Big Problem with Great Pyrenees

[Laura_P]

We have two great pyrenees (brother and sister) that are approximately 3 1/2 years old. We got them when they were 11 months old, for the purpose of guarding our sheep. In the beginning, we had problems with them staying where they were supposed to, but my husband built fence and hot-wired the top and bottom to keep them in. This worked well, with the exception of an escape here and there.

A few weeks ago, the female escaped a few times and helped herself to our chickens. We lost 3 or 4 to her. We penned up the chickens so she can no longer get to them. Every time my husband fixed the fence, she and her brother found another way to get out. We knew they were wandering, but thought they were staying fairly close to home. We put them in our garage in the day and let them out at night thinking they would just patrol our property (50 acres).

Last night, the GPs were up near our house and attacked one of our other dogs. I think they probably would've killed her if we hadn't intervened. Tonight, we got a call from a neighbor who told us that our dogs had attacked one of his dogs (on his property) this past weekend and that they had also attacked his dog back in the summer. The summer attack was very brutal and the dog had to get stitches and have a drainage tube to help the wound heal. He also said he had seen our dogs roaming down the road about 3 miles. We had NO IDEA!

We are not irresponsible animal owners or bad neighbors and we love these dogs. We have no idea what to do with them. They are very gentle and sweet with us. However, we can't risk having them get out any more and we can't keep them cooped up in our garage.

Does anyone have any suggestions? We're afraid we might have to put them down.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

You should contact @Southern by choice

 

[Baymule]

50 acres would be a lot to high wire fence.....

 

[Southern by choice]

There is a lot of info missing here.
1. Are the dogs fenced in or not? I am reading they patrol the whole property yet they had fences and escape?

2. What livestock are they protecting? Are they still with sheep?

3. When you got the dogs what was your protocol for them?

4. The majority of issues regarding LGD's are because of incorrect info and lack of training in their early months.

5. Dogs that run away, escape, dig etc are directly related to
a) improper introduction to their job
b) failure to bond with livestock OR property
c) do not have a clear "job" to do
d) unhappy animals which is directly linked to a.b. and c.

Sometimes it is a matter of having to re-program and give them purpose. It can be done.

 

[Laura_P]

We have about a 20 acre field where we keep the sheep. It has various types of fencing (old woven wire, some barbed wire, etc) and the 4th side is high tinsel electric - 4 strands. Within that field, we built a 2 acre "pen" with 3 sides woven wire, one side 4 strand electric. When we got the dogs, we made several foolish mistakes. One being that we let them hang out at the house, then we expected them to stay in the field with the sheep when we wanted them to. When they wouldn't stay inside the pen (the female climbed over and the male dug a hole and crawled under), my husband hot wired the top and bottom of the fence. That worked for a while. We let the sheep out into the bigger field in the day and return them to the 2 acre pen at night, so they can be with the dogs. The only times the dogs got out is when we were letting the sheep in and out of the pen.

This system mostly worked for the past couple of years. The dogs seem fond of the sheep and are good at patrolling the pen. The female was very protective of lambs during her first year with us.

They were almost a year old when we got them and as I mentioned, we did not guide them properly when they first got here. Their intended job is to protect the sheep at night. Right now, they aren't protecting the sheep because they are confined in our garage. I imagine they are very unhappy now.

Southern by choice, do you think 3 to 4-year-old dogs can still learn their job (and boundaries).

I appreciate your taking time to respond to my question.

-Laura

 

[Southern by choice]

Yes they are able to be re programmed but it will take some work.

A few things... you mentioned
a. yes that was a mistake ... although we do promote bonding with the lgd and house time there is a way to do that and a way not to do that. This can be remedied.
b. from what I understand, correct me if I am reading this wrong... you kept the dogs within the 2 acre pen while letting the sheep out in the day without the dogs?
c. Quote- "The only times the dogs got out is when we were letting the sheep in and out of the pen." Can you explain that a little better for me?
d. what livestock were they with before you got them?
e. When did this start and at what point did it continually progress to this point?

 

[Laura_P]

b. from what I understand, correct me if I am reading this wrong... you kept the dogs within the 2 acre pen while letting the sheep out in the day without the dogs?

This is correct. We keep them in the pen (separated from the sheep) because they run off if we let them out into the bigger field. They eventually come back, sometimes several hours later.

c. Quote- "The only times the dogs got out is when we were letting the sheep in and out of the pen." Can you explain that a little better for me?

Within the smaller pen, is a holding area that we put sheep in (coming in or going out from the field), until we are able to close the gate between the field and the 2-acre pen. Then we open the fence between the holding area and the 2-acre pen to let the sheep into the pen. This used to help keep the dogs away from the main gate and keep them in the pen.

d. what livestock were they with before you got them?

The first owner of the dogs was an older man and I'm not sure he had any livestock, or if he did, I don't know what he had. He was unable to keep the dogs, so he gave the male (Jack) to a guy who had goats and chickens. The female (Jill) went to a different home and I don't think they had animals. The reason the second guy got rid of Jack is that he kept standing in the middle of the road, barking at the neighbor dogs. He was afraid Jack was going to get hit by a car.

We brought Jack to our house and put him with the sheep. We got Jill a couple of weeks later and put her with Jack and the sheep.

e. When did this start and at what point did it continually progress to this point?

They have had short periods of time when they get out of the fence. My husband finds the place where they get out and fixes it, which seems to keep them in for a while. We installed a new gate about 6 weeks ago and that is when they started getting out again. They also began crawling over the fence, under the fence, through the fence, etc.

Of course, once they get out, it spirals into one escape after the other and all we can do is watch them run into the sunset, as they laugh at our feeble attempts to contain them.

Thanks for taking time to help with this situation...
Laura

 

[Baymule]

They are partners in crime.....sounds to me that they are bonded to each other. I am no expert by any means, so take it with a grain of salt.