# Great Pyrenees behavior...good or bad???



## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

I need some help on deciding if my boy Bailey's behavior was good or bad. I went out this morning to do my normal chores and noticed Bailey was protecting something. He ran the ducks off from getting closer and was not allowing any animals close to what he had. I went to investigate closer and saw he had a dead bunny that my cat had been chasing yesterday. The bunny was not eaten but had been licked almost as if he had been trying to revive it. I went inside to get something to pick it up with and as soon as I removed it he was excited and happy as if he was done and was proud for doing a good job. We have kept rabbits in the past but no longer have any, but they were enclosed where he could see them. Thanks for any input in advance.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Kind of sounds like he did a good thing but chose the wrong thing to protect.


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## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> Kind of sounds like he did a good thing but chose the wrong thing to protect.


This is kind of what I was leaning toward. I did not want to correct the behavior if it was good so I just did not respond either way. I would have wanted him to have this behavior if it was one of my/his animals but now am a little concerned he may protect the wrong animal, the bunny was not a threat but there are many small predators to my chickens. He is very attached to all the babies on the farm and this was a baby rabbit so I think that is why he was so concerned for it. Thank you for your input.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Sometimes they sure throw us for a loop. We once had a yellow lab & I was missing a few baby chicks.
I found some of them then noticed the dog had something. Three of them in his mouth!
He was just protecting them.


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

He could have either though of the bunny as a threat and was standing over it and keeping the ducks away from the perceived threat or he was trying to protect the bunny and knew something was wrong so he was keeping the other animals away. Either way he clearly thought he was doing what he was supposed to. If he was standing over it and acting possessive and trying to hurt anything that came near the bunny then I would look at that as resource guarding and correct it. Otherwise I'd just remove the bunny and give him some love for doing his job.


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## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

No he was not standing over it, he was laying next to it and keeping the other animals away. Thank you for the input


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

I am wondering if the cat killed or tried to kill it and he tried to save it/ revive it. Does he like the cat?
I think he recognized an animal in trouble and tried to help. I also think he would have left the dead rabbit for any of his other animals if he thought they were in need of his protection as well...
Just my 2 cents.


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## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

He is ok with the cats but this is the second time the cat killed a bunny. The last time they were our bunnies that my children let out and they wandered out of their hutch without my knowledge, they fit through the holes in the fence so they were only let out under supervision. When I went out he was doing the same thing with the dead bunny but got up when I saw him and Went by the next bunny and stared at it so I did not have to search for it. It was under the milk stand in the goat house and was safe. The last one was cornered behind a play structure by the cat but Bailey was unable to fit. Where they were at. He once again showed me where the cat and bunny were and the bunny had wedged under something where the cat could not reach it. He may not like the cats much anymore.


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

Then I think it is okay behavior. As long as he was not aggressive toward any of the other animals around or towards the dead bunny I think he is fine.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I'd be leary, I had a LGP once who chased and held down a baby and licked it so much it was stressed out to the max. 
This is a beginning behavior of a bad thing to come, after this happened, the LGP went to biting and causing injury. 
Hopefully the dog won't do that to a goat kid. Heads up.


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## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

I will definitely be on watch at kidding time. I plan to separate the does from the LGD's for precautionary reasons with both the goats and the dogs. He loved the kids when we had them he never licked them but allowed them to bounce all over him and lay on top of him. The does did not want their kids with him. They were very vocal about it and head butted him. He just let the does headbutt him and he would walk away. I am hoping it will go better next time since they are all way more familiar with each other. The goats kidded 2 months after we got them last time. They have all been together now for more then a year.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

He sounds like a good dog.

Just keep an eye out in case.


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## Rhandi74 (Dec 6, 2013)

Thank you, I will


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