# Stopping Pyr from Roaming



## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

I have a Pyr mix-just about 2 years old. I'm having a problem with him roaming. I have a completely fenced property wood and woven wire fencing but only 4 feet tall. He jumps it with ease.

I started to tie him up during the day and untie him once dark and I thought he'd quit roaming. Apparently not...he is just smart enough not to get caught-he leaves after it's dark and is back in the morning! Today he wasn't here in the morning, someone had caught him waaaay down the road and put him in the kennel. Supposedly he's a frequent visitor. 

I'll have to keep him chained at night now and know this isn't a good permanent solution as It's not fair to him, and he's supposed to be protecting the property (we border national forest and there are frequent mountain lion/bear/coyote sightings in the area). He can't do a good job when he's tied.

I'm considering my options. I can't build 6 foot fence so that's not one of them. So options I am considering are:

a) Electric fence strung on the inside top rail of the fence or

b) Invisible fence

c) Kennel (not really an option as he can't do his job from within a kennel)

In your experience is electric fence or invisible fence more effective? Any other better solution that I'm not thinking of?


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Where we are now we are fortunate to have a six foot fence. But we are moving next month and it's just three strands of barbed wire on the perimeter of 25 acres. 
So we will be running 4x6 wire fence and two strands of hot wire(top and bottom), for the entire 25 acres.
We have two pyrs that will be just 1 when we get there.
I've been told the electric works best, guess we'll find out..


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

Go with the hot wire asap. I would string it on the inside of existing fence, and maybe even another strand above. You can get insulators that stick out a bit from the fence. I have pretty good luck with those.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

hot wire. Some older dogs just take the shock in order to escape if they have been escaping for a long time, but it's worth a try. Id use one strand on top and another one in the inside about 15" up from the bottom. when he jumps, does he totally clear it or does he touch the top when he's going over? If he just clears it, the electric might not even work. This may sound cruel, but I'd hang some bacon on the hot wire so he gets zapped really good by the fence when he's not trying to jump it. it might make him just stear clear of the fence.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Quick thread hijack, if y'all don't mind.
What about snow?? Assuming you turn off the hot wire in snow, or don't you?


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I like the invisible fence. They can't jump over or dig under. And they work. I love ours.


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## wendle (Feb 22, 2006)

mekasmom said:


> I like the invisible fence. They can't jump over or dig under. And they work. I love ours.


A friend of mine uses it for her lgd and is very happy with it. What kind do you use? Where do you get it?


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Pet Smart. I love it. You can just buy extra collars for every extra dog you have. You do have to change the batteries at least once every 6wks.


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## RedRidge (Jan 28, 2013)

Is he neutered? If not, that would really help sove the problem regardless.

Pyr tend to work the perimeter more than many other breeds of lgd's.
In order for them to work properly they must have 2 things... a defined perimeter, and lack of testicles. JMO


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## Slongest (Oct 8, 2012)

From my experiance testicles isnt the problem i have eight great pyrenees two males and six females the biggest male is about two years old he stays with our goats but our goats roam free during the day and thru the woods but like yours at night he roams around the property if he hears something he'll take off barking and come back once he feels the intruder is gone now two of my females its like pulling teeth to keep them here im constantly going miles up the road to pick them up or look for them. My advice would try the hot wire. i believe the invisable fence is expensive not sure tho. but the rest of mine were born here and roam our property but not furter that our 180 acres. If you work outdoors alot leash him and take him where you go dont let him roam at all for a month only on leash or on a chain in different parts of your property let him know where YOU want him theyre smart dogs what makes you happy makes them happy hell understand where hes supposed to be.


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## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

hercsmama said:


> Quick thread hijack, if y'all don't mind.
> What about snow?? Assuming you turn off the hot wire in snow, or don't you?


Good question, we get snow too...does hot wire work if it's snowing-it won't be low on the ground but on top...but does snow short it out?


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## Slongest (Oct 8, 2012)

No, snow doesnt impact the hot fencing any braches fall on it or touching the ground yes and you MUST install a proper ground for the fencing alot of people try to get by with a single ground post most the time same pole they mount the charger to "not the way to go"


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## Barn Yarns (Oct 7, 2012)

in all the research that i did, i found that the GPs were the ones that ranged out the farthest. I didnt want that, so I didnt get one. i got a Maremma. That being said... he was an older dog when he got here and did range out about a mile from home during that first deer season. The second wasnt so bad, but i was advised to cut him and to my knowlegde, he doesnt wander too far from the pasture now... maybe a few hundred yards. 

Do you know what he is mixed with? maybe that might help? 

I dont think anyone has suggested a dangle stick. Maybe after you have put another strand up on your fence tho?


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## equinecpa (Mar 21, 2011)

Thanks for all the input. He is neutered. I think he is Pyr with golden or lab? He's a nice fellow but he does have the roaming gene. I'm hoping as he ages he loses that inclination but until then I'll have to add barriers!

I'm just outside of a community and he has been raiding one of the neighbors bird feeders-I guess they weren't too happy about that. Besides he needs to be here or he isn't doing his job!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

We recently lost our Golden/Pyr mix. Buddy was almost 14 when he passed this past summer.
Sweetest dog ever. Just so you know, he was a roamer all his life. He used to love to go to the duck pond, about 5 miles away! His last visit there was a few months before he passed. I somehow forgot to latch the gate. Yep he found it. I'm afraid age won't slow your boy down. 
When we finally put up the huge fence is when ours decided it was just to much work to go out..unless of course yours truly screwed up and made it easy.


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## loli (Aug 14, 2011)

BarbadosSheep said:


> hot wire. Some older dogs just take the shock in order to escape if they have been escaping for a long time, but it's worth a try. Id use one strand on top and another one in the inside about 15" up from the bottom. when he jumps, does he totally clear it or does he touch the top when he's going over? If he just clears it, the electric might not even work. This may sound cruel, but I'd hang some bacon on the hot wire so he gets zapped really good by the fence when he's not trying to jump it. it might make him just stear clear of the fence.


This is how all my fences are set up, bottom stops my diggers and the top has stopped all the jumpers.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

my boys learned as very young pups about electric fences. I hates letting them get shocked, but it taught them a lesson that as stuck with them. They do not even challange non-electric fences now. with an older dog who's already in the habit, it will be harder.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Not to hijack; however since the roaming gene was mentioned, is that in the Anatolians too?


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

motdaugrnds said:


> Not to hijack; however since the roaming gene was mentioned, is that in the Anatolians too?


It's in all LGD breeds, but pyrs seem to be worse. You have to remember that these are dogs who have roamed over many miles for thousands of years with their stock. The whole idea of limiting their range to a fraction of a square mile goes against their genetics. The smaller the space, the more them seem inclined to escape and patrol a larger area.


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## momagoat61 (Mar 30, 2008)

This is no solution but when my brother use to have 3 GP's when his kids/ childern was younger and they raised 4H sheep and the GP's would roam during the night my brother would go out and call them but they would never show up and my brother would go driving and might see the dogs several miles away from home and he would shoot his gun and all the dog would be home before he could turn around and drive back home, mind you this is out in the country with very few neighbors at the time. My beagle, which is gun shi now if he gets out of his electic fence and is out chancing rabbits and will not come when I call him I can call my brother up the road and ask him to shoot his gun and my dog is home within minutes scratching on the front door. I agree with what Barbadosheep said above for sure..


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

We'll be putting up hot wire with a solar charger for our LGDs. I've used the invisible fence thing on two different properties; don't like them at all. We did it because it was cheaper than regular fencing, and now I know why.

-If the power goes out, you've got no fence. 

-It doesn't deter anything from coming onto the property. 

-You MUST be religious about changing the batteries in the collar, and they aren't cheap. An expense that is ongoing.

- The prongs on the collar must make contact with skin, which can be difficult for long haired dogs. If the collar stays in the same place over a long period of time, it can create sore spots or wounds.

- A constant collar created huge mats on my Newf. I would think it would do the same on any long haired or fluffy dog.

- An invisibe fence won't hold a determined dog.

- LGDs can be a fairly large liability. No way would I want kids or pets belonging to other people to just be able to walk right onto my property.

Put up a couple of hot wires, and look around on craigslist or local barn sales for a solar charger. We got ours for fifty bucks.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Just asking, but what is he supposed to be guarding? Is he well bonded to "his" family? Been my experience that for lack of a family to guard, a Pyr will go looking for something to guard.


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

We used to do a perimeter walk every evening from the time ours was a puppy. It started with a 5 acre property and moved to a 42 acre property with no problems and not all of it was fenced. They learned the perimeter because we covered it every evening before dark. Even my akita who are known to roam horribly knows the perimeter even if she occasionally ignores it to give in to her desire to chase things because we walk it all the time. 

Now 2 strands of electric sheep fencing will keep the akita in and it's the only thing that will 100% of the time. She won't even go over it when it's down and I step over it then call her. Her electric collar works ok but I have to shave her neck and tighten it down well so I've debated whether I want to do invisible fencing and leave the collars on them all the time that tight and with the risk of hair growing back making them not work. For right now I just have one with a receiver you have to be there to hit the button on. After much research though I can tell you sportdog is the best brand/type to get. They are all made by innotek but sportdog is made to last for the hunting and working dogs instead of the pet stuff sold under other brand names.


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

My husband was heading out to work one morning when he discovered two white dogs in with our sheep and horses! The animals were in a 1 1/2 acre paddock, and the dogs came in over an electronet. I found the owner, a woman who runs a dog sanctuary. One is a 5 yr old spayed pure Great Pyr and the other is a year old neutered male GP/lab mix. The male was chasing our horses playfully and was incredibly goofy and friendly. The GP was calmly laying in the paddock, but was timid with me catching her, but not aggressive. Once I caught her she was sweet but not obsequious. She was calm and quiet.

They had been up for adoption but the owner of the rescue adopted them from herself. She said another dog had knocked a piece of fence down and these two disappeared and had been seen in the night miles away from our place. The GP had come from a ranch where she worked, but I'm not sure what she guarded.

I mentioned to the woman that I was considering an LGD and was tempted to keep her but thought it right to find the owners. She said since the dog seemed to have a desire to work, I could try her out if I wanted, since the dog would be happiest having a job. We have 40 acres total which were finally just fenced with properly stretched 4 ft field fence topped with two strands of barbed wire.

We have barn cats as well as our pet cats. I would need to find out if she can do cats. My other concerns are that I will be having friends come to the place to practice herding on my sheep, not to mention my own herding dogs. Do you all leash up the LGD and tie it up someplace if you are having strangers and their dogs come around? Also, I plan to add some cows to our acreage. If she is there first and then the cattle come, will she be a problem towards them?

I'm not interested in the mix, since I know that LGD-non-LGD mixes can be failures at protecting. Will she be okay guarding on her own? She roamed before joining our sheep; is it likely she'll decide to roam again? She wasn't working livestock at the rescue, was a pet, so it does seem she was happy to hang out with the sheep. She was quiet, while the mix barked at my husband when he discovered them. Maybe she'd tend towards being quiet? We don't have neighbors close so barking wouldn't be a problem at any rate.

Before it was securely fenced, our land was worked by coyotes hunting gophers - a real buffet out there - so we know there are coyotes all around us and it does make me nervous with lambing coming up. I'm just not sure I'm ready to sign on for an LGD, especially given all the negatives such as roaming and killing other animals. I sense this particular dog to be pretty easy-going, timid but not aggressive, and she is socialized with dogs. My own Aussies tried to kill a coyote, though they only bother strange dogs if it is an intact male or overly submissive.

Thoughts? Do I give it a try?


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## FCLady (Jan 23, 2011)

We had TONS of trouble keeping our GP in any fence we had until we put up electric, top and bottom. She still wasn't happy until we gave her "enough" to guard. She has an acre and half to roam with lots of chickens and ducks and rabbits. She'd still try and push me out of the way went I went through the gate. Once we got a couple of sheep, she became very content and happily stays inside.


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

I think it's hard to break them from roaming if they start. I have one who is in a 3 acre pasture and never leaves it, even when the gate is hanging open.

Genetics play a huge part, but here's what I think helped me.

We had had pyrs before but gave up on LGD's because of what you mainly read in this thread.

I sort of resigned myself that rather than spending tons of time and energy on chasing my dog down all the time I'd just work more on my electric fence to keep predators out and to heck with a LGD.

Then I had the offer to get one that was exactly 8 weeks old and at the time I had kids on the ground.

Now what I have read is not to get the pup that is the most agressive or curious. My wife and I went over and observed like 8 pups and we chose the one that appeared to have the lowest energy level and that was somewhat shy toward humans.

Anyway, we work full time so when we would come home we would immediately put him in with the baby goats. They were in a pen with the Premier Electric netting so he learned about fences early. That way he could be around something his size but if he played too roughly with them we would be there to correct him.

When we went to bed or went to work then we had a cage built in our barn out of stock panels. 8' X 16' with a top on it. We'd put him in there during the day so he could be around the adult does but they couldn't beat him up.

We did this for several months and then finally let him go and he's totally bonded to the goats. 

All the dogs we had before we could never find one at the right age when we had kids, they were too old.


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