# Odd Pyrenees Development



## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

For about 2 years now, I've had a brother/sister Great Pyrenees combo living with the goats in Pen/Pasture #2. (The female is spayed.) Sally, the female, got out of the fence regularly, although willingly went back in when I'd put her back. Can't begin to calculate the hours spent walking the fenceline, and attempting to find & block her escape routes. None of my *fixes* ever worked!

Well, a couple of weeks ago, Sally was out again. Before putting her back into Pen #2, I had more urgent business to tend to in Pen/Pasture #1. As I opened the gate, Sally bulled her way past me, into Pen #1, nearly knocking me over in the process - AND HASN'T LEFT SINCE!

I don't know what the magic was, but I hope it continues to work. Perhaps she was tired of sharing goats with brother Spunky, and wanted her *own* goats? Maybe she felt the living accommodations are better in Pen #1? I KNOW she could escape the fence in this pen/pasture, IF she wanted to, but she stays. I plan to put a couple of the pups in with her for on-the-job training; IF she stays, and it looks as though she will.

Any insights into this dog's change of heart? She's about 2 1/2 years old.


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

Sometimes you have to push your way to be #1....pasture protector!!!

We have a brother-sister Great Pyr combo too, and it was the sister that always found the holes in the fencing at our previous farm. I realized later that her bee line for them was because she was following critters, or their scents. 

I bet you will figure out why she want's to be in a separate pasture. I've come to realize that they seem to understand their roles better than we do. If she decided that pasture needs protection - I'd let her do her job, and see what she comes up with.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Oh, I'm definitely going to let her stay there in Pen #1. She chose it; it's hers now.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Interesting, as I too have a brother sister pair, and Maggie is the "fenceline watcher". She would really prefer to not have Murphy in her business all the time as well.
We will be doing extensive cross fencing this year, maybe I'll see about giving her her own area to work........


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