puppy spurred!

[ozark hen]

thank you Lori, here is a front view of the little guy taken a week ago.

 

[justusnak]

Awww Carrie, what a little bruiser! He is sooo cute. Hope he works out for ya..and becomes the BEST flock guard dog ever!

 

[rufus]

I strongly suggest you keep dogs away from the chickens. There are some aspects of dogs' behaviour that you can't train away.

Sometimes it is just disgusting.

If you do keep the dog with the poultry, don't let them lick on you or the kids.

Rufus

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I think getting flogged by the birds is a good thing for a Pyrenees. They have to learn these things for themselves a lot of times for it to sink in to them.
They are known for independent thinking, and they need this to be a protector. If they only worked off of commands, you wouldn't need them, you could just stay with your stock 24/7.

They will play with the chickens, but I don't think it is a good idea to let them get to the point of being able to pull feathers out. You will have to use your own judgement on when to step in. If he is going after the hens, I would intervene, but with a rooster, let him "get" the pup a couple of times. Don't coddle the pup afterwards. Let him think about it.
You might have to stop the rooster from attacking the pup if he gets too rough, but try to do it without chasing the rooster. That might instill in the pup that chasing is the right thing to do.

I like to let pups get close to a hen with chicks. That is the best lesson in my book.

Jean

 

[Rosalind]

ozark, I just got a chicken dog myself, only from a breeder who specifically raises Pyrs for livestock guardians. We started by letting him meet some roos on a leash (puppy on the leash, not the roos), and then put him in a small pen with a few expendable roos for longer and longer times. He was being just a tad too playful with one roo, who promptly pecked him right on the head. Now he is comfortable with the chickens, although they are not comfortable with him--they keep roosting higher and higher to avoid being sniffed. He comes in the coop with me off his leash, and he always behaves; when he gets a little playful, the girls give him another peck and he calms down.

It's kinda weird, actually. He is in that horrible puppy nipping/teething stage, and he runs around nipping everything (me, DH, furniture, trees), but not the chickens. One of them got out because I hadn't firmly latched the gate the other day, he tried to round it back up into the barn. He knew that it wasn't supposed to get out.

He spends most of his day in the barn now, hanging out with the chickens, but at night he comes in the house so he won't bark.

Oh, and it's true that Pyrs have selective hearing. He can do his whole repertoire of tricks, and then 20 minutes later suddenly forget them all due to a jogger passing by.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

We bought some chickens from a lady that had a Great Pyr Her chickens basically freeranged, the dog was remarkable, he wondered around opened gates layed by the chickens and stood guard. He did help himself to eggs on occasion. I watched him go through 2 gates walk to the back of a chicken run get an egg and carry it out under a shade tree and have a snack. "Cheap" security!
(pun intended)

 

[ozark hen]

thanks for the pyr advice from those of you who own them. Noted on the feather thing and the hens, thanks, that I appreciate. I will follow your advice.

Since we have four Shih-Tzus with one being handicapped this breed will be great for protecting them. I used to have a full blooded pyr many years ago who was very protective of the weaker animals. Hopefully, this mix will stay at home and do his job.
thank you Deb!!

 

[ozark hen]

Here is Hagrid @ 7 1/2 weeks old. His name fits him perfectly. He is a clumsy ox, very sweet tempered. Have to watch him though as he keeps trying to get the chickens to "play" with him!!

He thinks life is just eat, sleep and play and loves everyone to death.

We adore him.

 

[justusnak]

Oh MY he is a sweetie!! Just lookie at that face!I want to grab him up and snuggle with him. So far, so good on the training?? He sure is a KEEPER!

 

[ozark hen]

actually, not real good on the training. he killed a chook that was going into the freezer. It was totally my fault. I expected too much from a six week old puppy. I had his cage in use so I left him loose in the coop. He was trying to get it to play with him and he doesn't know his strength. It was my fault and I still have to correct him when he gets excited and wants to run and play when the chickens are running around. he didn't try to eat it. He sat there looking at it, confused look on his face. I didn't punish him when it happened as it was all my fault and I wasn't there when it happened..someone else was there and didn't know what to do. I have to remember he is just a baby himself! Loud noises scare him so he is not ready to "defend" the flock. He still stays with them but not in contact with them unless I am around now. He chews on us, the cats, outside furniture and whatever else he can find in the yard. I give him chew sticks but he still hasn't made the connection of what is allowed and what isn't allowed to be chewed on.