense motivations. Despite environmental differences, the breed exhibited a well-balanced temperament, suggesting that their behavioral health is maintained through strong dog–owner communication and an alignment with their natural working roles.
The findings highlight the resilience and adaptability of Fonni’s Dogs and provide new insights into how environment and owner interaction shape behavior in working breeds.
Source: Cocco, R., Sechi, S., Giannetto, C., Rizzo, M., Piccione, G., & Arfuso, F. (2024). An In-Depth Look at Fonni’s Dog Behavior under Different Outdoor Conditions. Animals, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040653
