# Here we go...



## Angeliki Manouselis (Feb 18, 2019)

Gosh, I love this site already!  I received so much great information in my first post while searching for LGDs in Florida. 
I had not found an adult dog to take in that would protect my chickens duck and goats, I reached out to several rescues and groups but to n avail.  So I have made the choice to buy two Great Pyrenees females from the same litter. I am going to pick them up Sunday and train them. I am not totally clueless to dog training as I trained my dads savage awful Doberman to not eat my chickens, (after he killed one) and I raised my Mastiff/ Black Mouth Cur (hunting dog!) to not pay any attention to the chickens, she is around them with me a lot, they were also free range and she never attacked any. she was even amazing with the baby ducks this week, very motherly and sweet, but Zena is not an “outdoor all the time” dog. She sleeps next to my bed at night. These Pyr puppies will eventually spend 24/7 with the herd and flock. 
So as I said, I am going to pick up two female Great Pyrenees puppies on Sunday! The parents are on site, they are working dogs and the puppies have already been around chickens and goats. I am going to be reading endless threads from here and on “livestock guardian dogs” Facebook group. At night , the puppies will sleep inside the house but in a separate room so they don’t bond too much to me and my boyfriend. During the day they will spend outside with me and the chickens and goats. Until they’re big enough to defend themselves from the pesky bobcat that has been stealing my ducks... I don’t have any really large predators in my area, just bobcats. I saw one lone coyote once a long time ago though. But my 7 acres is between two main roads and not so much in the country. My goats will be kidding very soon, the puppies will grow up with the kids, that might make it even better for bonding to the goats? Right? This is all so new to me, I am as excited as I am nervous. Also my two does need to get used to having the dogs around because they aren’t very fond of Zena who wants to play and chases them. Zena is not allowed in with the goats and will not be allowed around the Pyrenees at all while they are training.


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## Baymule (Feb 19, 2019)

Other dogs should never be allowed in the GPS working area. Be sure to socialize your puppies. I take mine to Tractor Supply. They will happily jump in the truck to go to the vet.


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## Angeliki Manouselis (Feb 19, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Other dogs should never be allowed in the GPS working area. Be sure to socialize your puppies. I take mine to Tractor Supply. They will happily jump in the truck to go to the vet.


 I understand that, my House dogs won’t be allowed to be around them.  They will definitely be socialized my mastiff mix loves going in the truck to to go to tractor supply and Home Depot with me


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## Baymule (Feb 19, 2019)

I didn't mean to keep them separated all the time, just to respect their work space. My GP's are let out for play time in the yard and area around the house. They love their free time and play with our black Lab/Great Dane 7 month old puppy. They recognize that the puppy belongs, other dogs don't. They run around, pee on everything, marking it as "theirs", the male will poop next to our vehicles, double marking, letting us know that our vehicles are safe from predators. 

The female GP will not come into the house. The male GP loves to come in for his house time at night for a little while. He is stretched out in the floor sound asleep right now. The grand babies can crawl all over him, he loves them. This does not detract from him being the awesome guard dog that he is. He loves the baby lambs and guards them closely. He patrols at night, watching everything. 

You will strike a balance with your dogs. Each one is different, an individual.


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## Angeliki Manouselis (Feb 20, 2019)

Baymule said:


> I didn't mean to keep them separated all the time, just to respect their work space. My GP's are let out for play time in the yard and area around the house. They love their free time and play with our black Lab/Great Dane 7 month old puppy. They recognize that the puppy belongs, other dogs don't. They run around, pee on everything, marking it as "theirs", the male will poop next to our vehicles, double marking, letting us know that our vehicles are safe from predators.
> 
> The female GP will not come into the house. The male GP loves to come in for his house time at night for a little while. He is stretched out in the floor sound asleep right now. The grand babies can crawl all over him, he loves them. This does not detract from him being the awesome guard dog that he is. He loves the baby lambs and guards them closely. He patrols at night, watching everything.
> 
> You will strike a balance with your dogs. Each one is different, an individual.


 
That is too funny, marking the vehicles hahaha!
I definitely want them all to get along, they will definitely have social time with my two house  dogs, but like you said when it’s training time, the house dogs won’t be allowed around.
It seems like you have a really beautiful balance going on, that would be perfect for my small scale backyard goat and chicken keeping. For some reason I thought if they came in the house at all then they wouldn’t want to live outside.  My boyfriend and I watched a video of a sheep farmer in Missouri who doesn’t even pet his puppies, my boyfriend was so upset thinking we couldn’t even pet and love on these puppies. Lol I told him there is a balance and we will find it and these dogs will be loved and well socialized.


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## Baymule (Feb 20, 2019)

Do bear in mind that not all LGD's are great guardians. Some would rather be with people. Some make better pets than guardians. Just like people, not everyone can be a brain surgeon.  But I just can't imagine not loving on my dogs! 

I just had to post this picture, sorry it is sideways. Is that a look of love or what?


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## Angeliki Manouselis (Feb 20, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Do bear in mind that not all LGD's are great guardians. Some would rather be with people. Some make better pets than guardians. Just like people, not everyone can be a brain surgeon.  But I just can't imagine not loving on my dogs!
> 
> I just had to post this picture, sorry it is sideways. Is that a look of love or what?
> 
> View attachment 58348



Yes, I understand they all have their own personalities but I sure hope they will enjoy their jobs. 
Such a wonderful photo!!


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## sfgwife (Mar 6, 2019)

So. Two female gp do not make a good pair usually. Most of the time two ladies will be jerks together even if litter mates. May want to rethink two females. I am surprised the breeder did not tell you this when you asked for two females. I am not sayin it never works but from all i see it is usual for it not to. 

Then... you should put a kennel in with wjatever the pup is to be keeper of for night time. Not put the pup in the house. Lgd do most of their work at night and if the pup grows up thinkin nighttime is for the house then you have a pretty useless lgd. If they are with working parents they will already be used to bein barn babies. You want these animals to be with their herd at all times. But when they are pups usually until two years old they must be supervised while in with their herd and loose. When you cannot be there to supervise a kennel works. 

Throw most of what you think you know about training a dog out the window... teachin a lgd is a completely different ballgame. They work on instinct not so much training as what you are thinking like. They have a very different way about them that “regular” dogs when it comes to learning. Try talking to other people that have had pups to adults about how to teach them and discipline them. A lgd is more apt to jus walk away from you with their nose turned up if they think their way is better than yours. And oft times prove to you just that. Your discipline will also need be different for them that a “reg” dog because of this attitude.


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