My great pyr pups are eating my eggs!

[mekasmom]

Quote:
My dogs have been known to eat eggs too. You just have to put nests where they can't get to them.


My dog just had puppies and had 3 of the B/W ones along with the white and white/tan badger. They are beautiful. I wondered if they would fade out to white, but I see yours didn't. I'm glad they stay that color. I may have to keep one of them.

 

[thndrdancr]

Yes, the farmer I bought them from only charged $75. They are 3/4 GP, 1/8 Maremma, 1/8 Anatolian Shepherd according to the man I bought them from.

His were just goat LGD and were not socialized to people at all but very friendly, altho guarded. They looked the pic of health and had good attitudes.

I was wanting a crossover companion dog that would look after the property, us, and our poultry. I didnt intend to get littermates, but the girl I chose was so anxious, and my sis liked the looks of the boy (black and white) that we bought him too to make her feel more comfy. We still almost lost her the first night to nerves and a bad case of worms, as well as she had been pushed away from the food by the other pups. It was touch and go with her for a good 12 hours, she couldnt even stand or lift her head from a lying position. If we hadnt brought her home the farmer would also have lost her within the week. I think he just didnt realize she was getting pushed away, just thought she was shy and a bit of a runt.

They also had a girl black and white that was cute as a bug's ear.

I might try the hot sauce trick first, I cant imagine putting a nest up high enuff the boy couldnt get it, he is gonna be huge. Probably 32 inches at the shoulder when grown. My neighbor has one thats enormous, he is bigger than the typical GPs. Oh boy. I think my boy may be too.

 

[walkswithdog]

Since pyrs aren't mature until they're two you've a lot of time to expect to keep working on things. It's sad when someone dumps or destroys a young pyr (the one that was 10 months and chasing chickens) for a behavior they would grow out of with training and patience.

Aversion training can work when you can't keep the dogs physically from the nests. Use a syringe to put hotsauce or syrup of ipecac (makes them barf) or both into some eggs - you may have to do it for several days or even weeks depending on how entrenched the behavior is. Unfortunately since you have chickens who need access you can't stack cans with rocks in them that fall and startle the pups, that works but freaked out chickens won't lay.

If it's been a couple of months since you wormed them do it again and FREE FEED them while you're trying to teach them not to eat eggs. Pups can have huge amazing and growing appetites if they're really hungry eggs are going to look too good to resist, their appetites will jump again as they hit 10-11-12 months so be prepared for it.

Other than filling the eggs with nasty stuff, you have to be THERE to train puppies. It takes a lot of time and effort, especially with two. If you can't be there you could put a circle of short (20 inch or 30 inch) electric net fence around the entrances the short stuff from premier is easy for most chickens to get over but deters most dogs, especially puppies. And it's easy to put up and take down.

I really like the anatolian/pyr type mixed LGDS, they end up being good solid, if sometimes stubborn, dogs to have around.

 

[thndrdancr]

They do have "guarding" behavior, its really neat to see.

Here they are with my young duck and chick that I got from a gal that made an impulse buy. They really are "too" interested in the babies, but that is pup exuberance and I know it. Luckily I only work about 15 hours a week, so I have quite a bit of time to work with them. I do get mighty tired tho, they have so much energy!

The little girl especially is the first to lay down next to the "babies" when I have them out.

Thanks for all the ideas, guys, the netting sounds neat, also I might could do a board or something the chickens could jump over yet the pups cannot, that might be an idea as well. Thinking....

I appreciate all the input from all of you, much thanks.....