Wolf folklore and the development of sheepdogs are interconnected. Wolves were once idealized by nomads as apex predators. The agricultural revolution caused societies to engage in settled livestock production; combined with monotheistic, Abrahamic religions, attitudes toward the wolf shifted. Now wolves were evil, preying upon your flock and your soul. As real wolves were exterminated, shepherds needed canines to assist with livestock management. The wolf’s distant descendant, the herding dog, became the shepherd's "enlightened wolf,” using hunting instincts inherited from wolf ancestors to herd flocks.
