Pyrennes training

[UnttouchableRose]

I have 4 Pyrs.

All but 1 one of mine were highly socialized, they all work very well and excell at their jobs but the one unsocialized one has become a hazard when I have people around and even to myself. He despises people in general and the only thing done different to him was that he was put out with livestock and not socialized on a regular basis.

I do not reccomend Pyrs to NOT be socialized. I've seen a many that have had to be shot. I think this is primarily because they were tossed into a field and not socialized which in turn caused them to become extremely defensive.

We havea 4 y/o Male Pyr that is a Therapy dog and a LGD he does both of them EXTREMELY well and I wouldn't have it any other way.

(I'll try not to get on my soap box too much)

 

[mekasmom]

I have never seen a people-aggressive pyenees. An anatolian? yes, but not a pyr. Pyrs are animal aggressive, but usually not people aggressive, at least not the ones we have had or met at other farms. My 5lb chihuahua is more dangerous to a human than both my pyrs are. I wouldn't trust my Anatolian around strangers though.

 

[bwebb7]

A socialized, trained dog is your best friend and NEVER A LIABILITY! An unsocialized dog is ALWAYS a liability.
Best wishes to you and your pup for a long and happy and well socialized life together.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Socialization is for pets.
The OP was about LGD's
They are working dogs, not pets

http://www.bountifulfarm.com/lgd_seminar.htm

If you want a yard dog, the LGD breeds arent the best choice

 

[UnttouchableRose]

Quote:
So you mean to say that a working dog can't socialize and act like a normal dog. I beg to differ.

As I said before I have 4 working Pyrs that are pets also (with the exception of the one). The livestock comes first but they know how to conduct themselves in public, they are leash broke, know basic commands and ares socialized.

I would much rather have my LGD socialized and well mannered than unsocialized and ill mannered. If and when you have to do something to them it makes it 10x easier and I don't want to have to worry about people being bit or hurt by them. There is enough liability as there is.

I just don't see the harm in socializing a working dog.

 

[college town chick]

I agree with the posters here advocating socialization -- at the very least of accepting guests over and (very important imho) children.

Most of us don't live out in the boonies anymore, and in this day and age the penalties for a dog biting (or even acting aggressive) towards someone are way higher than they used to be (sadly, we live in an entitlement, sue happy society). You are doing your dog a very grave disservice to not acclimate them to other people and teach them about people.

Especially children -- Great Pyrs aren't necessarily aggressive dogs, true, but they are big dogs and everyone should follow this zoo keeper's maxim: If it has teeth, it can bite.
We have a responsiblity to our dogs and to all the little humans out there (and kids are doubly in danger around dogs, because they are kids with everything that entails) to make sure our dogs know how to handle themselves in their company.

As for being around stock -- I'm no Pyr expert, but I believe they should be socialized to any and all livestock from the get go and taught proper behavior with them as well. I don't think I'd put a pup out in the chicken coop though -- not until the dog is used to the chickens and you have a handle on the dog, but again, I'm not an expert on the livestock protectors.

Would love to find out more -- as we'd like to get one, one of these days

 

[cutiepieacres]

We have a Pyr, Sydney and got her for the purpose of gaurding our pygmy goats. We got her at 8 weeks old and she lived with the goats. We also wanted her to be a people dog so we did take her to basic obedience classes and she did agility for awhile, she is super smart and learns very fast.

She has always been timid of new people and we have always understood that so when taking classes and agility we made sure to go with a trainer that understood her nature and didnt push her into being petted, she needed to get to know someone before she let them in her "space." She loves all kids though!

She LOVES her goats, while she doesnt live in their pen any longer as she is just so big and with new tiny babies I worry about them she lives right along side and protects the perimeter of ther pen. She doesnt do so well with chickens, she wont maul them but if she catches one she will hold it and lick it until it expires. I have never been able to teach her otherwise.

If we have a new person over she lets them know they shouldnt come near her goats, she is the same with strange dogs or wildlife. If we sell a goat she just crys and crys as they take the goat to the car, its super sad but doesnt last too long.

She is almost 5 years old now and we dont take her out as much as she has become more stranger aggressive and because of her size we dont want to risk her hurting anyone, she is so white and fluffy and looks so sweet especially with us she will jump up for big hugs people dont understand she is shy and you cant just run right up and start loving on her. She does go hiking and loves that.

 

[burley]

an owner should socialise their lgd away from home or farm. I show my two Anatolians And expect the proper behavior inside the ring. I take them to parades and events all made possible by socialisation. Vet check ups are necessary from time to time and are safer with a well socialised dog. On premise is a different story. My female will shread anything from a possum to a coyote or dog if it enters her domaine. Strangers are not tollerated without a formal introduction. My male pup {15 months old} will bark and posture but is not as willing to kill as my female. Mabe because of his size nothing has tried him yet. Yhe point is there is a big difference between home , on premise, on guard , working, And away , off premise , Off guard , Not working.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

So you mean to say that a working dog can't socialize and act like a normal dog. I beg to differ.

I guess it comes down to what you mean by "socialize".

If you mean "teach it to accept all other people and animals"
then you have a PET
If you want a TRUE LGD, it is trained to accept YOU and YOUR animals, and NOT be accepting of all others

If youre taking the dog off the farm on a regular basis, you DO NOT have an LGD.
You have a pet that is around animals when it's at home.

A dog cannot be 2 places at once. It's either WORKING, by being with its animals, or its with YOU , being a pet or a show dog.

A true LGD should be 100% gaurdian​

 

[mcg30_40]

I have a new 2 month old great pyr/anatolian puppy. She has been raised in with goats from the beginning (her parents are guard goats). When I got her almost two weeks ago whe was terrified of people. I've spent my two weeks of having her socializing her to people and chickens. Now she is great around us and family (that's all I've tried her with). We make sure and let her spend time with everything...everyday. I want her to consider all of us family and protect everyone, so far it seems to be working.

My vet begged me to spend as much time with her as possible to socialize her in the next few weeks. She has seen too many that don't like people since the owners leave them out in the pasture and don't socalize them to at least a few people. She says the terror and stress it puts on the dogs to get yearly shots is awful. She has had to have 6 people help hold one dog down to give it shots before.