we had also considered an anatolian/pyrenees, for one thing they are everywhere, there has to be a reason people are making that cross....crossing them would also alleviate many of the health issues both breeds are prone to...
we dont have the acreage you guys have (well we do but also closer neighbors that are tweakers) so we need a guardian that is also more laidback, another reason we were thinkin mastiff...
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They aren't shepherds. The are protectors. Big difference. In fact, unless they are fully trained to work together, you can't mix herding dogs with a good LGD. The latter will think the shepherd is trying to harm the animals it is trying to herd and kill it. A lot of folks pull their LGDs from the field when they want to bring out their herders.
I have chickens and ducks and formerly turkeys walking all over my place and the Pyrs never hurt them. In fact, some of my chickens sleep right in the middle of the dogs at night. Safest place on the farm for them, really. Haven't had a predator attack since the two adults were grown. Lots of dead critters around the place though.
My big problem is they have the run of the place and delivery folks won't come inside the gates. They just toss stuff over the fence and take off.
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They aren't shepherds. The are protectors. Big difference. In fact, unless they are fully trained to work together, you can't mix herding dogs with a good LGD. The latter will think the shepherd is trying to harm the animals it is trying to herd and kill it. A lot of folks pull their LGDs from the field when they want to bring out their herders.
I have chickens and ducks and formerly turkeys walking all over my place and the Pyrs never hurt them. In fact, some of my chickens sleep right in the middle of the dogs at night. Safest place on the farm for them, really. Haven't had a predator attack since the two adults were grown. Lots of dead critters around the place though.
My big problem is they have the run of the place and delivery folks won't come inside the gates. They just toss stuff over the fence and take off.
No, what I was saying is what if in the process of ME trying to catch a chicken, it goes to squawking, I dont want a 150lb dog trying to protect the chicken from ME, thinkin I am hurting it, I didnt say anything about a shepherd...
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My mother has a GP/golden retriever mix(1/4) retriever, which protects the yard and whatever is in it. My aunt has the parent dog to it and it has even escorted theirneighbors livestock home when the livestock got out.
there have been a bunch of pyrenees/lab crosses, and I saw some golden/pyrenees crosses, and even a lab/old english sheepdog cross, I wish i had taken one of those pups...I wouldnt mind having a cross but you dont know which side it will take after
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They aren't shepherds. The are protectors. Big difference. In fact, unless they are fully trained to work together, you can't mix herding dogs with a good LGD. The latter will think the shepherd is trying to harm the animals it is trying to herd and kill it. A lot of folks pull their LGDs from the field when they want to bring out their herders.
I have chickens and ducks and formerly turkeys walking all over my place and the Pyrs never hurt them. In fact, some of my chickens sleep right in the middle of the dogs at night. Safest place on the farm for them, really. Haven't had a predator attack since the two adults were grown. Lots of dead critters around the place though.
My big problem is they have the run of the place and delivery folks won't come inside the gates. They just toss stuff over the fence and take off.
No, what I was saying is what if in the process of ME trying to catch a chicken, it goes to squawking, I dont want a 150lb dog trying to protect the chicken from ME, thinkin I am hurting it, I didnt say anything about a shepherd...
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No, what I was saying is what if in the process of ME trying to catch a chicken, it goes to squawking, I dont want a 150lb dog trying to protect the chicken from ME, thinkin I am hurting it, I didnt say anything about a shepherd...
GP's protect the property, not just the animals.
I know that, what I am saying is I want a dog that is protective of me and my wife first, and everythign else second, pyrenees are the opposite of that, they may try to protect the chickens from me if I get them to squawking and throwin a fit