# UPDATE: My Belle, a Pyr, is about to pop



## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

I am about 80% certain she was bred to my neighbor's great Pyr. I don't want to do anything that would make the pups maladjusted for LGD. I'd appreciate any tips. I'll probably keep one (that I DO intend to maladjust and have yet another awesome companion dog). But the rest I intend to sell.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

To begin with, make sure your ***** is being fed properly and has a place to whelp that is dry and safe. Pick a place that is comfortable for her, whether it is in a stall in a barn, or your back porch. Check the puppies daily. Take pictures, not just to post here, but so you have a factual record of how they are growing.

You do not need to handle them when they are born, but at some point in time you do need to pick them up, pet them, and get them used to people. Let their mother decide when to wean them. When they are gradually switched to puppy food, make it best quality. When you start feeding them, teach them all to sit nicely to earn the food. Being a large breed, it&#8217;s important that they do not develop a habit of jumping on people.


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## CountryGoalie (Aug 31, 2004)

Soooo... did she pop?  And are you going to share puppy pictures?  

(Had to make the decision to put down our aging LGD on Monday night, so I'm admittedly trolling the board for LGD pictures to warm my heart.)


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

CountryGoalie said:


> Soooo... did she pop?  And are you going to share puppy pictures?
> 
> (Had to make the decision to put down our aging LGD on Monday night, so I'm admittedly trolling the board for LGD pictures to warm my heart.)


 Yes, this!
Inquiring minds want to know!
CountryGoalie, I'm so sorry for your loss...


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Awnry Abe, Healthy birthing practices you probably are aware of; and that would be the same for all pups. Touching them at an early age is a good thing for all pups too, even LGD pups. The only thing I can think of that would "make the pups maladjusted for LGD" is to* not* introduce them to whatever you are wanting them to guard while they are still quite young, i.e. anywhere between 8-12 weeks. (Usually the mother would be doing that because they would be following her into the midst of whatever stock she works.) 

In working with my LGD I realized one of the most important things I did with her during the puppy stage was to teach her I was boss in every situation she found herself involved with...and make sure she retained a strong sense of confidence in herself. An LGD will need this confidence when she is on her own in the field confronting intruders. Oh another thing (in case you haven't already considered it) is to make sure what you feed the pups will not...not...promote rapid structural growth because, the slower such a dog develops, the less likely it is to develop hip problems later on.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

I guess I'm over due for an update. When did I start this thread? She had the pups only a day or two later. 6 male, 3 female. We were hoping that my neighbor's juvenile Pyr was the sire, but it appears that at least in several cases, there is someone else to give credit. 

She had them deep in the back, dirty, filthy corner of a shed under some real nice wasp nests. The wasps got used to us. There was no lighting, so it wasn't real conducive to pics. DD has some on her phone. 

About 10 days ago, we moved them up to our dairy barn so she could hang us, and the pups would be in proximity to the animals. Much nicer for us. I put out a few bales of hay for us to sit on. The dogs are getting smothered in attention. While the machine is milking, I get time to mess with them. 3 are already spoken for. The rest will be going on CL shortly. We just lost our family companion dog right when they were born. I make keep the runt male. He is getting under my skin. Pics to follow...


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)




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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

They are beautiful! Congrats on some nice pups!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Pretty puppies. You can&#8217;t put them on Craig&#8217;s List.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

Maura said:


> Pretty puppies. You canât put them on Craigâs List.


?

I see them on there all the time.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

Awnry Abe said:


> ?
> 
> I see them on there all the time.


There was some discussion recently here in the poultry forum(I think?) about livestock ads on CL getting flagged(animal rights activists) and removed. Found it right here on the guard animals forum.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

aart said:


> There was some discussion recently here in the poultry forum(I think?) about livestock ads on CL getting flagged(animal rights activists) and removed. Found it right here on the guard animals forum.


That hardly stops anyone from posting their LGD pups on CL. They are on it every day down here in Texas, in the Farm and Garden section.


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## Goats Galore (Aug 28, 2012)

Well, rather than posting, you can just send them all to me. They are so precious, and goat trained already. Don't you think everyone should have a collection. Enjoy them being tiny because those little ones grow up too fast. Your mom does good work.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

All sold out!!

We put an ad in the farm and garden section on Labor Day weekend, for pups available this weekend. The ad lasted about 2 hours. Back up it went, and down it would go. 5 or 6 other ads suffered the same fate. So we let things rest a week, then changed our strategy. 

This weekend, we tweaked the ad to more closely align with the few ads that seem to stick. And stick it did. It did result in many more calls, but all were sold in short order. 

Pick of the litter was free and went to my neighbor, a single retired gent that needed company. He named him Charlie. Charlie lives across the gravel road from where my meat goats live, and where the Katahdins are gonna live in a month or so. 








Next to go was a white female to a that went to a friend that does fence work for me. He got the 'friend rate'.

From there, it was one boy after another sold from the updated CL ad. The last pick in post #7 was the pic we used in the ad. $250 each, no dickering. People of all stripes came. We were so happy to hear their story and felt good about where the pups were going.









We are keeping those two. This time, we canceled the ad. A male and female. Names? Axe and Piper, maybe?


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