# new pyr puppy



## colemangirly (Sep 30, 2010)

Okay, we are new to all this. We have our two does with their kids and another doe and a buck (separate pens). I can get a free pyr puppy from a friend that needs to get rid of some. My questions go along this. I do not have another goat dog to train the puppy. I have been told that I do not want a dog under a year old with young kids. Can I put the puppy in the buck pen and still later transfer dog to the doe pen? Ultimately I want the dog to protect the does that I put out to pasture, will the dog bond only to certain goats, and then want to get back to the buck pen after I move it?

How old do the goat kids need to be before I can put the dog back in with them? Do I put the puppy right in with the goats or in a pen in with the goats? Puppy is just weaned, comes from working parents and is currently in with goats. 

Any and all info on how to get a puppy started would be GREATLY appreciated.

Also, for a first dog and a solo dog, is it better to get a male or female?

Our goats are in a smaller enclosure during the night and put out in rotated pastures, via electric net fence during the day (not the buck though). I also want the dog to be socially accepted among the imediate family. Where the dogs are now they just sort of free range with the goats and no one can get near them except to just put food out, which is why I am getting a just weaned (still catchable) puppy instead of a year old they also have.

Thanks everyone;


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Sex does not matter just get him/her fixed at the right time. Pick based on behavior/personality and not sex. 

Yes you can put the puppy in the buck pen but take the puppy out, have it follow you on your daily chores, be around the does and kids and do some basic obedience. 
My does with kids are pretty mean to the dogs and have beat them and it taught them to respect the goat kids and keep their distance. Your may do the same or snort and run. If they run do not allow the puppy to chase them. Chasing and wrestling is not allowed ever, you can burn that energy off with fetch, having the dog follow you and etc. 

Call the puppy's name and when it comes give them a treat, this was how I avoided the selective hearing in these dogs. Chew toys, and regular toys are also a good idea, they might be a guardian but still need to chew, play and work off energy. Your hose or extension cord will thank you for the toys 

Watch that the buck does not butt or harm the puppy, give the puppy a place to get away from the buck. If the buck is truly nasty to the puppy then have it in with the does when you are around and put the puppy in a pen at night in the beginning. If you have poultry you may have issues in the beginning till you teach the puppy to "Leave it!".


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Any and all info on how to get a puppy started would be GREATLY appreciated.


This will answer lots of questions:

http://www.bountifulfarm.com/lgd_seminar.htm

It's never too young to start them working:


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Bear Foot, question... someone called you a she, I have always thought of you has a he. Have I been wrong this entire time?


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

colemangirly said:


> Okay, we are new to all this. We have our two does with their kids and another doe and a buck (separate pens). I can Any and all info on how to get a puppy started would be GREATLY appreciated.
> 
> Thanks everyone;



Mine stay in a pen during the day when I am not home...they have full view of my sheep..the sheep even sleep next to the pen.
When I am home I let everyone out in the yard to have sheep time and training time...now granted my 2 boys are almost 5 months old now...but 3 months ago and still today...they are all I do...work with them around the sheep. Today at five months...they sleep with the sheep...play gentle with the lambs, and take turns watching over the herd,...I socialize them to my family...and my bigger boy hates company. They've saved my little lamb from a big bad ewe, they have chased off the neighbors dog and horses...Opps...LOL. and even more. But I warn you too put forth the work in the beginning...and it can be alot of loving work...I am just now starting to see my invested return.....and can trust them to be all by themselves with the sheep...so I can finally get my garden in...LOL...Oh at night they go back into the pen...it's for their own saftey...until their bigger...here's a pic when I first brought them home..they are much bigger now.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

thaiblue12 said:


> Bear Foot, question... someone called you a she, I have always thought of you has a he. Have I been wrong this entire time?



That was me....it does not state on the comments if any of us are a man or a woman...my bad


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Fowler said:


> That was me....it does not state on the comments if any of us are a man or a woman...my bad


It might be my bad lol. I am a she and when I cannot tell a gender I just "she" the person rincess: 
But Bear Foot sounds like a he to me  

Back on topic they are a lot of work in the beginning you just have to stay consistent and firm. I skimmed the link BFF listed, seems like it has good info for you. We have lots of coyotes here and a couple of two legged predators and these dogs have thankfully driven away both. At times they make me nuts like trying to get away with white fur on my clothes, or beating me to any eggs layed in the chicken coop but they are worth the hair and occassional egg eating.


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

thaiblue12 said:


> It might be my bad lol. I am a she and when I cannot tell a gender I just "she" the person rincess:
> But Bear Foot sounds like a he to me



I dont know what typing words sound like..:hrm:...but I think he/she types like a girl...LMAO...no pun intended

Please forgive me?....:shrug:

This reminds me of the skit "Pat" on Saturday night live..sorry Barefoot


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Have I been wrong this entire time?


Nope, you're not wrong



> This reminds me of the skit "Pat" on Saturday night live..sorry Barefoot


LOL


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## colemangirly (Sep 30, 2010)

Thanks everyone, you have given me great help with this. I have never had a working dog before, except as a people guard dog. We have a Airedale Terrier that is penned during the day and loose at night to keep critters away from the house, but she dosen't guard the chickens or goats, just people. She is great for armidillos, snakes, *****, and coyotes for the house, but goats are up behind barn and she dosen't take that area in really. I am able to get the dog for free and thought it would be a good idea to protect my milk and meat supply. 

Again, thanks everyone


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## Laurie J (Mar 9, 2005)

We have a 10 week old Great Pyrenees that is in a large pen in the barn next to two bottle lambs on one side, and a ewe with triplets on the other. She is getting used to the livestock she will be guarding this way, but the ewe can't hurt her, and she can't chew up on the lambs. When we are with her we let her run around in the barn, and she has been going outside to check the place out and get acquainted with our 7 year old Great Pyrenees. When our first GP was a pup, we let her out with the ewes full time when she was about 3 months old and the lambs were big enough to stand up for themselves. Can't say enough about these great, great dogs!  Ours our both female, just because we don't want any male dogs.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

Just a forewarning that I have read repeatedly and been reminded of repeatedly. Remember once you get the puppy, you absolutely must stick it out for 2 years! It takes them 2 years to leave puppy mode. 

We have year one down with ours and the barnyard is a wreck! Anything that the family touches Goose drags to the front yard, anything that seems interesting Goose drags to the front yard(sticks, nest boxes, horse brushes, poultry waterers, pinecones, feathers, cups, step in fence posts, the kid's toys, both grape plants you planted in the ground yesterday, the list is never ending). There are Great Pyr sized potholes is several strategic spots. Spontaneous herding of the ducks into the water has been the latest issue and is constantly corrected. Just yesterday I walked around the corner of the house and found our 5 gallon poultry waterer that "was" in the chicken coop, "someone" decided it would make a great centerpiece to the front yard. Some of his behavior he has already outgrown/out-trained(?) like the shredding of anything and everything(except his own dog bed of course). The non-stop night barking has diminished recently at about 11 months old, glad we got through that phase of listening to his own voice echo. 

I see many LGD pups being rehomed around here about 9 months old. I think people look at them and see an "adult" dog and just can't stand to put up with the puppy behavior anymore and give up and rehome the dog. It's not a sprint, rather an endurance race until that 2 year old mark. I have heard many of times that once they turn two they become completely different dogs. So when you are cleaning up the "snow" from yard furniture or your hammock, just take a deep breath and think "2 years old, it will all be worth it!".


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## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

wolffeathers said:


> Just a forewarning that I have read repeatedly and been reminded of repeatedly. Remember once you get the puppy, you absolutely must stick it out for 2 years! It takes them 2 years to leave puppy mode.
> 
> We have year one down with ours and the barnyard is a wreck! Anything that the family touches Goose drags to the front yard, anything that seems interesting Goose drags to the front yard(sticks, nest boxes, horse brushes, poultry waterers, pinecones, feathers, cups, step in fence posts, the kid's toys, both grape plants you planted in the ground yesterday, the list is never ending). There are Great Pyr sized potholes is several strategic spots. Spontaneous herding of the ducks into the water has been the latest issue and is constantly corrected. Just yesterday I walked around the corner of the house and found our 5 gallon poultry waterer that "was" in the chicken coop, "someone" decided it would make a great centerpiece to the front yard. Some of his behavior he has already outgrown/out-trained(?) like the shredding of anything and everything(except his own dog bed of course). The non-stop night barking has diminished recently at about 11 months old, glad we got through that phase of listening to his own voice echo.
> 
> I see many LGD pups being rehomed around here about 9 months old. I think people look at them and see an "adult" dog and just can't stand to put up with the puppy behavior anymore and give up and rehome the dog. It's not a sprint, rather an endurance race until that 2 year old mark. I have heard many of times that once they turn two they become completely different dogs. So when you are cleaning up the "snow" from yard furniture or your hammock, just take a deep breath and think "2 years old, it will all be worth it!".



LOL...your comment is spot on...except mine are maremma's....and they are little hoarders....LOL

Forgive me Mr. Barefootfarm


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## bknthesdle (Mar 27, 2011)

I would love a pyr! Met my first one about a month ago! Loved her!


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## colemangirly (Sep 30, 2010)

I don't mind sticking it out until age 2. I am used to having to wait for things. I just wanted tips on how to go about ensuring that I will end up with a GOOD LGD, against one that wont let me near it (I have seen those) and one that has only bonded with one set of goats. I definately plan on having it FIXED no matter what sex I get I was just wondering if either sex was more notorious for roaming over the other sex. While we have 40 acres, only about an acre is fenced for the goats at one time. It is done with temporary net fencing that gets moved about once a month, and I don't want them running to the neighbors, however, I do want them to stay with the goats, not me. While I want them to be friendly with me and the rest of the family, it is not a pet we are getting, but a working animal and I know that. 

Thank you everyone for help with this issue, you have given me lots of ideas on how to ensure we get what we want out of the animal.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

Our LGD was in with all the livestock from the moment he was weaned. I agree that you simply MUST get a LGD fixed.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Forgive me Mr. Barefootfarm


LOL 

No problem

In fact, I didn't even notice it until Thai brought it up

I've been called much worse


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

Actually I thought Bearfootfarm was one of those He and She usernames (with most of the posting by Michael), like Springvalley and Mullerslane and PNP to name a few. That's why I always sign my posts even though Paul doesn't usually get on here, he's more of a Red Power Forum kind of guy.

Back to Pyr Talk, sorry for the thread drift.

Peg


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Actually I thought Bearfootfarm was one of those He and She usernames


My wife reads sometimes , but never posts.

She spends a lot of time on a computer at work, so by the time she gets home she's had enough


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