# Great Pyr



## Bubbas Boys (Apr 11, 2013)

We are looking into getting a LGD. Thinking of a Great Pry since some friends of our have one. We have goats and chickens now and coming soon will be jersey and feeder pigs. My wife is worried about having an outside dog and how it will be with our kids (5 boys). We have had a couple inside family dogs and all do great with them.but she is worried about how a LGD would be with our kids. Any info or advise would be great. Thanks


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## JasoninMN (Feb 24, 2006)

The dog will be fine with the kids. The issue you may have is making sure the dog bonds with the livestock and not people. If the dog prefers human company over the animals its in charge of it will continually try to escape and find humans instead of staying with the flock. I imagine 5 boys are going to want to play with the puppy all day long. Now that doesn't mean the boys can't interact with the dog, they actually should so its familiar with them, but there needs to be a balance so the dog knows its purpose.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

One of our foster homes for the cognitively impaired had a Pyr. He was wonderful with the girls and very protective. Some LGD's are aggressive, but Pyrs generally are not. They bark. A lot. Their barking disrupts the stalking pattern of the wolf, where as some LGD's will attack. As long as your Pyr is bonded to the goats, he'll be fine outside.

The puppy will need to be with the goats prior to 16 weeks. So, either wait to get the puppy after you get the goats, or get an older puppy from a goat farm. Have the boys take turns feeding the puppy and having him sit before his food dish is set down. This is to keep him from jumping on the kids. You won't get much more obedience from this kind of dog, but he can learn basic manners. I'd also train him to come to a whistle.


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

Ours are great with goats and boys. We needed to train them better around chickens when they were young. If one gets into the goat's pasture, the dogs will kill it.


















As previously mentioned, it comes down to training. Keep the dogs with the goats - and never let them in the house, they will become pets and you don't want that. 

Our two have access to our barn with straw bedding and will stay outside most nights anyway with temps in the teens. They are very hardy.

Best of luck to you.


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## Bubbas Boys (Apr 11, 2013)

Great thanks for opinions. Nice pics too. Thank you


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

We have Colorado Mountain Dogs, which is essentially, a very selective cross of 3/4 GP and 1/4 Anatolian. We LOVE them, and they are soooo gentle and trustworthy with our 5 little children. In fact, one of them won't let my toddler out of her sight if she's in the pasture. The dog will actually leave the other dog to guard the goats so she can watch over our daughter. I love it! If you ever make it out this way, we'd be happy to introduce you to them. FTR, we are planning a litter this spring. We found a stud meeting our strict criteria, and both parents are proven working guardians for a variety of animals. I'd be happy to talk with you further if interested.


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## Bubbas Boys (Apr 11, 2013)

Redgate, would love to talk with you about them. My wife is concerned about the safety around the kids. I have been trying to do lots of research to ease her mind. Haha. But we live very close to untouched timber so the wildlife is thick out there. We have been hearing the coyote a lot lately. Want to wait til we get chickens moved to the bigger barn and maybe even after we get our milk cow so the pup will grow up with them all. Thanks


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

That's definitely the best way to go. Get your critters before the dog, and let the pup grow up knowing them. They bond much better that way. Ours grew up with chickens and goats, and are very protective, but didn't grow up with cows. Thus, they are tolerant of the cows, but not as closely bonded. 

I might be nervous about getting an older, mature dog with children, not knowing its background, but a puppy will grow up knowing the kids just like any other dog. One thing we love about our breed and the GP is that they are social and friendly family dogs by nature. They have no desire to fight or bite. HOWEVER, if their stock is threatened and the predator (2 legged or 4) doesn't take a hint when they bark their warnings, then they will fight to the death to defend. I have witnessed their ferociousness a time or two and, while downright frightening, it never fails to amaze me how they can act like crazed fighters one moment, then turn around and go lick a toddler or newborn chick as if to say, "don't worry, all's safe now!" They are truly amazing dogs!!


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

The only time our son ever was bumped around by our Pyrs, he deserved it. Sometimes he would get very hyper and playful with them - and they would get hyper and playful and knock him over. 

You do need to train your children a little, too.


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## Tango (Aug 19, 2002)

DenMacII said:


> The only time our son ever was bumped around by our Pyrs, he deserved it. Sometimes he would get very hyper and playful with them - and they would get hyper and playful and knock him over.
> 
> You do need to train your children a little, too.


Good advice. Some dogs are very big for small children and can easily hurt the child just by turning around or wagging their tails. Though I'd venture to say most dogs bred for farm work are innately sensitive to youngsters - human and animal- some can hurt a child just by virtue of their size. Familiarizing the children too makes good sense.


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

we have pyrs w 1/4 Anatolian. great dogs. they will bark all night long use ear plugs. if your neighbors are close they may be disturbed. they will roam if they can get out of the fencing. amazing dogs that work together and take turns confronting dangers. 

we had an adult male that was 1.5 when we got him and his full sister( not same litter) who was only a pup and the older brother trained younger sister. He was a goat dog only and she was more of a house dog. it really showed how they were raised differently. both were protedtive of the house.

nothing sadder than a pyr who has lost his flock.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Our two are amazing with our Grandson, and they didn't even meet him until he was almost 1, we lived in a different state at the time we got them.
Pyr's and "littles" get along very well, whether they are your children, or your livestock.
They really are gentle giants as far as babies go. This pic was taken the day we arrived here from Texas. Within minutes, the dogs had "claimed" dgs as theirs. Dgs had been crawling all over Murphy for about half an hour at this point.
Whenever Dgs comes over, Murph follows him everywhere, and keeps him away from any gates and fences..
Just follow the advice above about letting the dogs bond to the animals first, that's is their primary job afterall.
But a bit of family time, and socializing is good as well.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

In looking at this pic I have to laugh!
both Dgs and Murphy look so small. Dgs, wasn't even walking then, and now he runs all over. Murph was just a year old here, he is now about 180# and 35 1/2 inches tall! Too funny.


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

I have found that Pyr's will protect anything that in *their* opinion needs protecting. If one child is smaller than the others they will go of of their way to protect that one. I'm not sure how to explain it...other than they just instinctively recognize the most vulnerable among their protectees. Each dog is different of course, but I would have no problem leaving a baby with my Pyr and walking away. Nothing, and I mean nothing is going to injure that baby as long as he is around. That is just how much confidence I have in him.

Edit: Hercsmama...Love the picture. That is what I'm talking about.


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## O Labrador (Sep 10, 2013)

Grew up with large guard dogs and what everyone around did was for the first 4 to 6 months keep human interaction to a minimum !! That way the dog will develop strong pack skills !!! Like many people have mentioned feeding time give the dog a break to interact with you and all the members of the household !! 


Tired of the rat race


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## Jhomestead8 (Jan 20, 2014)

We have a Pyr/Maremma cross that we got a few months ago. He is 2 now and was in previous owners barn from 9 weeks gaurding their livestock. He lives in our barn and is super hardy, as in outside rolling in the snow today and it is -6. He is so gentle with my littles. My youngest 2 are 2.5 and 17m and they adore him. They lay on him and the 17m used to use him to pull up. He licks in return. I was nervous as well but he has been nothing but gentle. He is big and has been known to accidentally knock them down but that's it. 
He is with our horse, pigs and kittens. Previously he was with cows, sheep and a goat I think. I want one for the house now


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## Jhomestead8 (Jan 20, 2014)

There he is with our 2 youngest


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Love those pictures! Few things feel so good as to see your youngsters safe around such large dogs.


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