# Need some experienced LGD Owner input



## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

Okay I have a few questions for all of you experienced great Pyrenees owners. I have 2 males they are both 4 Months old. Currently they are out with the goats chickens ducks and geese free range during the day. But at night I lock everyone up in the barn including the puppies. My guestion is how old/ big do they need to be before they can choose to come in the barn for the night or sleep outisde? One of them follows the goats in at dark and one lays outside the door. I have to pick him up and put him in. I lock everyone up because over the last 3 years we have already lost two goats to coyotes. 10 geese to coyotes 60 chickens to a bobcat 4 rabbits to a Bob cat. So I am just trying to be very careful and not have them out after dark before they are big enough to protect themselves.


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Interesting question; Our Anatolian when he was around 6 mo just by his presence a cougar went on it's way.


----------



## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

Hemm....I have never owned an LGD so that is why I am asking. During the day I have witnessed them chase off Hawks trying to get chickens.and just yesterday I was out in the pasture fixing fence in the back and heard them barking so I looked up they were chasing a dog bigger than them out of the pasture. But that was a domesticated dog not a pack of coyotes. I would just be devasted if I left them out and woke up to two fur piles the next am.


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Kind of what I was saying is that they will do their job even if they arent yet big enough to take on a predator.
Our situation was that he was in pen next to goats. One morning he was in with goats.
A few days later a neighbor stopped to tell us a cat was seen down the road.


----------



## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

Ok I got it now. Currently the puppies sleep in the back of the barn with all 50 or so chickens and they have two goat buddies with them also. Maybe I will move the goats to a stall in the front and leave the small chicken door open at night so they can go in and out as they choose. Because I am also worried that I may he sheltering them too much by locking them in the barn they are not having a chance to expeirence the "night life" and all the creatures that come out! Lol


----------



## bayouboergoats (Dec 30, 2012)

Thank you soooo much for your replies!!


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

You're welcome! Neither one of our guys has "real" shelter.


----------



## Crystal (Jan 20, 2013)

I have a Great Pyrenees Akbash cross. She is almost 7 months old. I am also new to LGD also but I was told around a year old. She already keeps the coyotes away by her bark. I have a pack of coyotes that live close by. She is not kept in the pen with the goats but she is turned out with them. Kaylee my pup loves the baby goats and animals but very protective of my 17 month old daughter. I will get another one soon to keep in the pen but Kaylee has to be by my daughter. Look up Raising & Training a livestock-guarding dog (Oregon state University)


----------



## motdaugrnds (Mar 20, 2013)

Crystal, that pic with your child and the dog is so very sweet and is typical of a good guardian dog, often being LGDs.

As for the pups being in or out of a locked area during the night, I would lean toward protecting the puppies until they were older.


----------



## JenVise (Dec 7, 2012)

I know it's not a GP but I thought it was cute!


----------



## Spanish (Feb 13, 2013)

Hello everyone, I am pretty new to this forum, but enjoy reading through the many topics.

When I came upon this topic, I thought I would give my two cents..

I have Gr.Pry. for many many years, and totally love the breed and respect the jobs they preform.

Lets see where to start.

The ideal guardian is a pup that has been working with parents for about 1 yr before placing with your livestock, but most people will buy pups, and have to replace there dams teaching. You will have to be there to teach .

1st step, you should keep your pup insight of the goats, or sheep, never free range and un supervised. Allow your pup to mix in when you can correct his or her wrong behavior. You should keep a long line attached so you can give a quick pull with a harsh no when behavior is playful, or wrong. mean business with your correction. See the dame would grab the pup by the neck and put it down to the ground when it would attempt to play or bite the goats and she will allow the mama goat to correct the pup. The sire would even be more aggressive to pup especially if it would be the kids the pup was after. Sires tend to be more protective of kid goats. Never put with babies until there is respect. Ideal animal would be a no nonsense mama . or dominate goat. they will head butt pup when pup gets out of hand to close or invading to much. Good lessons for pup in respecting goats. Pups should never be aloud to mouth goats major no no.

2nd, as time goes on pup will learn with help of dominate goat and there will finally be harmony between them and your pup will be staying with them more and more. It will be a slow process but your pup will get there eventually, now if your pup keeps on trying to mouth the goats, even after strick correction, may mean he or she may not be the best choice, not all Gr. Pry. make good guardians. Some simply want to be pets, and enjoy the family much more. Your Gr. Pry. as a guardian, should not be socialized with other dogs, or stranger, basically they need to fall in love with their goats, sheep, chickens, etc. I am sure you get the idea. You want your Gr.Pry. to be that protector from intruders, or threats that may await them. and please remember your Gr.Pry. still needs to learn all commands, sit stay, etc. It's not really funny to have a large dog with no human respect, and please remember the grooming, when a pup starts to loose that puppy coat which is about a 1 yr old, it will start shedding out undercoat and it will matt with the outercoat guard hairs that will be coming in.. they will need allot of grooming, good idea to buy a grooming rake which will help a great deal. after that 1st year of puppy shedding grooming isn't that bad. they will shed out 2 times, spring, fall. remember to play with paws, and trim nails and dew claws. please don't cut into quick, Gr.Pry will not forgive you for that and will make future trimmings having to go to a vet .

If your thinking about buying a pup as a guardian, there are traits to look for, like I said, some pups make better companions, then guardians.


----------



## motdaugrnds (Mar 20, 2013)

Spanish, that is important information you just shared. Thank you.


----------

