# Great Pyrenese or Anatolian?



## jaborseth

I was wondering if anyone has a preference between these 2 dogs. We have a Great Pyrenese/Lab mix that is great at keeping animals away but is starting to get a little older and we think it would be a good idea to get a new pup to help keep the animals away. I have an opportunity to buy an Anatolian tomorrow but really don't have any experience with them. I also found someone selling some GP pups and I am torn as to which one to get. I love my GP but have heard some really good things about the AS. Any opinions would be appreciated.


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## nancy d

My only experience is with Anatolians; one is 1/4 Pyr. He is actually the better dog, more aggressive & very protective, though they both do an excellent job of letting us know if there are strange dogs on the road & will dispatch any intruder that gets into goat territory, no questions asked.
They are very independant thinkers, will not always listen to usual doggie commands & you must make it clear YOU are alpha.


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## NigerianGirl

great Pyrenees all the way all the anatolians that I have met have been horribly aggressive. And the great Pyrenees is a fast learning breed!! I love mine he is learning so fast he already learned how to act around baby goats after 1 week instead of roughly playing with them he lays with the baby's all day and plays with me and my other dog! He is the best


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## nancy d

Nigeriangirl I have heard that Anatolians are aggressive. One of ours is not.
The other had an aggressive mother.
I have met somewhat laid back Anatolians but still; the sheer size of them alone is intimidating.


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## KymberLeAnn

My dog is a German Shepherd/ Anatolian.
She does Amazing with the livestock, she even growls at them when they put their noses near the fence because she doesn't want any heads stuck in there!
Her previous owner had her as a house dog, so she's also great with kids and respects other animals around the house if you tell her they're ok.
I haven't had much experience with other LGD's but she is by far The Best dog I've ever had.


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## serenityfarmnm

We just bought a 10 month old http://www.karakachandog.com/ after a lot of research. Our plan is to breed her when she's a bit older. Check into them, they are awesome!


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## jaborseth

This is my Sofia before we moved to Texas. We were told she is 1/2 lab but it's hard to find it by looking at here. I didn't think she would make it for a while because she was pretty aggressive when she was younger but now I wouldn't trade her for anything. She has turned into a wonderful dog.


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## milkmaid

Sofia is very pretty! Is she a guardian or just a pet?


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## jaborseth

She is an all around farm dog, sleeps during the day and barks and keeps animals away at night. We don't let her run with the goats because she tends to chase them but has become really good with the chickens, doesn't chase them unless they get at her food and then she just runs them off. When we lived in Arkansas we only had 1.3 acres but here in Texas we have almost 25 acres so we are able to let her run free and not keep her fenced or tied up.


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## MrKamir

I have 3 Anatolians. They love their goat family. I have two that are very laid back and will greet customers when they come to pick out a kid or two. The third one keeps her distance and won't let any stranger around her. Once people leave she's the sweetest of the 3. So make sure you play with all the puppies of the litter and pick the one that has personality you can live with. As far as chasing goats, all mine did it til they finally understood from my yelling to knock it off. Eventually they stop. I do have to make sure the nannies are in their stall when kidding cause the dogs want to steal one and clean it. Other than that, be ALPHA and mean it. Good luck.


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## aceofspades

I don't know where you are located but my friend has P cross A puppy's for sale


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## margohixson

My Gideon. He is 3/4 Great Pyrenees and 1/4 Anatolian. He is a wonderful LGD.


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## fishin816

Well to be honest they both are great lgds I would choose the GP because that's the breed I have and they are so sweet. Don't let their looks fool you though they are very aggressive towards predators. I don't think anatolians are as sweet though (I think thy get more attached to the goats then the pyrenees). So either breed are good but if you want a more sweet dog the Pyrenees would be the one but they both work if you change your mind on dogs you could get a llama or donkey to guard your goats all of these work. I hope you find a good LGD.


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## BoerMaster23

I have one female Pyrenees and she is a sweet heart, she will lay with the goats during the day and night and has already scared a coyote away from the barn door, the only problem is if we walk by she will leave her goats and find a way out of the fence to us, anyone know how to fix that?


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## OwnedByTheGoats

We picked up two pups yesterday, The male is 1/4 Pyrenees, 3/4 Anatolian. The female is a fancy purebred Anatolian. I have not had experience at all, but I think you just have to let them know that YOU are in charge. The girl pup's father was a sweet and laid back as could be. HUGE, but sweet. My tip is to pick out the puppy that is the sweetest and calmest, unless you want neither. We plan to breed these two next year.


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## milk and honey

I have an Anatolian s. pup of about 5 months and he is wonderful! He's living with two of my calm goats right now and loves them...their butts have never been so clean! He's smart and has a really nice temperament . I would recommend this dog from crazy cootes farm in Spokane, wa.!


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## OwnedByTheGoats

Here are the Anatolian pups:


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## SCRMG

The best answer to your question is "it depends". Each guardian breed is a little different. You need to look at your own situation, and what you need in a guardian to determine which breed is best for you. 

The GP is a great all around guardian, they tend to be a little "softer" than some of the other breeds. By that I mean they are not as aggressive, if they need to fight, they will, but it's a last resort. As a breed, they are tend not to be human aggressive. My GPs will take out a coyote in a heat beat, but anyone could come into my goat pens and help themselves to my goats if they were not dissuaded by the barking which is all bluff towards people. This makes them a low liability breed. On the flip side, they are known as perimeter guardians. They will patrol their entire territory, and they believe their territory is anything they can see. These dogs require good fencing. Also, while these dogs are sufficient versus a low predator load, if you have big predators or lots of predators you will need multiple dogs. They work best as a team, and I tend to run mine at a minimum as a pair.

The AS tends to be more of a herd guardian. They tend to stay closer to their charges, while you still need fencing, they are less likely to wander. However, this breed tends to more aggressive. With all dogs you should be the alpha, but with these dogs you must be the alpha. I would still run these as at least a pair, but they are slightly more capable than the GP if they have to take out a threat. Remember, the goal of a LGD is non-lethal predator control. In low predator load areas, the presence of the dog is typically sufficient for protection.

Now, I have just been talking about the breeds up until now. Individual dogs within a breed can vary. There are ASs out there who are very mild, and I've seen aggressive GPs. This can even vary within a litter. I would check out both the dam and sire. What are thier tempermants like? What is thier guardian style? Within a litter, look for a pup that suits you. Do you want the most aggressive pup, a confident one, a quiet tempermant, etc?

If I were in your position, I would probably go visit both litters. Watch the parents work, and keep in mind your own operation. Choose the dog that you feel will be best suited to your needs.


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## MrKamir

Beautiful puppies Ownedbythegoats.!


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## BoerMaster23

This is my little Pyrenees, she was alittle younger there and had just got done playing in the mud but she is much cleaner now..


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## OwnedByTheGoats

MrKamir said:


> Beautiful puppies Ownedbythegoats.!


thanks!


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## motdaugrnds

This is a great thread with much information. Thank you for starting it.

I've been looking for an LGD to guard my large Nubian dairy goats, a flock of about 30 assorted fowl and myself...all of us running freely over my entire homestead, which is 6 acres totally fenced. [My last dog (an anatolian,chow,lab,wolf mix) sufficiently intimidated all "hunting dogs" that use to encircle my little 6 acres a particular times of the year; and she stopped all neighboring dogs from getting near my fencing; so all my goats/fowl have to deal with now are an occasional fox, ***** & possums, though I have seen what looked like badgers too. This beloved dog was excellent with the goats and they trusted her. I lost her to old age a short time back.] So far I'm looking favorably toward Anatolians, Karakachans and Kangals.

I'm use to being the alpha and have never had any dog that would not "think" for itself when the need arises...nor would I ever have such a dog. I train all my animals, including a 250 lbs Nubian buck, to help me when I need help, i.e. walking up slopes when I'm exhausted from too much work. So the dog I get will need to be aware of "this charge" too and, if ever the need arise, protect me from any 2-legged predator.

I've liked some of the mixed breeds and can see such may be advantageous as long as the breeder truly knows what he/she is doing and breeding for. However, there are dogs, like the Karakachan, that need to remain as pure as possible, not simply because they are good LGDs; but also because they are so few in numbers all over the world and such a dog needs to be preserved.

Sorry, didn't mean to get so far off the subject. Were I choosing between the GP and the AS, I would want to visit the breeder to see the parents, how they are being raised/trained and talk about what socialization & care they are getting. I know only what I've read and, thus, can only tell you I personally would favor the more aggressive dog, i.e. the Anatolian.


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## chelsboers

I have had both a GP and an Anatolian. They both have pros and cons but the GP was more my style. The Anatolian was more high energy and because of that was a little more difficult to train. She was constantly trying to jump on the goats and play with them. I didn't have them at the same time and having a buddy would probably have helped the Anatolian with some of its energy. As far as guarding styles, my GP was more in the middle of the herd, while the Anatolian would run around them and check the perimeter. They would both act agressive when they saw an animal or person they didn't know but the Anatiolian was more intimidating looking. It was also more low maintenance because it had a lot less hair. Because we are moving I went looking for a LGD and ultimatly decided on a GP brother sister pair for our new farm. I do plan on later adding an Anatolian after these two are trained. I think the two breeds together will be a force to be reckoned with. Maybe that why you see so many GP X Anatolian puppies.


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## Scroni

How do gp get along with other dogs? I have golden retrievers and am starting a herd of goats. I live on 10 acres but have others who live very close so I don't want a wondering dog. How do you teach them to get along with the other dogs? Especially since they are coming into the family and are the Alpha.

Thanks.


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## KymberLeAnn

My Anatolian does great with other animals.
All we have to do is leash both animals and I have to pet the other animals and show her that they are ok and allowed to be around.
She's usually a bit wary for the first few days but accepts them fairly quickly.
I can't speak for all Anatolians though she is a mix breed of German Shepherd/Anatolian


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## jaborseth

My Gp does not get along with my other dogs at all. She really doesn't like my pug but I think it is because she doesn't want to share me with another dog. If I let her in the house I have to put the other 2 up or they will squabble. If someone could tell me how to get my dogs to get along I would appreciate it.


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## RoyalT

I have an Anatolian/Pyr cross LGD and he's great with the animals, a good alerter to anything lurking around, and he has run off a wolf from my sheep. Great dog.

I prefer the Kangals hands down, but Dierks is a keeper.


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