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7B Bar
Great Pyrenees Photo Album
(click to view)
It is important to understand
the distinction between herding dogs and guarding dogs.
Herding dogs move livestock from one area to another by
biting, chasing, or barking at the livestock. Herding
dogs work according to signals (verbal and hand) from a
handler, and they are generally not left alone with the
livestock. Guarding dogs usually do not herd
livestock, are discouraged from biting, chasing, and barking
at livestock, and act independently of people.
A livestock guarding dog is one
that generally stays with livestock without harming them and
aggressively repels predators. The dog chooses to
remain with livestock because it has been reared from
puppyhood with them. Its protective behaviors are
largely instinctive, and there is relatively little formal
training required other than timely correction of
undesirable behaviors (e.g., overplayfulness, and excessive
wandering). The guarding dog is not a herding dog but
rather a full-time member of the flock. Success of the
dog is a result of a quality genetic background with an
emphasis on proper rearing.
An ideal guard dog is
intelligent, alert, and confident. It must act
independently and react instinctively while protecting the
livestock. It will investigate and aggressively
confront intruders, but above all, it must be attentive to
livestock and not harm them. An investigative and
aggressive dog is of little benefit if it will not stay near
its livestock.
Herding dogs are an integral
part of most livestock operations. Generally, guarding
and herding dogs are able to work on the same operation.
The guarding and herding dogs should be familiar with each
other but should be discouraged from playing together.
A mature guard dog knows there are times when the herding
dog is in charge (when moving livestock), but that it
assumes the dominant position at all other times.
According to the AKC
description the Great Pyrenees dog conveys the distinct
impression of elegance and unsurpassed beauty combined with
great overall size and majesty. He has a white or
principally white coat that may contain marking of badger,
gray, or varying shades of tan. He possesses a keen
intelligence and a kindly, while regal, expression.
Exhibiting a unique elegance of bearing and movement, his
soundness and coordination show unmistakably the purpose for
which he has been bred, the strenuous work of guarding the
flocks in all kinds of weather on the steep mountain slopes
of the Pyrenees.
We have 3 Great Pyrenees dogs
working on the ranch guarding the dairy goats. Our
Pyrenees are of different ages ranging from 2 years to 9
months. All of our dogs were obtain at 6 - 8 weeks old
and were immediately put with the goats to bond. The
goal with a new puppy is to channel its natural instincts to
produce a mature guardian dog. This can best be
accomplished by early and continued association with
livestock to produce a bond between the dog and livestock.
I feel it is also important for some training as a puppy to
become familiarized with the handler to help eliminate
problems in the future (e.g. vet visits, correcting
behavior, general care). We love our Pyrenees as
part of our family and the main difference is they sleep and
stay with the dairy goats every day and every night, rain or
shine. The dairy goats love these dogs as one of their
own. However, the dairy goats hate our Border Collies
and some will go as far as to through a fit at the site Leo
or Paige.
Our Great Pyrenees have helped
to educate school children in Carroll County. Aspen in
2005 went to the Carroll County Master Gardeners annual 3
day Heritage Days to help teach Carroll County 4th graders
about Georgia heritage. Timber in 2006 attended
Heritage Days where approx. 2500 4th graders attended.
Both Aspen in 2005 and Timber in 2006 have attended the
Roopville Elementary School Pioneer days to help educate
children on pioneer days in Georgia.
Our Great Pyrenees have fit in
well on our ranching operation and so far we have not
lost any dairy goats to predators.
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