Great Pyr and my flock ??'s

[peteyfoozer]

"[email protected]" is the board I recommend. There is invaluable information on all the LGD breeds and good people with lots of experience who can guide you, as well as point you to rescues, re-homes and breeders. It's better than a book because you are getting specific answers to your specific questions and they are there long after you finally decide to obtain your first LGD. Good luck Just join the group and then you can email in your questions or concerns. They were a big help to us.

 

[ronniewayne]

I would like to tell about my dogs..2 gp a female 4ys and a male 2yrs...they watch my goats..and chickens..i have them on about 4 acres the chickens have the free range of the place the only place the dogs cant get is the laying/roosting house..i got the male at 2 months...the female helped train him ...when he was 1-2 yrs he would catch and did kill 4 young chicks around 3 months old...but now he doesnt bother them at all ..the chickens will walk on the sleeping dogs sometimes.. when the dogs give a warning bark the rooster will give his warning and all chicks will get quiet and look ..then if nothing they go back to eating...they are noisy at night they bark when they see something ...they are not tolerant of other dogs and if they feel any threat to anything in their space they will attack...as far as kids go i have 4 grandkids from 1 - 6yrs old they protect them also ...i had a man come to buy a puppy and wanted to look at the parents it was just after dark and my grand kids were there he and his wife...he had been in the pasture around 20mins ...he was telling me a story and raised his voice and made a fast motion with his hand...my male dog almost bit him before i could stop him....i really think the kids is what he was protecting but in their space they will do whatever it takes to remove any percieved danger ...i highly recommed them with the reservations you already have read on here..i love mine the peace of mind they give me watching the flock and herd is well worth the time and energy it takes to train them to your needs..i would feel lost without mine..good luck

 

[r4eboxer]

Thanks Patefoozer and RonnieWayne

I talked to the breeder today for a while and am planning the 6 hour trip next week. I am investing a lot in these dogs so that is why I want to be sure about them.

 

[Mountain Man Jim]

It will work out great. Plus, you get to join the ranks of us crazy Pyr lovers

I just hope the dogs don't get car sick

Fluffy always did.

Jim

 

[Yonaton]

Yes, when a dog cannot learn to even 'sit', that is for all intents and purposes, stupid. And I don't 'not' like any breeds, I've had dogs my whole life. In 49 years I've been without one for 3 years and that's because I was in the Navy on a ship. I've worked with hunting breeds, herding breeds and guard breeds. I've owned many from all those categories and a few mutts too. So trying to label me as 'against' a breed, is so far off it's pitiful. Perhaps if those of you who are getting all uptight that I offered my *opinion* of this particular breed weren't so quick to condemn the smallest criticism, you might be happier people. *Opinions* make the world go 'round. Thos who condemn them make the world come to a stop and we stagnate and learn nothing.

 

[dainerra]

One of the most common mistakes I see with dogs is the confusion of 'intelligence' with 'obedience'. I'm pretty sure that sometime in their lifespan you saw your dog in a sitting position, therefore they know HOW, they just saw no reason to do it when you gave the command.

GPs are not bred to work with humans, therefore they have no desire to please or for the most parts NEED h umans. That is what makes them able to do their jobs. Other breeds need to have their human pack to be happy. Give a LGD a couple sheep or goats and the whole human race can go extinct for all they care.

Dogs like that see no reason to do things just because some human said so. But give them a problem to solve and they will amaze you with their intelligence. They can be very obedient if you have something they want,of course.

GSDSare an opposite example. Super intelligent problem solvers AND people-pleasers. They are meant to work hand-in-paw with their owner. Labs and similar dogs I've found to be the other way around. Eager to please, but not great problem solvers. They can be very precise in their obedience because they don't sit around thinking of new ways to do things. To them, sit means put my butt on the ground, doesn't matter if its the first time or the 10,000th time. More intelligent breeds try the sit in 1000 different ways. "What will happen if..." seems to be their training motto.

Last night my dog was 3 steps ahead of me all night. We were working on recalls and fronts. Usually that is followed by me putting him in heel position. So, he decided to skip the middle step -slid into a sit at my feet and popped back up and into heel position without waiting for the command. I took a step back and called him to front again. "ah!" He thought, slidding into a sit, bouncing back up and went around me into the heel position. Tried the exercise again. He pondered a second, came into a front and then did a down. He knew that we never stop at "front" so he was trying to anticipate the next move.

 

[r4eboxer]

Quote:
Yonaton, I appreciate your input as much as I appreciate the input of those who love this breed. After all I do want to know what to expect from them. With your input I have learned that I should not expect this dog breed to do tricks for me. I've learned that in fact they will be happy to just guard my animals. I need the dogs to guard my animals, I need them to keep the deer out of my gardens, God do I ever need them to keep the deer out of my gardens! I have Lhasa's that wait for me to get out of bed in the morning and jump on my lap. My lhasa's will do tricks, they even dance for me if I have a treat for them. My lhasa's keep me warm when it's cold out. So now I need a LDG and they will do for me what I need.

. Your input was extremely valuable to me.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[lishah2000]

Quote:
I haven't found any of these things to be true with my two. I have an armadillo that has lived under the house forever. The dogs do not like it and do their best to chase it off, but it won't give up. Chase it, bark at it and dig after it, but never hurt it. I think they realize it isn't really a threat.

They can be trained with the proper motivation. My female didn't know anything when I got her. In the time she was getting used to the birds and the property she learned sit, wait and to sit and wait to be released for her meals. Things I really needed her to do. She learned them in a few minutes. Both dogs know the basic things that I may need them to listen to and walk good on leash. Some things can be really useful to teach. Both know leave it. Dog barking at something they don't need to - leave it. Barking too long at something - that'll do. They need guidance just like any dog.

Any creature with a brain stem can be trained. Just depends on the amount of time and energy you put into it.

 

[carolinagirl58]

Quote:
Here is the defination of "stupid"

stu·pid   /ˈstupɪd, ˈstyu‐/ Show Spelled [stoo-pid, styoo‐] Show IPA adjective, -er, -est,noun adjective
1.lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; dull.
2.characterized by or proceeding from mental dullness; foolish; senseless: a stupid question.
3.tediously dull, especially due to lack of meaning or sense; inane; pointless: a stupid party.

NONE of these thing even come close to defining any of the LGD breeds. Calling a dog stupid because it does not learn "sit" is like calling a tiger stupid because it can't learn to sit. Obeying commands is not what the LGD breeds were designed to do! and for the record....they CAN learn commands, just not quite a quickly or reliably as other type dogs. I know of many guardian breeds that have completed AKC obediance titles and I know of some who are registered therapy dogs. They are by no means 'stupid'. They are probably one of the most intelligent of all the dog breeds because they CAN think for themselves and do not rely on humans to direct them.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

Quote:
X2

You know your dogs.....and you know it also take the right person with the right dog and they can do wonders! When my daughter was 14 we got her a clumber spaniel. Not known for any kind of obedience, right?

Well that dog has not only completed her UD in AKC trials, but has done agility and tracking work. My daughter now works with service dogs, she had a natural gift. Soooooo maybe those who have had negative experiences just didn't have the knowlege or personality to work with certain breeds.