Pyrenees issues need advice

[La Mike]

First off if you want to criticize find another post I am in need of advice only



Ok I have a pyrenees that was great with the birds and yard critters until about 6 mos old. Now I cant seem to ix her infatuation with the yard animals. She has killed numerous ducks,chickens and even potbelly pigs I have whipped her, tied dead birds to her, tied her up, used shaker cans and even shock collars but nothing seemsto stop the issue.

This dog has never shown agrresion to anything but the free range animals and predators. She is the sweetest dog you could ever want. But I cannot have or afford this to take place any longer. The last thing I want to do is get rid of her but cant figure out any other way to stop this.


Any ideas ?

Thanks for any help.

 

[chicktwins]

That's really strange that he/she is doing that. Does he/she attack them or try to play and ends up hurting them critically? The breed itself is usually a flock protector not destroyer which is why I am so baffled (you as well). Maybe it could be doing this out of boredom or attention seeking? I wonder if you were to do some short training sessions everyday such as some herding or agility if it would stop. I don't know if you use your dog for its bred intent but I have known of several people with herding dogs and/or hunting dogs that were having some problems with aggression and hyperactivity and the dogs straightened right up when used and exercised using the dogs inbred instinctual skills. I have also seen, on the t.v. show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan, backpacks for dogs that allow you to start with just the pack then add weight as time goes on for exercise and training purposes. Dogs that are bred for an actual use tend to do much better mentally and emotionally when they are "worked", they feel they have a purpose and they have done their job so to speak and they really relax and mellow out because of it. It is good for their mental health. Maybe this would work for your dog too.

 

[yinepu]

I think i read this right.. is she still a puppy?

if she is she needs to learn that she is supposed to protect them and not play with them and break her new "toys"

I have a pyr/anatolian mix.. we got her when she was just weaned off her mom.. put her right out with the goats.. she did fine after she figured out they were family.. when we got rid of the goats her new job was protecting the birds.. she still thought they made wonderful chew toys.. we had to allow her some time to get over her puppy stage (she was not quite a year old when we sold the last goat).. it did take some time.. she seemed to be a bit dense at first (but Moooom.. they make cool sounds and taste good!).. but with enough effort she finally "got" the idea that the birds were family too.. what helped was telling her in a disgusted voice that she was "nasty"..(while shoving a dead bird in her face).. telling her to "leave it" when she would start to go after them.. and also telling her they were "daddy's birds" (she seriously respected my husband).. we did cage a few birds up near her so she could look at them and smell them safely.. but we did not allow her near the majority of the birds until she figured it all out.. now I can trust her 110% with the birds.. it just took some time on her part to mature and get over the idea that she could play with them and eat them

 

[magsrags]

Call a dog whisperer.........Obviously the poor pooch has some issues that whipping ain't gonna fix no way. Replace with perhaps another, better quality/bred dog and call it a day for the both of you.


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[La Mike]

She isnt exactly a pup anymore she isnt grown either. She is 11 mos old and has always been great with the birds. I trained her in my large aviary daily with a ton of birds running around. She also is used for protecting the property from predators and does a great job of it.

Its the last couple mos she has just gotten to doing this. I have a duckling pond in the yard and now she goes as far as swimming the pond to get them. This is no small pond its 50x50. I also have pot belly pigs fenced in and she drug 1 baby through the chain link fence.

I dont believe she is using them for toys and only goes for them when I am not visably present.

This week I tied her up and lost nothing. Let her back loose today and she got one of my blue slate turkey. I also have a blue heeler in with her so cant see boredom being the issue. And no he doesnt touch birds. He also was trained with the birds. She gets plenty of attention and loving when not attacking birds so dont actually think it would be lack of attention being better attention when not being bad than when doing this.

I did have her fixed just prior to all this getting started could that have anything to do with it ?

She only goes for the smaller animals. She will not touch the bigger ducks or turkey. I think because she took a good whoopin from a full grown muscovy drake lol

 

[chickenlover54]

Get a huge crate, everytime she even looks at them in a bad way put her in it for one hour. It may work eventually, it worked for our dogs.

 

[pjknust]

Im glad to see this post, I was thinking about getting one later on when my old dog isnt around anymore.
Im thinking maybe the spay played a part in this. I would be getting a male and not have him altered.
I know my male dogs marking the fence line is what keeps critters out of my yard.

pam in TX

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
it might... Mishou (my pyr/anatolian mix) has not been spayed.. so she tends to look at the critters she guards as her "babies".. Maybe check with a breeder of pyrenees as LGDs and see what they have to say on the spay/guarding issue for a livestock guardian dog..

 

[yinepu]

Ok.. I used google and did find this in regards to spaying a LGD..

"Another issue that greatly affects the confidence level of an LGD is when they get neutered or spayed. Hormones play a HUGE role in developing confidence in the dogs, early spay or neuter can truly trash the early development of a guardian, not to mention the long term adverse physical effects"

they call "early spay" before 14 months of age

 

[Theapplechicks]

when we get some chicks we hold them and let the dogs sniff them and we talk to them and tell them they are our babies. Eventually we set them on the floor next to her and if she starts to get rough we say, "no, play nice, be gentle" and she stops. She hasn't touched a single one of our birds.


That is really odd for a pyrn. too. hopefully you can teach her to stop.