06/07/07, 09:26 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,722
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Mavors, I keep my bucks separate from the does. I do it both for breeding purposes and for milking. If a buck is with the does, it will make the milk taste "bucky".
leecofarm, This is what I've been told. I've never let my dogs get hungry to find out if it's true, but it does make sense that it would happen. Pyr's are loyal to their herd and won't leave it unprotected, so their only option is to find food in the herd if their owners don't keep them fed. I've read that they will kill a weak or sick kid or lamb for food. I guess their thinking is to forfeit the weakest to protect the rest. I've read about it on web sites of goat & sheep owners. They claim that the dogs will pick out a sick or weak member of the flock to kill for food, but only if they are extremely hungry. It's not just Pyr's that will kill to survive, all guardian dogs will do that, I don't know if many owners of guardian dogs are aware of it, if they just don't talk about it, or don't believe it. Personally I keep mine well fed and take no chances.
I have tame rabbits, chickens, ducks, and lots of other little animals that free range on my property. The dogs have never killed anything that belongs here. They will kill or chase away anything that tries to enter the property, such as skunks, opossums, coyotes, and even snakes. They know what belongs and what doesn't belong here. It's easy to introduce new animals. I just take them nose to nose with the dogs and pet the dogs while holding the new animal. Then turn the new animal loose in front of the dogs. The dogs accept the new animal immediately.
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