The dogs do help! Mine has even learned to look up when the chickens give the warning "hawk" call, and he'll chase the hawks away.
This morning I found clumps of feathers across the
lawn from a hen that had been caught and plucked by some predator. Then, amazingly I found the hen! Lost some dignity and most of her tail but she's alive and well. I can only guess the dogs heard the racket and got there in time to chase off whatever was trying to eat her!
My dog also keeps an eye out for foxes and runs them and stray dogs off whenever he spots them.
I probably couldn't have chickens free range without my dogs!
ETA: mine aren't
LGD's - I have a heeler, who is the main guard dog, and then a Corgi X Jack Russell and a Cocker Spaniel X chihuahua. The Corgi mix is a puppy and is being trained by the heeler to guard the poultry.