Got my Great Pyrenees today!

[Below frigid]

Trained many dogs. 15-20 minutes twice a day everyday. Their attention span won't take much more. How many months you do it for depends on how far you want to take them. Once a month to keep them that way after your satisfied. Most important command is to come when called no matter the situation! Yours look like Polar Bears! Easy does it the first year!

 

[Dr.Dale]

15-20 minutes twice a day everyday. Their attention span won't take much more.

Oh, that is less than I expected. That makes it easier

How many months you do it for depends on how far you want to take them.

I want them to know heel, come, down, and leave it. Everything else is optional. Any tips on that and going easy the first year?

 

[Peckadoodle]

We lost our pyrenees, Max, a few months ago...he was almost 14. Cannot say enough good things about the breed. No predators around our livestock and chickens, even though our neighbor continues to have problems. We often heard his bark and knew he worked nights. About 3 years ago we got a puppy for Max to train. Enjoy every day because those balls of fluff do not stay little long!

 

[LoveChooks9000]

Hi Dr. Dale,
Congrats on getting some gorgeous pups. Beautiful babies.
I don't think you're going to have to do any training of your pups to show them how to protect the chickens. Great Pyrenees are one of the few breeds developed as livestock guardian dogs, so as long as they are brought up with the chickens, they will have the desire to guard them, (just as they will have the desire to guard you and your family!) They are like maremmas, which are used quite a lot here in Australia, mainly to guard sheep, but also chooks and other flocks animals as well.
You will surely need to train them in other ways though, as you have said above...heel, come, etc..
Here's a good page of info. I found about them:
https://www.nationalpyr.org/know-the-breed

The following is a story you might be interested in. I really love this, and it's one of the reasons I've always had so much time for Aust Zoo and what they do. Besides having a massive and extremely well-run zoo, they give back a huge amount to the animal world in many ways. (They also have the biggest wildlife hospital in the world).
As for this story, Australia Zoo (Wildlife Warriors) is a partner in a program that protects cheetahs in Africa by protecting cattle. Instead of the cheetahs being killed by tribesmen for killing cattle, they are kept away from the cattle by Anatolian Shepherds, (another type of livestock guardian dog).
"Threatened by conflict with livestock farmers, Wildlife Warriors in partnership with Cheetah Outreach are working to protect the last stronghold of cheetah in Southern Africa. With less than 7,000 cheetah left in the wild, it’s never been more important to ensure the species is protected. By supporting Cheetah Outreach’s Anatolian Shepherd Dog Program, Wildlife Warriors are helping to provide farmers with a non-lethal method of managing these predators and promoting peaceful co-existence with cheetah."
There's a bit more about it on this site:
http://www.australiazoo.com.au/about-us/zoo-gossip/index.php?gossip=1366

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Great Pyrenees pups when raised with the chickens think that they are chickens to. Then they become very protective of their mixed pack of dogs and chickens. Great (As in big) Pyrenees should be capable of killing wolves and discouraging bears in the defence of the pack (flock). Don't worry too much about the dog's coat, they should live outside with your chickens 24-7-365 so shedding is not an insurmountable problem.

 

[silly4buttons]

View attachment 1216983 View attachment 1216984 Sorry, I had to wait for daylight. Embarrassingly, I didn’t take any yesterday.

The one with the pink collar is Jules and the one with the purple collar is Lassie.

Omg they are adorable I just could just die from the cuteness

 

[chickens really]

Adorable puppies..
I have a Maremma..He is trained to protect Ducks and Chickens..Was started at 5 months but was raised with Mini Horses..

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Does he live outside or do you let him out when your birds are free ranging?

 

[chickens really]

Does he live outside or do you let him out when your birds are free ranging?

Finn actually sleeps in my Walkout basement with my other Two Dogs. Bindi and Wilson. He is out when I free range. He never wonders far from the House or Coops.

 

[biophiliac]

Hi Dr. Dale,
Congrats on getting some gorgeous pups. Beautiful babies.
I don't think you're going to have to do any training of your pups to show them how to protect the chickens. Great Pyrenees are one of the few breeds developed as livestock guardian dogs, so as long as they are brought up with the chickens, they will have the desire to guard them, (just as they will have the desire to guard you and your family!) They are like maremmas, which are used quite a lot here in Australia, mainly to guard sheep, but also chooks and other flocks animals as well.
You will surely need to train them in other ways though, as you have said above...heel, come, etc..
Here's a good page of info. I found about them:
https://www.nationalpyr.org/know-the-breed

The following is a story you might be interested in. I really love this, and it's one of the reasons I've always had so much time for Aust Zoo and what they do. Besides having a massive and extremely well-run zoo, they give back a huge amount to the animal world in many ways. (They also have the biggest wildlife hospital in the world).
As for this story, Australia Zoo (Wildlife Warriors) is a partner in a program that protects cheetahs in Africa by protecting cattle. Instead of the cheetahs being killed by tribesmen for killing cattle, they are kept away from the cattle by Anatolian Shepherds, (another type of livestock guardian dog).
"Threatened by conflict with livestock farmers, Wildlife Warriors in partnership with Cheetah Outreach are working to protect the last stronghold of cheetah in Southern Africa. With less than 7,000 cheetah left in the wild, it’s never been more important to ensure the species is protected. By supporting Cheetah Outreach’s Anatolian Shepherd Dog Program, Wildlife Warriors are helping to provide farmers with a non-lethal method of managing these predators and promoting peaceful co-existence with cheetah."
There's a bit more about it on this site:
http://www.australiazoo.com.au/about-us/zoo-gossip/index.php?gossip=1366