Quote:
Originally Posted by mpete
Pros and cons of different breeds...
Is there any breed more prone to ....
.... running?
.... People aggression?
.... Small animals such as chickens getting attacked by the LGD?
.... If I have the goats out browsing will they still protect them? (Like say
they are up the tracks out of their pens and a strange dog comes by)
My husband and I have finally decided to get an LGD since we are investing a lot of money into our goat herds (both dairy and meat), so I really want to do my research.  We only have 4 acres, on a hill. We have started a 6 foot perimeter fence made of horse (2" X 4" squares) wire and will have 2' of barb wire on top, but it will take awhile to get it all fenced and I also want the LGD to tell me when something is around.
The GP's from what I understand like to roam, and in my area that is not ok. I have heard that Anatollians are a little too protective of their goat families and if they don't know you they will not let you in the pen... I kind of like that thought to protect from theft,  but I need a little more input on that. So, anything you have heard, experienced, anything I would like to know please... Thank you |
Speaking from a lot of experience
, as well as lots of sharing with other breeders and owners of Great Pyrenees I can address a few of your points:
1) My Great Pyrenees don't wander/run. However, they are inclined to guard more area, rather than less. This takes some training (No, not the neighbor's pasture! Taking the dog on leash and saying NO when crossing the property line etc) and just general maturity on the part of the Great Pyrenees to convince them that they need to just guard your property.
2) We have found that some lines are more inclined to be very proactive in guarding re: getting out to secure the "no fly zone". Great Pyrenees work by deterrence more than aggression - so their big bark and fearless presence and clever handling of situations (and keeping a border clear is one of those techniques) keeps predators at bay or moving on to an easier target.
3) With the above, electric will almost always keep a Pyrenees in its' selected area. Wire 6 inches above the ground and top strand of the fence.
4) Dogs that are always kept in the main pasture as puppies or on leash are much more inclined to stick close to home and be willing to stay in their pen. This is because you have trained (somewhat) the dog that it does not have any responsibility to guard outside that pen...A dog that has been on general patrol tends to want to guard the whole property, even when you have penned it. Great Pyrenees really have an over-developed sense of responsibility!
5) Multiple Great Pyrenees on patrol will tend to expand the territory guarded - because they can. Be wise in how many dogs you have "out" and straying from your property will be greatly reduced.
Bottom line (on this point) is to use common sense, some training, and work with the dog as it matures.
People aggression: Pyrenees are not people aggressive. But they are still protective and will evaluate people to determine if they feel they are trustworthy etc. GP tend to intervene their body between humans and their "goal" - basically not allowing them to pass by just happening to be in their way. Any thief who has the courage to go into a pen with a big white dog with a big bark is a looney tunes.... I won't even pet a GP through/over a fence when I am in town when it is barking - and I know and trust GPs - but this one is not mine - way too risky!
Chickens and other critters: Great Pyrenees are great with all farm creatures. They have killed chickens, but usually when they are still puppies (a Pyrenees is still a puppy at 14 months) and require some training and scolding on the part of the owner and keeping a puppy from having full access to the chickens until no longer a puppy.
Great Pyrenees will guard your critters wherever they are. Please see above about over-developed sense of responsibility.
However, just because your Pyrenees doesn't stick to them like glue doesn't mean they aren't guarding them - just means that they know they are safe (and can reach them in 2.2 seconds if necessary). A Pyrenees that has split duties ( 1/2 the goats are up in the forest and 1/2 at home) will choose which one it thinks is more essential (and guarding the home front is a pretty strong drive). However, if you have 2 GPs, one will guard the home front while the other goes with the critters.
I am going to re-post a little story about our Great Pyrenees to illustrate the above...
Quote:
Kodiak story
Friday morning my 9 year old son forgot to latch the gate to the calves pen. The pen is actually located on our next door neighbor's property and we can not see it from the house - or anywhere on our property really. We live on the gentle side of a mountain - steep in places, flat in places, mostly gently sloping to the south. There is a lot of underbrush and tons of pine trees so that visibility is rather limited, except on roads, which rarely run straight for long.
The calves are penned securely, except for the fact that they learned they could jiggle the chain that slides into a slot in the gate (corral panel) and get the gate open. We have caught them several times before, but that was when our neighbor was here. He and his wife have moved to Nevada for the winter, so our extra eyes are gone. Anyway, we solved the problem by using a snap fastener on the chain. Works great until DS forgets to use the snap....
So, Friday afternoon, my DD went by the pen (2:30)- the calves were still there. At 5:00 PM DS goes to feed them and the gate is open and the calves are nowhere to be seen. These boys are 6 months old and 500-600 lbs. and it is hunting season here. Not a nice feeling. Anyway, we begin hunting them uphill and down. The girls are on horseback and going down side-trails, through bushes and rugged terrain. My older DS is on the 4 wheeler and going down all of the local roads looking for them. Ursula (Great Pyrenees female) is running alongside DD and Sunny (her horse) as they look. I am just hiking around looking in thickets and trees and praying for help.
It got dark quickly and we all came home emptyhanded. Called DH and told him to keep an eye out on his way home in case he were to spot something odd.
Saturday AM - older DS goes down to calf pen to see if the calves came home miraculously during the night. Nope. But Kodiak (our neutered Great Pyrenees male) meets him on the road and starts trotting down a trail, glancing over his shoulder at my son. So he follows the dog down a barely discernable trail- 3/4 of a mile later, there they are, standing in a bunch of bushes. DS puts a leash around the tame black one's neck and leads them both home. Comes in to let me know they are safe and sound. As he is telling the story, I realize that while we were all running around looking, and afterward, never once did I see Kodiak. I realized that he followed the calves and then stayed with them all night. Then waited for us to show up in the morning, came to the pens to get us (knowing full well that the calves were safe for the time-being), and then led my son to them so we could bring them home.
Ursula was obviously assigned to the "family" and the homeplace, while Kodiak safeguarded the prodigal calves. Awesome dogs!
FYI: For all of those who claim that a Pyrenees needs to be penned with its' charges in order to bond and protect - our Pyrenees have never been penned with those calves, although they certainly know they are ours, and have guarded them while down in our neighbors' field (why I don't tend to worry, even with stories of coyotes pulling down 4 point bucks recently).
Anyway, both Kodiak and Ursula received lots of praise (oh, they know they are so smart!) and they are truly worth their weight in gold. I really do love these dogs!
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In the end, no one-size fits all for LGDs. We just love the versatility of Great Pyrenees and their kindness and attention to smaller, weaker animals (like children!) and their non-aggressive attitudes. Definitely a great idea to have a LGD, you will be so happy you have one, once you do. And getting one sooner than later is smart - there is after all, a training and maturing process that needs to occur, preferably
before you desperately need one.
