[Jacob-list] Guard dogs/ family dogs

[Sharon Hill]

I have had a male Great Pyrennes for 4 1/2 years now.
(He is neutered.)   I have never lost a sheep to a
predator. He is on guard all the time.  He is able to
leap the shorter fences between the yard and the
paddocks, but not the higher outside boundary fences. 
So he has the run of most of the farm and the yard
around the house.  He is a big sweetheart to humans
and other animals.  At Easter, little kids from ages
one on up were hanging their arms around his neck and
he was completely gentle with them.  He weighs about
85 pounds, but looks a lot heavier with all that hair.
 This is kind of small for a male pyr, but certainly
big enough to do the job.  He stays nice and trim with
all his getting up and running around checking out his
territory.

He has a funny habit of raising the lip on one side of
his mouth when happy to see people, and it makes it
look as if he is snarling.  This is a good thing when
strangers come around.  They won't go in the fence
where he is.  People who know him, know that he is
just smiling.

He is one of the nicest dogs I have ever had and I
have had a lot of dogs.  (7 at at the moment).  Even
if the time comes when I have no sheep, I think I will
always have a Great Pyrennes.

Sharon Hill


-ad-- ARTHUR PARTRIDGE <aztreaz at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Airedale terriers are great watchdogs, great with
> kids, and will not hut
> anything that belongs on the farm.  They also do not
> shed.  However, they
> are worthless as sheep herders or drivers.  Our
> Airedale went in the sheep
> paddock to check out (and play) with a lamb and got
> pummeled by the mother
> ewe.  He never threatened her and just left very
> fast.  We have all kinds
> of poultry at our place.  I got a blue heeler/German
> shepherd mix to help
> me with the sheep.  We have had her for 4 years and
> she has killed 4
> chickens, 1 duck, and 1 wild rabbit.  But that
> interest is what makes her
> good at driving sheep.  She now leaves the geese
> alone, but she is still
> very bloodthirsty when it comes to chickens.  She
> has to stay in a pen or
> the house for most of the time.  Not a great farm
> dog and I can't trust her
> alone outside.  Be careful what you get.  I know
> similar farms that have
> black labs and they do not go after poultry.  A
> bird-hunting dog (pointer)
> is not a good choice.  That's my 2-cents worth.
> Cathy
> 
> 
> 
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