# Remember Minnie? Cool Update...



## Southern by choice (Nov 2, 2015)

Thought I'd share some pretty cool news. 

One of our Pyrenees Pups... “Minnie”- from Amy's first litter is 2 years old on 11/4.

Minnie went to a first timer home. Their first LGD utilized as a goat guardian. There were a few bumps in the road... mostly failure of a new owner to heed advice and generally unfamiliar with the LGD breeds. Sometimes not picking up on clues the dog was giving and sometimes expecting the worst …

A few times I did get a little “tough” with her shepherd and probably offended or at the least hurt feelings but I did what was right for the dog and the new shepherds.   Minnie was patient and her owners learned a great deal. Minnie's shepherd says all the time... _So glad Minnie is so forgiving and patient with us._  They  learned to “trust the dog” … Minnie has never chased a chicken, never dug, climbed out, run away, never chewed on, mauled her livestock. She went through her first kidding at just over a year old and was wonderful. She has never failed them. When their mindset changed from worrying and expecting the worst- of course that is from them hearing all the horror stories of LGD's- and they began to expect success and learned to trust, observe, and work on Minnie's terms they helped in nurturing her strengths, skills, and partnered in her becoming a great dog!

Over the summer (maybe it was spring) there was an outreach in their community and the lady took her goats and Minnie... it was for children and families. Minnie was a “magnet”. Long story short they did a little write up and Minnie's owner was truly amazed at how Minnie just knew what to do in this completely foreign environment.

After some months of thought and with us talking from time to time I had shared I might be working with one of our dogs for a therapy dog. Minnie's shepherd has decided to get Minnie her CGC and from there work toward her being a therapy dog. Yes Minnie is still their LGD but will also be (hopefully) a therapy dog.
    


I am so happy! I love showing how our guardians ARE LGD's but can be so versatile. Much depends on the shepherd of course and second temperament of the dog but for me it is a chipping away at the ridiculous notion that you don't touch the dog... no contact... put the dog in the field...

Minnie's owner is still so amazed that in field she is one dog out of the field completely different. 

Minnie was a 50/50 W/P which is rare in a Pyr. She was rated and evaluated for a small family farm environment. Minnie loves children and although their children are grown and gone and none around which means no regular exposure... Minnie is as gentle and loving as can be when she is introduced.

Minnie is a great dog but she also had a great shepherdess that chose to partner with her.
Hoping we will be able to partner up with our dogs and go into hospitals, nursing homes, emergency situations and bring comfort to those who need it.  

These dogs are such a blessing!


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## Poka_Doodle (Nov 2, 2015)

Great news


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## babsbag (Nov 2, 2015)

Sigueme would make a great therapy dog and have thought about it when she "retires". It is such a good feeling when our pups grow up and succeed, just like our real kids.


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## sadieml (Nov 2, 2015)

So awesome to hear about people teaching their babies to be therapy dogs.  When my son's appendix ruptured and we spent 2 weeks in the hospital (he & I--you know Mme Overprotective was not leaving his side), he was sooo unhappy that he could see Daddy, John and Kim, but not Wrotan Gunnar our Rottie, his OTHER brother.  After about 6 days, he got a visit from an LGD therapy dog.  He was so happy, he cried.  He said that made him feel better than anything.  When my Mama was having chemo, there were 2 incredible Great Dane therapy dogs that came through almost every week.  Even though she was a little scared at first (always a dog lover, but terrified since childhood of big dogs due to a dog bite) after a while, she started asking where they were when she didn't see them for a whole week.  Funny, I didn't know she was afraid of big dogs, because she always let us have them.  Just like I thought she liked chicken back and wings until I was 19.  Bless her heart, that's a mother's love for you.


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## Southern by choice (Nov 3, 2015)

sadieml said:


> So awesome to hear about people teaching their babies to be therapy dogs.  When my son's appendix ruptured and we spent 2 weeks in the hospital (he & I--you know Mme Overprotective was not leaving his side), he was sooo unhappy that he could see Daddy, John and Kim, but not Wrotan Gunnar our Rottie, his OTHER brother.  After about 6 days, he got a visit from an LGD therapy dog.  He was so happy, he cried.  He said that made him feel better than anything.  When my Mama was having chemo, there were 2 incredible Great Dane therapy dogs that came through almost every week.  Even though she was a little scared at first (always a dog lover, but terrified since childhood of big dogs due to a dog bite) after a while, she started asking where they were when she didn't see them for a whole week.  Funny, I didn't know she was afraid of big dogs, because she always let us have them.  Just like I thought she liked chicken back and wings until I was 19.  Bless her heart, that's a mother's love for you.


That is a great story! I love it! 
I get your son! I had swooped in and grabbed a dog one time that had just been hit by a car (not my dog) I did it out of instinct almost- anyway it literally had JUST been hit I got bit. Duh! 
Problem was where the bite was... 12 hours later I was in ER and admitted immediately... by blood had gotten infected. It was serious. I was in the hospital on IV antibiotics for a week... even though Iwas an adult it was my mom that brought my dog to the hospital. My GSD (one of them lol) I grabbed my pole snuck all the way down and out the front door of the hospital... to see my dog. Made the whole world better. "He" also brought me a card. I have it to this day. That was 30 years ago. My mom was so awesome for bringing him up. 

Mom's are great aren't they!


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 3, 2015)

That's great to hear!


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## Goat Whisperer (Nov 3, 2015)

So cool! I loved that pup!


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