Okay well I believe you're between a rock and a hard place.
At what age did you get him?
I'm thinking there are a lot of things at work here not all within your ability to change and control. But a few could be.
Your previous home was it a privacy fence? If it was a privacy fence and a smaller lot likely he was more at ease also GLD generally don't fully come into their own until they mature.
I feel like he has conflicting breeding with the GP and the lab. While I'm sure it's an adorable cross. Breeding dogs from two separate groups within the species(such as herding, sporting, toy etc) can have massive consequences. Some labs do have a kill drive and not only a drive to fetch.
The great Pyrenees on the other hand is supposed to protect the entirety of his domain. Well bred and well trained ones will do just that within reason and within the realms of their training.
How old was the dog when you guys moved?
You must remember when you guys moved his world turned upside down and everything he had known and been protecting changed. Also most LGD and many many non-LGD dogs will attack and kill chickens without training. Yes he had been trained to be nice to the chickens in the other place but this place is different. Also if one dog kills chickens and there is another dog present it will generally join in the "game". Was your bloodhound out when the chicken incident occurred?
As for the dogs and unfortunately also the cats he is following his instincts that tell him to "protect the boundaries"! Anything that crosses the boundaries without your okay I it is suspect to him and even the things that cross them with your knowledge he will watch. He's got these instincts that have never been honed and told what to aim at. However those smaller dogs could easily be a threat and could definitely be after the chickens when they come into the yard. Think fox and coyote to your GP/Lab.
While not a GLD we have a Great Dane and at first I was hesitant because she is huge and clumsy and kinda dumb. She was DH2B's dog before we got together. I have house cats. She had never seen a cat. She does great with our house cats but lately someone dropped off a cat. We are trying to gain it's trust so we can find it a home (frankly as long as it doesn't hurt the flock we don't care if it stays- it will be neutered then of course). We have to watch our Dane carefully she is curious about the cat but if it runs will chase it and I think she might kill it if she caught it.
Most dogs will attack nonhuman things that run away from them. That is why you are always supposed to back slowly away from an aggressive dog.
If we are able to gain the trust of the cat outside and show it to the Dane she will then view it as family most likely and not want to hurt it. The difference is the house cats were raised with dogs(I brought a sheltie with into the relationship) they don't fear them.
My sheltie has a completely different approach to the cat outside she walks slowly towards it and lays down when I tell her but the cat is still fearful. I would trust my sheltie with any animal and she has proven herself in those regards. Mothering kittens, baby bunnies, baby birds. Etc.
I understand your hesitation with your dog. I really do. Your little ones must come first. But I don't feel your dog isn't capable of being rehabbed. If you choose to try longer with your dog perhaps getting in touch with some people that raise/train livestock guardian dogs is a good place to start.
The fast movement towards your daughter is questionable but you also said there was no growl and no teeth. I would watch him closely but everything you've said to me sounds like a confused, over stimulated, livestock guardian dog with some very confused tendencies due to his mix.
How far along are you? I ask because you of course need to take that into consideration.
If he were mine I would attempt to save him starting from the ground up and getting the help of a LGD familiar trainer if possible. I would also talk to your vet friend for ideas and possibly some resources. However at this time we don't have any children ourselves but I do have nieces, nephew's, and occasionally customers/visitors that bring their small children that want to see the animals.
Any reputable LGD trainer from my research(we're planning on getting one) will tell you that the first calving/lambing season or two that a dog experiences must be monitored to be sure the dog understands the baby belongs with the herd and with the mother. I saw a video recently on YouTube where a LGD dog saw it's first calf born and became so protective of the calf he wouldn't let the mother near it to nurse it. The dog was removed for several days away from the pasture and then carefully reintroduced. Everything went smoothly that time.
I don't think most of us here would disagree with you if you decide to euthanize him. You must do what's right for yourself as well as him.
It's true there is no clear cut right answer to this problem yes he could be a liability it's true. My grandparents had a white GSD that bit my cousin when he was about 12 right in the face. The dog was tied only because she was intimidating and would jump. She was an outside dog but had never even aggressive however she didn't know this cousin as she knew my brothers and I. During our Easter egg hunt he went to look in her food dish for an egg as she ate and startled she snapped. She was euthanized. My cousin didn't know any better because he was never around dogs.
At what age did you get him?
I'm thinking there are a lot of things at work here not all within your ability to change and control. But a few could be.
Your previous home was it a privacy fence? If it was a privacy fence and a smaller lot likely he was more at ease also GLD generally don't fully come into their own until they mature.
I feel like he has conflicting breeding with the GP and the lab. While I'm sure it's an adorable cross. Breeding dogs from two separate groups within the species(such as herding, sporting, toy etc) can have massive consequences. Some labs do have a kill drive and not only a drive to fetch.
The great Pyrenees on the other hand is supposed to protect the entirety of his domain. Well bred and well trained ones will do just that within reason and within the realms of their training.
How old was the dog when you guys moved?
You must remember when you guys moved his world turned upside down and everything he had known and been protecting changed. Also most LGD and many many non-LGD dogs will attack and kill chickens without training. Yes he had been trained to be nice to the chickens in the other place but this place is different. Also if one dog kills chickens and there is another dog present it will generally join in the "game". Was your bloodhound out when the chicken incident occurred?
As for the dogs and unfortunately also the cats he is following his instincts that tell him to "protect the boundaries"! Anything that crosses the boundaries without your okay I it is suspect to him and even the things that cross them with your knowledge he will watch. He's got these instincts that have never been honed and told what to aim at. However those smaller dogs could easily be a threat and could definitely be after the chickens when they come into the yard. Think fox and coyote to your GP/Lab.
While not a GLD we have a Great Dane and at first I was hesitant because she is huge and clumsy and kinda dumb. She was DH2B's dog before we got together. I have house cats. She had never seen a cat. She does great with our house cats but lately someone dropped off a cat. We are trying to gain it's trust so we can find it a home (frankly as long as it doesn't hurt the flock we don't care if it stays- it will be neutered then of course). We have to watch our Dane carefully she is curious about the cat but if it runs will chase it and I think she might kill it if she caught it.
Most dogs will attack nonhuman things that run away from them. That is why you are always supposed to back slowly away from an aggressive dog.
If we are able to gain the trust of the cat outside and show it to the Dane she will then view it as family most likely and not want to hurt it. The difference is the house cats were raised with dogs(I brought a sheltie with into the relationship) they don't fear them.
My sheltie has a completely different approach to the cat outside she walks slowly towards it and lays down when I tell her but the cat is still fearful. I would trust my sheltie with any animal and she has proven herself in those regards. Mothering kittens, baby bunnies, baby birds. Etc.
I understand your hesitation with your dog. I really do. Your little ones must come first. But I don't feel your dog isn't capable of being rehabbed. If you choose to try longer with your dog perhaps getting in touch with some people that raise/train livestock guardian dogs is a good place to start.
The fast movement towards your daughter is questionable but you also said there was no growl and no teeth. I would watch him closely but everything you've said to me sounds like a confused, over stimulated, livestock guardian dog with some very confused tendencies due to his mix.
How far along are you? I ask because you of course need to take that into consideration.
If he were mine I would attempt to save him starting from the ground up and getting the help of a LGD familiar trainer if possible. I would also talk to your vet friend for ideas and possibly some resources. However at this time we don't have any children ourselves but I do have nieces, nephew's, and occasionally customers/visitors that bring their small children that want to see the animals.
Any reputable LGD trainer from my research(we're planning on getting one) will tell you that the first calving/lambing season or two that a dog experiences must be monitored to be sure the dog understands the baby belongs with the herd and with the mother. I saw a video recently on YouTube where a LGD dog saw it's first calf born and became so protective of the calf he wouldn't let the mother near it to nurse it. The dog was removed for several days away from the pasture and then carefully reintroduced. Everything went smoothly that time.
I don't think most of us here would disagree with you if you decide to euthanize him. You must do what's right for yourself as well as him.
It's true there is no clear cut right answer to this problem yes he could be a liability it's true. My grandparents had a white GSD that bit my cousin when he was about 12 right in the face. The dog was tied only because she was intimidating and would jump. She was an outside dog but had never even aggressive however she didn't know this cousin as she knew my brothers and I. During our Easter egg hunt he went to look in her food dish for an egg as she ate and startled she snapped. She was euthanized. My cousin didn't know any better because he was never around dogs.
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