# 1yr old Great Pyrenees, help!



## Bridie8 (Nov 2, 2016)

We just got a 1yr old Great Pyr (that was raised indoors) and are wondering how realistic it is to get her transitioned to outdoors, and also, can we ever get her to stop chasing our free-ranging chickens and caged rabbits? She is super friendly and playful...and wants to chase and play w/everything from the cats (who don't want to be chased) to the neighbor dog, chickens, etc... We have just had her 3 days, so I know it's early, but really desperate for answers as to how and if we can accomplish such things... ? Any help would be tremendously appreciated!


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Goodness, an LGD raised indoors for the first year of its life.......

All I can offer is the bit of understanding I picked up while raising my own LGD, a Karakachan. Hope it helps.

Your GP is in the middle of its adolescent stage, which means it is re-running everything it learned while a baby. Since it was raised in the house without access to any type of learning around farm animals, you're going to need to *let it learn while helping it maintain some degree of self-confidence in itself.

*The only suggestion I have is a *leash* and a lot of *outdoor walks*. Were I you I would not let it off the leash at all when it is outdoors unless you can somehow create a type of "holding pen" for it that the GP cannot get out of and that is in the middle of all the farm animals, including fowl. However, what I've heard about GP dogs, they dig, climb and even jump pens; so you'ld need to get real creative.

I'm sure others in here who have specific knowledge in working with the breed you have can give you more information/suggestions.

Good luck with that LGD.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Try using clicker training with her. Karen Pryor is the clicker queen and has books on clicker training. First, teach her sit as it is a good parking brake. Then, teach her to sit at the door before you open it. Have her sit out of the swing of the door and wait until you tell her &#8220;out&#8221;. This keeps her from tearing up the door, bolting out the door, knocking people down. You can use it at any door- vet&#8217;s office, pole building, etc. It also puts you in position of being in charge.

She needs a solid &#8220;leave it&#8221; command. Leave it means to bring your nose away from the object and move away from it. Your clicker book should have one or more methods for teaching this. When she heads for a chicken you can say &#8220;leave it&#8221;. Eventually, she will learn that she is never allowed to play with the chickens. With the goats, use it when she is getting rambunctious.

She needs to be on a leash when outside _at all times_. I would use a 20&#8217; leash and a harness. When you say &#8220;leave it&#8221;, you walk away from her and subsequently pull her away. You have more control with a big dog if you use a harness rather than a collar. (she moves away, you click/praise/treat) While on the leash you need to also walk the perimeter and work on keeping her on your property. GP&#8217;s are known to roam.

Once she is clicker trained you can click her to learn many things and help her to become the perfect dog. While you want an outside dog, I would still have her come indoors for an hour each day, maybe for food. This will make it easier to bring her to the vet or be boarded. She should be fed 3x a day, tapering down to twice as she gets older. Use feeding time for training, having her sit nicely while you fix her dinner and waiting for the dish to be put on the floor and you saying &#8220;smurf&#8221;, which is her cue to be free. This teaches her self discipline and keeps you and your family from being jumped on.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I also suggest that once she is trained to sit that you take her to the vet&#8217;s office. Have her sit at the door, just like at home, bring her in and sit down in the waiting room. Have her sit (she may lie down, that&#8217;s okay). If necessary, give her small treats to keep her distracted and not roaming around the waiting room. After one minute or so, take her back to the car/truck (sit nicely at the door) and back home. Repeat every couple of days, staying one minute longer each time. It is preferable that she feel comfortable in the vet&#8217;s office and behaves well. 

As time goes on, bring her to a park (on leash), to parking lots, to a big box store because they usually allow people to bring their puppies and walk them around for socialization. Bring her many places for a few minutes and in each place work her on door manners and having her sit and heel. She will be much better trained if you do this, and you&#8217;ll be able to bring her places and have her behave. She will get to meet many people and not jump on them. She will meet many dogs and be socialized to dogs. Getting out into the world is good for your dog.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

LOTS of training, for you and the dog...as already well outlined above.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If she's chasing the neighbor's animals, the first thing you need is a fence.


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## Pyrpup2016 (Sep 11, 2016)

Ditto to all the above - she shouldn't be off leash at all - long leash, so she has a chance to behave correctly, but you have control if needed. And good fences! They are wonderful dogs, but it sounds like she doesn't have the early training needed. It'll be a chore, for sure, but worth it in the end. Good luck!


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## Eagle1 (Jun 1, 2012)

Love my GP but they are very head strong. All of mine have taken from 2 to 3 years to "grow up". Before that none were killers but challenged everything. It seems with mine once they grew up, they all of sudden knew all the rules and commands they ignored for the previous 3 years. Patience and some more patience but NEVER let them think they are the alpha. I can always trust mine around anything I own (takes about a year to be chicken/duck safe completely) and they will protect everything from anything they don't know. Personalities vary a lot, one of mine works on the blacklist (everything not on the blacklist is considered OK) another works strictly on a whitelist (if she knows it allowed the OK anything must challenged/removed) much harder to manage. The other 2 fall somewhere in between but one command and it will be leaving...... 
Just know that if you GP "knows" there is a threat about all commands out of leash or touch range are mild suggestions at best until the threat has been dealt with. Means many nights of waiting an hour or so until all the coyotes are removed, longer if they tree a big cat.


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## Bridie8 (Nov 2, 2016)

Thank you for all your advice and suggestions - this has helped a lot!


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## Eagle1 (Jun 1, 2012)

Hope you will learn to love the big girl. I think that LGDs are the best dogs but they just don't function like house dogs. Mostly their decisions are spot on at the end, just can get wild while they learn their trade. I'll keep a few around for the rest of my days and if I want a underfoot dog I'll get a border or golden mutt aa a walk around companion. 
Weird side note: My last Golden killed more predators than the LDGs combined but he never could keep them away like the LGDs do.


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