Looking into getting Great Pyrenees for guarding chickens

[GreatPyrLover]

That is sooooo true!!!!!! I have two GP's and they are both like that

 

[watchdogps]

here is how a friend described a "working" dog "I can work independently, let me consider what you are saying I should do and I'll get back to you".

Oh yes. You can practically SEE that going on in their heads.
You should see Seven (my male ASD) doing Rally obedience. He has this goofy look on his face that shows he thinks this is really silly, but he'll do it because it makes Mom happy. It's not like other breeds who are thinking "do I have it right? Look, I am working!" He is totally humoring me.

 

[dainerra]

GAH Singe will just blow me off if he thinks we've practiced something too many times. You can see it in his eyes "Gee Mom, I figured out how to do this 10 minutes ago! You still don't understand?" Then he proceeds to think up new and exciting ways to do it

 

[Babies]

I have a great pyrenees that would love to heard your chickens. I recently had triplets and find I don't have time for all my pets. If interested please call me 513-791-4788. Thank you, Tammy
P.S. Where do you live?

 

[pernotcortez]

I am thinking along those lines as well. We lost a hen right in the yard coyote came that close to our house and grabbed a hen. ****.

 

[bestnestbox]

We have had a really good experience with invisible fencing with our great pyrenees. We have 2 dogs and hired an installer from the professional line of PetSafe. It has worked perfectly to keep the dogs inside a 5 acre area. It was also very easy to train the dogs to the stay inside the electric fence. They were both young dogs one 8 months and the other 4 months.

 

[sheyori]

Following this thread since we are considering a small acreage and having a few alpacas as well as chickens - high predator area. Also have a five year old son and wouldn't mind feeling safer in bear country with a good guard dog. Can a pyrenees be walked by my son when he's a bit older and wants to hike out on local trails? (btw: my son sounds exactly like the descriptions of a pyrenees - hyper-intelligent and loving, wanting approval but with inbred genetics on both sides so that he's also hyper-independent and impossible to train upon command...).

I've been looking at Anatolians, Akbash and Pyrenees. The plan is to have a very small Montessori-based farm school with a few acres (2-3). That would include home, several out-buildings, garden areas, a few alpacas and chickens. Would this create too "busy" a yard for a large guard dog? If he has a few small flocks, would this prevent him enough from boredom? Children would be "introduced" but taught that like alpacas and chickens, the guard dog is loved but not suited as a "pet" for play-type handling. I would imagine that having regular children on the yard would place them in a bit of a "flock-relationship" with the dog as well. Is that legitimate?

Any thoughts on Anatolian vs Pyrenees?

One other note: we have a one-yr-old lab-husky runt (female) who is definitely a family dog, although we'd imagined her to be more outdoors once we got an acreage. She's very calm for her age and pretty responsive, but will her presence mess things up with a guard dog? She and her siblings were happy "accidents" who found good homes and we hoped to let her have a litter as well. Also being a runt, we don't want her spayed for a good while. Will having a pet dog on the same property as a guard dog mess things up? Should we make sure the guard dog is neutered or female or could we just let nature take its course for a litter? I was thinking of getting a male pup so we'd be alright for one or two more of our lab's heats. Don't want her pregnant too early. Kept her safe through first heat!

Thanks for any input!