Up until about 150 years ago or so, dogs worked with humans in mutually beneficial relationships.  They hunted with us, protected our homes, killed vermin, and helped us maintain and care for farm animals.    Only a few rather wealthy people could afford to keep dogs as pets.  These specialized jobs that dogs performed were not necessarily based on training but on what scientists call “motor patterns” or specific behaviors or sequence of behaviors.
Initially dogs were bred based on function.  Some breeds have a predisposition to be better adapted for specific behaviors which is why there are herding breeds, guarding breeds, terrier breeds – each bred based on the function they performed.  Breeding for conformation or form, is a more recent development.
Any dog can be trained to do a number of things but the breed plays a part in its natural abilities.  There is some behavioral plasticity in dogs that allows for ‘non-herding breeds’ to learn to herd but there needs to be more studies on how behavior is affected by genetics and environment.  There can be challenges but systematic training will result in a peaceful coexistence between dogs and livestock.
Dogs living with livestock must possess two critical skills – a reliable recall and “leave it.”  Teaching recall and the “leave it” commands to herding dogs is done pretty much the same way as teaching these commands to a pet companion.  When teaching the recall cue, the trainer starts the dog on leash, quickly backing away while saying “Come” then gradually increasing the distance between the dog and the trainer.  The “leave it” cue is crucial for the dog to learn.  If the dog approaches livestock when he shouldn’t, the trainer teaches him to lay down or come to him on the “leave it” command.
In addition to the recall and “leave it” cues, herding dogs will need to know two more behavior skills.  The need to know how to “walk up”, to move toward the livestock they are herding.  The dog is allowed to get close enough to get the stock’s attention, at which point he is cued to lay down.  This stops the dog from charging in.
Herding dogs must also know how to move to the left (counter clockwise) as well as to the right (clockwise).  These movements are referred to as “away to me” and “come by.”  A dog is more valuable as a working herding dog if they are able to perform other behaviors at a distance.
There are many ways to train herding dogs but never force or intimidate them.  Chances are small that a dog can be trained to reliably work with livestock if the genetic foundations are not there.  Livestock Guardian Dogs are required to be socialized to the animals they are to guard and are often raised with the stock in the barn.  True livestock guarding dogs are not household pets and do not live in the home with the people.  It is believed that if livestock guarding dogs are kept as “pets”, it can eliminate them from being truly reliable stock guardians.  Guard dogs need to be with the livestock 24/7 to protect them from predators and thieves.  They need to allow the rancher/farmer to approach them but often no one else is permitted.  Guard dogs will aggressively go after any intruder so they are often on hundreds of acres and/or completely surrounded by a secure fence.  Most farmers and ranchers with limited acreage cannot safely keep livestock guarding dogs.
There are many breeds that possess natural guardian tendencies and make wonderful family pets; it’s the care-takers responsibility to decide which trait to nurture.  They are either a livestock guarding dog or they are a pet.  A true working livestock guard dog is of extreme value to the owner but they are not a family pet.
Protecting livestock is a completely different use of dogs.