Great Pyrenees livestock guardian

[chickenzoo]

Mine are friends with the birds and the geese, I often find the geese over grooming them or the swans. The GP's dig big holes and I often find a mess of chickens, ducks and geese laying in the hole with them......

 

[AllCoop'dUp]

I realize that the OP is over a year old, but I was so interested in what was said I wanted to share my experience to see if anyone would respond. I have a nearly 11 month old GP. He has totally ignored the chickens, even newly hatched ones, doesn't give them the time of day. He doesn't seem interested in the Peacocks either. He acts totally dis-interested in the ducks and geese when we are around. However, if we get distracted or leave him alone for more than 30 minutes he will walk down (doesn't chase) the ducks and geese, get control of them by pinning them to the ground, tear feathers and flesh off, toss them in the air playing with them, which eventually leads to death. On some occassions, they are left breathing, but with wounds so bad around their wings and butts that no amount of doctoring up will help. I have lost 2 adult geese, 1- 3 month old gosling, 5 adult ducks and 1 - 3 month old duckling. Each time we have grabbed him by the gruff, put him in a submissive position and held the dead animals over him, screaming at him "NO". The last 4 kills, I have been so upset with him that I also spanked him with a stick that made him yelp. Everyone says that he will grow out of this by 18 months old. I don't know if I'll have any geese and ducks left by then. I really don't want to use a shock collar, but my boyfriend does. I have a bottle of "Apple Bitter" that your suppose to spray on objects or even on their fur to keep them from chewing and was wondering if I sprayed it on the duck/goose it would keep him from going near them. Only problem is that even if I sprayed it on them, they go in and out of the water so much, it would probably get washed off. What about tabasco sauce? or wasabi? in the mouth in addition to the yelling and dangling duck over them? I don't know how much more carnage I can take... Lastly, he is getting fixed next week. I hope that helps.

 

[zazouse]

He's still a pup, males seam to take longer to catch on to the LG thing.
First he never messes with the birds so he has never had to be corrected.
second Never strike a dog like this, it does no good instead get him with the water hose or some kind of water if possible, if you see him don't pannic and run out their instead sneak up on his butt and hose him down along with whatever work or sound you use to let them know they have done wrong, around here i just make a squaking kinda sound along with the word NO
I have 12 dogs here and have been threw you situation with all of them a time or two, they all have learned some got wet once others a few times but they figured it out.
I have had to leave my dogs in charge to watch over 100's of free rangers for a couple weeks while my DH was in the hospital 125 miles from home and they did their job well, i did not loose one bird while i was gone.

 

[AussieGirl]

I had almost the exact thing happend to mine though it was my father that corrected him. Hes never harmed another animal though he knows whos supposed to be on the property and not,escpecially with the stray cats. Which is a blessing cause I dont need no more cats.