Great Pyr Figuring it out

[FallViewFarms]

Our Bella will be a year old this month. Too young to be alone with the babies but my gosh I can hardly keep her away from the fence! She wants IN with the babies now that they are here. I have been suspicious of the way she watches them play sometimes, her body in play stance all posed to pounce. I took her inside the run tonight (babies are just 6 days old) and she acted like she didn't know the babies were there. Just walking calmly around sniffing. When it was time to leave, I had to chase her out! She came to the gate with me, then turned around and ran further into the pen. I will never stop being surprised at the inborn knowledge that these dogs possess. Perhaps I should start crating her inside the goat fencing. But I really like her to have the run of the property at night.

 

[bcnewe2]

Can't you give her supervised time with them? Sounds like she's ready.

 

[Moonshine]

I read on BYC that creating them would cause mental health issues with them such as making them fearful, destructive and unsocial.
Here's the thread:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/735168/raising-and-training-a-livestock-guardian-dog

 

[Southern by choice]

Fall View Farms- I am sorry to say... you are way overdue on having your pyr with the livestock. I say that with a friendly laugh. NO insult what-so-ever.

All of our LGD's before 1 year of age can and do go in with the goats even during kidding. The intro should have been at 8 wks and a gradual intro. that allows full time guarding. I do not recommend a pup in with kids/lambs until the dog is a bit older and proven... often 8-12 months. But the dog should be in with adults full time prior to that.

this is an excerpt from my website... so not in full detail but it is a general description. We are also always with the dogs with their first kiddings and monitor their behavior,

Our LGD's are integrated into every aspect of our lives. As puppies they spend time with us in our home as well as the fields. They are well socialized, house-trained, groomed, and taught basic manners such as sit and come. Pups with parent stock are raised from birth with livestock. Ours pups are introduced to our livestock at 8 weeks of age if parent stock is unavailable. From 8-12 weeks they are with the livestock in a supervised setting. After 3 months the dogs are with the livestock throughout the day with periods of separation. Those separation periods are for "house" time with their human family, and playtime outside of the livestock areas.

When our dogs are 4 months we begin basic obedience skills. Walking on lead, heal, sit/stay, and a short "down" with the "come" command. Our LGD's are not "over trained" but taught simple basic commands. The Great Pyrenees as well as the Anatolian do very well with the down command as they think it means it's belly rub time. The command "come" is often more of a suggestion to the LGD, leaning always toward what they deem to be in their best interest. We will often refresh our dogs on these skills. From 16-20 weeks pups are in with livestock fulltime with their training and playtime outside of the livestock area daily.

Your dog wants to do her job... some LGD's are not ready for kidding at 1 yr... that is usually because the were not raised and trained up well and do not know what to do.

My 4month old in with a new kid... http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=24213

Callie exactly 12 months...

Callie and D...

D

I have some great photos of them with the babies on my website... but Hopefully this will encourage you, I have a feeling your pup will be in "heaven".

 

[Moonshine]

What is your website Southern? Also, I just got an LGD Pyrenees/Anatolian mix 7 weeks old. What would you recommend I read on how to train her? This is my first LGD and first time to train any dog but I'm very dedicated to making sure she knows and loves her job.

 

[Southern by choice]

I will pm you.

My detailed info page is not up yet as it will be copyrighted, once that is finished it will be up in its entirety.

 

[babsbag]

I agree with Southern. Mine LGDs were in with my adult goats full time starting at 8 weeks for my male, and 12 weeks for the female. Prior to me getting them they were living in the goat pen at their previous homes; the female was born under the goat feeder and never left

I did watch closely during the first kidding season as I just wasn't sure what to expect. There were no problems at all; my dogs were about 7 and 10 months old at the time. They both did great. My dogs have NEVER tried to play with a kid, maybe because they have always had each other to play with. The only problem I have, even now, is that the get very protective over the afterbirth and will fight each other for it. I also have to make sure they don't try to pull it from the doe before she is ready to expel it on her own.

They weren't so great with chickens, that took a bit more work. OK, a lot more work.

I do wish I had introduced them to my other house dogs a little more, and I wish I had taught them about a leash. At the time I had been told not to handle them at all, so it is a good thing I fell in love with them and risked ruining them or they would be totally anti-social. I know better now. My dogs love me, and anyone can go in the field with me, but the male will not let anyone but me and DH touch him, and cars, and leashes, and my house, and my house dogs are totally foreign to them; especially to the male. Wish I could have "do overs"

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Wow! Thank you for all the responses and great info! Bella has been with the adult goats alone many times, but I've read not to leave a great Pyr under 18 months old alone with newborns. The baby goats are one week old today. I've introduced her to the babies, the 3rd picture I posted shows her in the pen checking out one of the babies. I stayed with her inside the pen tonight for over an hour. At first she just smelled around everywhere. Then she licked each baby goat a lot. When she got that 'hey, I wanna chase you around a bit' look in her eye, I thought it was time to go. She is routinely left with the chickens and I've had no problems there. I LOVE that her new 'chillin spot' is along the fence line by the babies.

She chases the hawks and turkey vultures off the property.

 

[FallViewFarms]

Blarneyeggs is actually me. I can not post from Blarney anymore on this computer (where I load pictures). So again, thanks for your responses. We are giving the Bell more and more time with the babies. I am going to lock the baby goats up at night when they reach 2 weeks and will leave Bella in with the adult goats through the night starting then. I want to build her her 'own space' before then. I'm picturing a platform that looks out over the farm just a foot or so off the ground, with a shelter for cold and rain on it. We'll start feeding Bella on her platform as soon as it's done.

Here she is yesterday with the babies, we took the adults out of the pen for fresh forage and Bella was a champ with the babes.

 

[Fluffygal]

sweet pic of her with the babies.