We have a Great Pyrenees/Akbash/Maremma cross named Millie. She's about 4 1/2 months old and weighs in at about 60 pounds and waffles between puppy goofiness and a kind of deliberate dignity that I just love. I was thinking she could guard our ducks, but the ducks said "No Thanks", so she just guards us.
Zara looked like she was actually doing a good job of guarding that gate. She appeared to have the same sort of intentness that I've seen in others.
I was told the usual way of training LGD's is that the owner does NOT try to bond with the dog. That way, the dog will bond with her herd instead. They sort of just live with the herd, and being a dog they will naturally try to protect "their pack".
Ours already understands that we don't want her chasing them, although she will occasionally veer in their direction a bit when she's running to me... just to sort of spook 'em a bit. I'm hoping that she will eventually understand that we want them protected as well, even if she doesn't actually identify with them. (Good Grief! the picture of a Big White Dog that thinks she's a duck???)