Moving with an LGD

[Baymule]

I would take a chance on this dog. Our male Great Pyrenees is people friendly, but stays home-we have good fences. Yes he can jump out, but I corrected him the first time and there hasn't been another incident. Even if this dog is not bonded to your livestock and just wants to hang out on the farm, just his mere presence will be a deterrent to predators. Our male would rather hang out with us, but at night he is running the fence line barking a warning. He protects the farm, not necessarily individual sheep, but the whole place.

Besides the adoption fee, what do you have to lose? The poor dog was lonely, bored and was looking for someone or something to do. Shame on his former owners. I would sooooooo go get him!

 

[Baymule]

I wanted to add that our front gate stays closed to keep stray dogs out, and the neighbor's French bulldog, Pepe. When people come over, Trip meets them at the gate, never threatens anybody, never runs out the gate and escorts their vehicle to the house.

 

[newbiekat]

Thank you @Baymule for confirming my desire to get this dog! If there is anyone else that is against it, please share, I would love to know your reasoning why. This would be a new venture for me and I love to listen to all sides as we progress (or don't) into this situation!

We don't have gates into our new property at the driveways, just fenced and gated pastures, so if he lived outside of the pasture, he could wander away from the property if he wanted to.

Now, being he is just under a year old, and (to my knowledge) has never seen goats or chickens, would it be wise to put him on a cable in that 1/4 acre at my current property? Or just let him free in that 1/4 acre? He would be sharing the fence with the goats, and there is hot wire around the chickens so he couldnt get to them

Also, if you say cable him, how long of a cable should I get?

 

[Wehner Homestead]

My ONLY reluctance is that Pyrs are wanderers (to protect and increase the area they protect.) You’ll have to have good enough fences to keep him in or you’ll never be able to trust him loose.

Containing him will take no climb 2x4 horse fence with at least one Hotwire if not two. (Low enough to discourage digging/climbing and high enough to discourage jumping.)

As long as he’s properly introduced to your livestock and knows that they belong, he will guard them as part of his property whether or not he’s actually bonded to them.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Also @Southern by choice is having trouble getting the site to load so she’s having difficulty being online.

 

[newbiekat]

Thank you. Now when you say "properly introduced", can you explain a little more? I was planning on putting him in the 1/4 acre, on a cable tie out, and let him meet the chickens and goats through the fence, at least for a couple weeks. If that seems to go well then I'll start walking him in the pasture with the goats. Does that sound okay?

I was planning on putting hot wire throughout the new pasture anyways for the goats' sake, so there will be hot wire around the pasture.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

That’s a good introduction plan. Start on leash and gradually make your way to off lead. Don’t leave him with them unsupervised until you know you can trust him and start with very short periods of time and gradually increase.

Having a way to expel energy will help too so make sure he’s getting exercise.

He will need trained to the hot wire too. They have enough hair to insulate a shock so getting them to respect it can take time.

**I’m not a trainer of LGDs by any means. I’ve had 3 and I learn more with each one.

They think independently and they are very smart. Something to keep in mind.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

You want him to bond with you too. He needs to want to please you. (Not in the same sense as an obedience dog.)

 

[Mike CHS]

Also @Southern by choice is having trouble getting the site to load so she’s having difficulty being online.

I have had the same issue periodically. It occasionally lasts for a day or more.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

I have had the same issue periodically. It occasionally lasts for a day or more.

I’ve had that issue too. She and I just talked about the trouble that she was having currently.