Tracy in Ky Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) Our beloved Collie Sara died this month. She was 9 years old and we are heartbroken. We would like to get a Great Pyrenees now. I've been researching the breed and talking to other Pyr owners, and it seems like the breed for us. I've read a book about them, and am continuing to learn what I can about them. I've begun researching dog training as well; it seems like Pyr's are somewhat of a challenge to teach obedience to, so I want to be prepared to do what it takes to have a well behaved "Gentle Giant" as they are called. :) Our Collie was a friend and companion to dd10. She roams the farm, and I always felt better when Sara was with her. Our neighbors have Pit Bulls (they show them), and one appeared in our yard several months ago. I called animal control and they came and removed the Pit. I like the idea of having a loyal, guardian dog for lots of reasons, but a young dd, a large farm which dd likes to roam on, and Pits at the neighbor's house are at the top of the list. :) Plus, we live way out in the country, and any manner of animal could wander up. Are there any Great Pyrenees owners on the board that can give me any tips or advice? Edited August 30, 2010 by Tracy in Ky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMDG Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We don't have one, but earlier this summer we got our first dog--a Newfoundland; a huge dog! A Newfie is believed to be an ancient mix of a Great Pyr. and another mountain dog. I just wanted to wish you good luck and to have fun. We REALLY love our dog, but the size of him does seem to intimidate others. I would DEFINITELY go for professional and a recommended obedience trainer. Our Newfie is happy-to-please, but they are still DOGS, and need to learn their manners. Yeah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeneralMom Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We have one and my mom has one. We decided to buy our female from LGD stock and when we went to get her there was a sad 1-yr old rescue (he wouldn't stay with the goats), so we got him too. Well, he is very territorial and kept trying to kill my male Great Dane. My mom (who lived with us at the time) and I had to keep them separated, but he got along fine with our Pyr and with other dogs on the street. He will kill things like bunnies in the yard. Our female is small (she was the runt) and extremely patient and gentle. However, they bark...alot...like all the time. Blossom is constantly "defending" her flock from scary things like gusts of wind, airplanes, a squirrel in a tree three yards over. Honestly, they are lovely, lovely, dedicated animals who would lay down their lives without hesitation. They are fluffy and require grooming and training. Good luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We owned one when I was a child. If this is going to be an outside dog, you need to live in a place where it is pretty much always cold. We had one in Texas and even with him being an inside dog, it was just cruel. My grandparents lived in Maine and they had two of these dogs. They were still inside dogs, but they had a lot of fun in the winter. There's a picture of me as a baby sitting on the floor next to one of my grandparent's Great Pyrenees, who was laying on the floor trying to sleep. I was pulling back his lip and examining his teeth with my little baby fingers. He just laid there, tolerating me. They really are very sweet dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) Well, we got our GP pups at 8 wks old on April 4. Those pups were so stinking cute!!!! They are ENORMOUS now and they are still growing. Pros: They are very gentle and so far they've been pretty easy to train. They sit for their food and don't jump now that they are bigger. They are so gentle with the kids. My 2 yr old feeds them both treats all the time and they never snap it out of his hand. They are very alert and love to walk with me in the mornings. They stay very close to me and the kids when we are out in the fields. They allow my 5 yr. old to lead them on a leash, even though they could drag her all through the yard. Cons: They eat a ton. We go through 25 lbs of dog food a week. Till they learn to poop away from the house, you will have horse sized piles in your yard. They love to dig, so I will probably never have a flower grow in my flower beds again. They love the water and mud, so they stay pretty dirty, although not stinky. I wonder how their coat will look when they are shedding. We'll see this fall when they begin to shed their summer coat and their winter one starts to come in. I hope it doesn't mat up, because those dogs have a lot of hair. The verdict....we love our dogs. They are pretty neat dogs! This is a picture of our female, Lucy, when she was brand new. The brown ears have faded though, so she is now solid white. ETA: we are planning on getting a set of horse clippers and shaving them in the summer. Edited August 30, 2010 by fairfarmhand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) Our beloved Collie Sara died this month. She was 9 years old and we are heartbroken. We would like to get a Great Pyrenees now. I've been researching the breed and talking to other Pyr owners, and it seems like the breed for us. I've read a book about them, and am continuing to learn what I can about them. I've begun researching dog training as well; it seems like Pyr's are somewhat of a challenge to teach obedience to, so I want to be prepared to do what it takes to have a well behaved "Gentle Giant" as they are called. :) Our Collie was a friend and companion to dd10. She roams the farm, and I always felt better when Sara was with her. Our neighbors have Pit Bulls (they show them), and one appeared in our yard several months ago. I called animal control and they came and removed the Pit. I like the idea of having a loyal, guardian dog for lots of reasons, but a young dd, a large farm which dd likes to roam on, and Pits at the neighbor's house are at the top of the list. :) Plus, we live way out in the country, and any manner of animal could wander up. Are there any Great Pyrenees owners on the board that can give me any tips or advice? Our old farmdog was a GP/Newfie cross. They bond to a herd, so that's either going to be your livestock or your family. You need to decide early on what the dog's job is -- livestock guard dog, or family guard dog. These dogs NEED a job. Don't kid yourself about that. If they don't have a job, they'll come up with all kinds of things to keep themselves occupied -- much of which is probably not desirable to you. Ours was an LGD, but still very, very people loyal and loving. We socialized him with the cattle as a pup, but my dh and to a lesser extent my ds, were always there, so they had a special bond. They're incredibly winter hardy. The heat was awful on him, though, but the Newfie in him always found the pond and he spent a lot of summer days getting wet. That was always fun! LOL! Best dog we'll ever have in our whole lives. His passing left a huge hole in our family and in our farm. Little story for you: Our dog was always with the cattle. He was just the biggest dog I've ever, ever known. The first time my brother came up to visit, he was looking across the pasture, and says "that's a fast cow." Closer and closer, this "cow" gets and then my brother yells "Holy cow! That's no cow!" and starts running off in the opposite direction. Poor Elmo was just checking out things, no harm intended, until my brother started running. There was no incident, as Elmo just stopped at the fence line where I was, but my brother -- the look on his face was priceless! I laugh just thinking about it. They ended up being friends, though, and my brother always referred to him as the Speeding Cow after that. Edited August 30, 2010 by Audrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 Thank you all so much for the replies! I am continuing my research on these dogs, as well as talking to families who have them. And trying to be patient until we find our puppy :) My friends who let their Pyrs run loose tell me they do not have problems with them wandering off. We want ours loose, at least during the day. Do any of you who have Pyrs running loose have trouble with the Pyr staying home? And regarding training, fairfarmhand mentioned that hers were easy to train; what experience have the rest of you had training your Pyr? We intend to take ours to obedience classes of course. Just wondering about your experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 Lol--I read that a few days ago! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 (edited) Get ready for LOTS of barking, escaping, and self-righteousness! That's the best way to describe our Pyr/Anatolian mix. I love him though and he is SWEET as can be. And smart. But they do bark 24/7 and even on 3 acres of backyard he's still feels the need to roam. Edited September 7, 2010 by ColoradoMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 HOW DO PYRENEES AND CHILDREN GET ALONG? If you train your children early enough not to tease the dog - not to pull his tail, wake him by jumping on top of him, pinch his ears or steal his food - your Pyrenees will be safe from the kids. Children are not as easy to train as a Pyrenees because it is not legal to put a choke-chain and leash on a child. Just to comment on this, and I don't know if my dog is unique or not (he's fine with kids BTW) but he will NOT tolerate discomfort in any way. Pull this dog's tail and he WILL snap - not to hurt but to warn. He has never responded to any sort of strong handedness in training - in fact I would not call it training. He agrees to go along with our rules - that's about the extent of it. I love him to death but I doubt I'd ever get another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jillene Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 We have a great pyr that we adopted about 18 months ago from Gentle Giants Rescue in CA. She is the sweetest, calmest dog ever. She rarely barks, she's very calm in the house and she's awesome with our children. However, she received a lot of training to get that way. Training is a very slow process and you need to have a lot of patience. It's not that they don't get it, it's just that they don't see why they should do it if there's not an obvious reason for it. She will come, if she feels like it, she sits and she stays but beyond that she just looks at us like we're nuts. lol She does dig huge holes in the yard. Especially in the garden areas, which drives me crazy. I planted a veggie garden this spring and the only thing that survived were the tomatoes, probably because of the cages. They are very sensitive dogs and they love to be with their people. They don't like being alone. They do need to be brushed regularly. They love to get dirty and their coats will get matted if not regularly groomed. When they shed, there is fur everywhere. It comes off in large tufts. When not shedding, there's still fur everywhere. ;) They are wonderful companions! Ours would love nothing more than to lay at our feet being pet all day. She's the biggest cuddle bug ever. In fact, she would sit in our laps on the couch, if we let her. She doesn't quite realize that she weighs 80 pounds and resembles a small horse. :lol: Good luck with your new family member! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 7, 2010 Author Share Posted September 7, 2010 We have a great pyr that we adopted about 18 months ago from Gentle Giants Rescue in CA. Jillene, does your Pyr live inside with you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jillene Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 Jillene, does your Pyr live inside with you? She does, most of the time. When she's especially muddy, she stays outside until I get a chance to bathe her. And she stays outside when we're not home, otherwise she tears up the blinds in the windows trying to find us. ETA: we've taken her camping with us and she was fine in the tent. We showed her where to lay down and she stayed right there through the night. Except during the thunderstorm. She is totally terrified of thunderstorms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 How did you get by without eating her up?! Oh, my heart, she's adorable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 My coworker has 4 LGD Great Pyrs and her oldest male will NOT stay in their fence, he just sails right over it. They have 10 acres that is fenced and since he would not stay they finally ended up having to keep him secured in the barn and allowing the 3 others to do the pasture guarding. They have 6 ft high fencing with hot wire at the top,bottom and middle of it. They were going to do coyote rollers next but decided the tethering in the barn was working best so they stopped their. BTW, he was mainly escaping to guard the neighbors property and he still thinks he needs to do this, loudly :tongue_smilie: The other 3 do not bother their fences too much and now that the main male is secured, the other 3 do not try to escape. I have ASD so no Pyr experience for you except for the mixes we get into the rescue and clients dogs and so forth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 (edited) TMy friends who let their Pyrs run loose tell me they do not have problems with them wandering off. We want ours loose, at least during the day. Do any of you who have Pyrs running loose have trouble with the Pyr staying home? And regarding training, fairfarmhand mentioned that hers were easy to train; what experience have the rest of you had training your Pyr? We intend to take ours to obedience classes of course. Just wondering about your experience. our dogs stay close pretty well, but we live on 15 acres that backs up to over 100 acres of empty land, so they have lots of room to roam.. They never get in the road, amazingly. They are so smart when we have to cross to get the mail. They'll wait on our side if they see or hear a car coming, even if it is 1/4 mile away. We began training them at 8 weeks old, so we were bigger than them at that point. Edited September 7, 2010 by fairfarmhand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 simply can't afford another $750... WOW! I had no idea that they were so expensive! A friend gave us both of ours for nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSMP Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Pyrs are awesome as long as you don't get one with the expectation of having one be truly obedient and willing to play fetch. They are seriously not fetching kind of pets...:lol: They are obedient when they think you agree with them. They are very intelligent animals and wonderful with all age children. I know some have had issues but that can happen with any pet and the key is to be parental and not allow behaviors you deem not acceptable. Every Pyr owner will tell you the stories of just how smart their Pyr is...and we have tons of stories. The Pyr puppy we have now is 10 months old and weighs 78lbs. He still has a year and a few months of growin' to do! We got Khan from the Appalachian Pyrenees Rescue in Richmond VA. He was 12 weeks old. He our families second Pyr and my husbands 5th. His parents only had pyrs. If loved and treated well, a Pyr can live to the ripe old age of at least 14 which was when our Zeus died. When we got Zeus he was 2 and all ready had some bad habits,but nothing we were not able to get him out of. He used to let my 9 month old nephew sleep on him when he napped. It did take us about 4 years to finally get the backyard(.25 acre) and the house Pyr proofed. Oh the adventures we had when he went on walkabout. Due to issues we had with a neighbor we almost had to get rid of Zeus. The county was stepping and we had all ready done everything above and beyond what could have been done to accommodate out single neighbor who didn't like kids let alone dogs. It came down to us having to have him debarked. We contacted the Pyr folks first and they said do it. There is one vet on the East Coast who will debark a dog before he will spey and neuter. Please don't jump on me for this...Zeus did fine and it ended up being the best thing we could have done for him and our family. As unpopular as the thought is...it has been done. We are excited to have a Pyr that can now have the freedom to bark. It is too cute when the male puppies go from having their puppy bark to their big dog bark. It actually scares them...:lol: I don't think there is much I can tell you that hasn't all ready been said, but that I love these animals. They are so amazing. I am alpha female in our little family pack and I cannot get up with out Khan following me. The only place he doesn't wander to is the bathroom!! My kids have one up on him. Good luck with your Pyr and it sounds like you will be going into this knowing what you are getting into. I can't say enough wonderful things...but they are just like our kids...they have their moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 I am loving all the replies! Thank you all for your help. I've seen these puppies for as much as $1800, but we certainly won't be paying that much for one. It may end up costing more than the horse dh just bought though!:blink: I've read that the males are more laid back than the females. Does anyone know if this is true? Also, I wonder if there is a difference in the general prone to wander-ness between males & females? Then again, it may all be an individual temperament issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSMP Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 Best dog we'll ever have in our whole lives. His passing left a huge hole in our family and in our farm. Little story for you: Our dog was always with the cattle. He was just the biggest dog I've ever, ever known. The first time my brother came up to visit, he was looking across the pasture, and says "that's a fast cow." Closer and closer, this "cow" gets and then my brother yells "Holy cow! That's no cow!" and starts running off in the opposite direction. Poor Elmo was just checking out things, no harm intended, until my brother started running. There was no incident, as Elmo just stopped at the fence line where I was, but my brother -- the look on his face was priceless! I laugh just thinking about it. They ended up being friends, though, and my brother always referred to him as the Speeding Cow after that. My family and I loved your story!! We lost Zeus in January. I have never seen my husband cry so hard. It was such a huge loss. He was one of my children. My sympathies.... HOW BIG, REALLY, IS A GREAT PYRENEES? Your dining room table is 27" from the floor, kitchen counters 36". The average female Pyrenees can walk under your dining room table only if she ducks her head; the average male need to either scrunch himself smaller or lift your table a few inches higher. In either case, the front of the counter is not the place to store meat thawing for dinner. The top of the refrigerator is out of the reach of most Pyrenees Our learned to stand on the edge of the cabinet door to reach the back of the counter...LOL! . HOW MUCH DO THEY WEIGH? On the scale at the feed store, 80 to 120 pounds. While trying to give one a pill or cut its nails: as much as a Moray eel. On the first day of obedience class: as much as a young elephant. The day you teach the "down" exercise in obedience class: as much as a Sumo wrestler. When walking through a litter of pups, kittens, chicks or lambs: about as much as two feathers. When they are standing on your feet you get a really good idea. Khan loves to stand on my feet. Some days he is light and others.... HOW MUCH DO THEY EAT? As much as they want - never mind what the back of the dog-food bag says. The average Great Pyrenees can survive quite nicely and maintain weight and normal activity on as much dog food as will fit into a two-pound coffee can. Most, however, have convinced their owners that plain dog food is completely unpalatable and will starve unless supplemented with ground round, chicken breast, sirloin tips or cheese omelets. If he discovers you have a weakness for cookies you may find your leg battered black and blue by Pyrenees-paw-pats, repeated until you share the cookies - Oreos are much preferred to Milk Bones. We free feed...they know what they want. His favorite is much of what you listed with the exception of crushed ice. He hears the ice maker and you might as well fix 2 glasses. One for you and one for him! DO THEY SHED MUCH? At the annual ritual known as "coat blowing" you can comb enough fur out of your dog to have spun into enough yarn to make yourself a cap, a scarf and a pair of mittens. Why you would want to is beyond me, since everything else you own is already lavishly decorated with Pyrenees Hair. Since shedding, in some degree, takes place 365 days a year, you will have ample decoration on your rug, couch, bed, etc. Since Pyr hair has a particular affinity for dark clothing, the Pyrenees-owning business person wears a lot of light grey and tan. Firefighters, police officers and military personnel owned by Pyrs learn to leave their uniforms in sealed lockers at work and change there. I got rid of all my black clothes. We sweep the carpet with a broom before we vacuum...and that is even brushing him everyday. WHAT ABOUT BARKING? What about it? If begun early, you can train yourself to come every time your Pyr barks and give it some attention. Give him enough attention for barking, and your neighbors will also begin to give you some attention. Mutual reinforcement always works. What do Pyrenees bark at? Only things they can see and hear - that includes low flying satellites and butterflies. Most Pyrenees eavesdrop on a family argument four houses away, yet become selectively deaf upon hearing words like "stop that", "come here" and "be quiet". Pyrenees owners exchange information on stopping barking the way our grandmothers exchanges recipes for pickles - no two were ever alike. We are just happy to hear a Pyrenees barking! He is a discriminate barker...he stands on the piano bench and barks at the butterflies in the front window. He does ignore the neighbors dog....but let a plane fly by... I'VE HEARD THEY LIKE TO DIG How do you think the Pyrenees mountains were really constructed? One Pyrenees, out of consideration for her owner's failing eyesight, enlarged the cup of his putting green to bunker-sized. Landscape companies report their greatest repeat business comes from Pyrenees owners. Some Pyrenees owners, however, simply resign themselves to living with a yard that looks like a gunnery range. We are not quite ready to bury my friends VW Bug but it won't be too long!:lol: What ever hole they dig? Don't let your children fill it with water! I have pictures! HOW DO PYRENEES AND CHILDREN GET ALONG? If you train your children early enough not to tease the dog - not to pull his tail, wake him by jumping on top of him, pinch his ears or steal his food - your Pyrenees will be safe from the kids. Children are not as easy to train as a Pyrenees because it is not legal to put a choke-chain and leash on a child. He doesn't like their bedroom doors closed until after he checks on them at night. If you don't get up and let him in, he won't leave until you do! When he is hiding from me (because he stole my loaf of bread again!) he uses the kids as a shield. He hangs his head and looks just as sorry as the kids do when they are in trouble. He is just one of the children who happens to walk on 4 legs instead of 2! I loved your explanation of a Pyrenees...I would love to borrow this if you don't mind! It was Pyrfection!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I've read that the males are more laid back than the females. Does anyone know if this is true? Also, I wonder if there is a difference in the general prone to wander-ness between males & females? Then again, it may all be an individual temperament issue... we have a male and a female...don't know if it is true for all pyrs, but our Linus is way more laid back than Lucy. She is cheerful, and eager to play... he is more....idk....regal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColoradoMom Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 (edited) The problem with Pyrs is that they can SEE! I think this pretty much sums it up. One day my Brody looked up - boy I wish I could take that day back. Birds are the WORST predator on the planet (according to him) and MUST be chased all the way across the backyard at full bark. He even chased a helicopter once. :lol: Edited September 8, 2010 by ColoradoMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 We have a Pyr x Akbash. Cassie is the sweetest pony I've ever owned. Dog my butt. She's not much of a barker...unless someone is going past our back gate. And woe betide the poor groundskeeper that takes care of the condo complex. He sweeps the walkway right along the back fence. She also hates anyone in a baseball hat...or at least barks menacingly enough to make them think she does. If they turn out to be allowed into the yard by Wolf or I, then the love-in begins. Pyr dog slobber is snot by any other description. Could put WD-40 out of business if anyone bottles it and markets it, since it doesn't.dry.out. Kids lay on her, cuddle up to her...if she doesn't want company, she goes in her crate. I've found raw feeding to be the best for her, but sometimes its hard when we don't have a deep freeze, so end up with kibble. She's been seen hiding her bowl of kibble under the blanket in her crate. We have several bungee cords on our back gate. Basically trying to close up the gap btwn the gate and fence, because she can squeeze through it...and/or hit the gate with enough force that it swings open. We got her figuring that we would be on an acreage soon. That was over a year ago. There's no way on the planet that she'd ever work with livestock now, despite doing so in her puppyhood before we got her. Our family is hers to protect. She carries on like a nut when the kids are playing out front without her. She can see and hear them, but not be with them. Commence the whining, crying, moaning, and attempts to get through the glass windows. We put her in her crate now, because we're scared she would eventually launch herself through the glass. Once we move and get livestock, we'll absolutely be getting at least 1 more...and as we add live stock, add LGD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 My family and I loved your story!! We lost Zeus in January. I have never seen my husband cry so hard. It was such a huge loss. He was one of my children. My sympathies.... Thank you. My sympathies to you as well. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 we have a male and a female...don't know if it is true for all pyrs, but our Linus is way more laid back than Lucy. She is cheerful, and eager to play... he is more....idk....regal. I want laid back :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 8, 2010 Author Share Posted September 8, 2010 But remember that males are more dog agressive than females. Oh. Even fixed males? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamapjama Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I'm still dog hunting and came across this beautiful pup tonight http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17321799 . Somehow I don't think my bichon would like a friend this size :) They are amazing dogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 9, 2010 Author Share Posted September 9, 2010 I'm still dog hunting and came across this beautiful pup tonight http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17321799 . Somehow I don't think my bichon would like a friend this size :) They are amazing dogs! Awww...how pretty. I am finding it hard to be patient waiting to find our puppy!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Oh. Even fixed males? Ours was a neutred male. Very sweet old guy his whole life. He wasn't a cuddle-up with you kind of dog, but he was a sit-by-your-side-and-gaze-at-you-adoringly kind of dog. He didn't roam either, if you're worried about that. We socialized him with the cattle and he never left our property. He was always either with his herd or in the farmyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I had a male pyr/lab mix. He was a rescue and amazingly sweet. He was shy and a bit scared when we got him. It was, at first, very sad, sweet, and amazing to watch him place himself between any strangers and my older son. He was afraid of the person but you'd have to kill him to get to his boy. We were able to help him with the fear - it just shows how strong the protective instinct is that it overrode the fear. He topped out at 85lbs. I also had a newf/st. bernard mix female. She topped out at 130lbs. I'd say training both was easy, as long as they wanted to do what I asked. :tongue_smilie: Due to their intended occupations, they have more of the "figure it out" intelligence than immediate obedience type. Which meant they could figure out how to open child locks on the cupboards guarding the garbage, get the lid off a tub of parmesan, and get a set of antlers down from shelves 7ft high. :lol: When my girl was a pup, she ate the couch one day. I needed a new one anyway. Just remember they do normal puppy things, but they're way bigger and so can destroy more. Everything at the vet is more expensive. Everything at the store is more expensive. But they're truly wonderful dogs. I miss mine dearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 9, 2010 Author Share Posted September 9, 2010 I had a male pyr/lab mix. He was a rescue and amazingly sweet. He was shy and a bit scared when we got him. It was, at first, very sad, sweet, and amazing to watch him place himself between any strangers and my older son. He was afraid of the person but you'd have to kill him to get to his boy. We were able to help him with the fear - it just shows how strong the protective instinct is that it overrode the fear. He topped out at 85lbs. I also had a newf/st. bernard mix female. She topped out at 130lbs. I'd say training both was easy, as long as they wanted to do what I asked. :tongue_smilie: Due to their intended occupations, they have more of the "figure it out" intelligence than immediate obedience type. Which meant they could figure out how to open child locks on the cupboards guarding the garbage, get the lid off a tub of parmesan, and get a set of antlers down from shelves 7ft high. :lol: When my girl was a pup, she ate the couch one day. I needed a new one anyway. Just remember they do normal puppy things, but they're way bigger and so can destroy more. Everything at the vet is more expensive. Everything at the store is more expensive. But they're truly wonderful dogs. I miss mine dearly. Thank you for replying! I loved reading your post :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy in Ky Posted September 9, 2010 Author Share Posted September 9, 2010 My family and I loved your story!! We lost Zeus in January. I have never seen my husband cry so hard. It was such a huge loss. He was one of my children. My sympathies.... I'm so sorry. Our Collie died last month; it was just horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Oh. Even fixed males? so far, ours is not fixed and he is fine. But we are going to get him neutered soon...like in the next few weeks. (we had a dog biting problem with an unneutered male (not a great Pyr) a few years back, so I'm skittish of having an unnuetered male dog around) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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