# Training/Retraing



## danniulrich05 (Mar 24, 2014)

I have a 3 year old pyr female who is supposed to guard our small farm. We have 15 of 20 acres fenced off for our steers, layers, broilers, pigs and a llama in rotated paddocks. Very tight barb wire and very hot electric all the way around (I was chasing pigs in July 8 months pregnant last year, so we beefed it up a little) This dog "Lady" had been wonderful we stopped losing birds and she was always with her stock until a few months ago. She figured out that there are kids up at the house and would rather guard kids than chickens. So she wiggles under the gate and spends the whole day laying in the shade by the playground. I've tried making it so she can't get out but have not been successful as she is rather insulated from the shock of the fence. She also knows she's not supposed to be up at the house because she scoots back down to the pasture when ever she gets caught. 
Now, I'm getting another pyr in a few weeks. She will be just 8 weeks and I want her trained right. Any suggestions on starting the pup? How should I go about retraining Lady so the pup doesn't learn bad habits? We will be getting new pigs about the same time as the puppy. Could I put her in with the pigs so she is bonded to them?or the chickens?
This will be my first time starting with a pup. Lady was a rescue from a farm that just let their dogs breed and rebreed. She was covered in ticks and mats and scared of people. I'm hoping the correct her behavior so we have a team of guard dogs. Thanks


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

GPs love people, it'll be hard to get them not to want to play with kids...
Can you completely block off the gate? I used a hog panel wired to a gate to keep my doberman from sliding under it. [6in gap, he slithers in like a snake on his side!]


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## danniulrich05 (Mar 24, 2014)

That's what she does. We had to make our chicken door smaller cuz she would somehow squeeze through a 10x10 hole!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

First, off I&#8217;d not bring the puppy home until it is at least 12 weeks old. Read the thread: _Made my Choice&#8230;a Bulgarian Karachan_ You&#8217;ll want the puppy to accept the farm animals and bond with the goats, sheep, what have you.


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## danniulrich05 (Mar 24, 2014)

That is a very long thread. Why would you suggest not bringing her home until twelve weeks? She is out in the pasture with her working parents. I was under the impression that you wanted them as young as 8 weeks so they will bond with the livestock also that it's best for them to bond with young livestock as they will be more accepting. Just want to get her started right.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

The window of opportunity extends to 16 weeks for accepting new creatures. They need to accept the creatures before their prey drive kicks in, which is usually much later for LGD&#8217;s. Large breed dogs take longer to mature, both physically and mentally. Your big puppy is not as mature as a small dog at the same age. Being with her mom and litter mates longer means you will get a more confident puppy and one that is better doggie socialized. Learning bite inhibition on litter mates is better than learning bite inhibition on your kids or goats. Your first dog is more likely to hang out with her if she is a little older rather than a little younger (I think dogs reason that the puppy should go find it&#8217;s own mother?). Keep in mind also that since she is not going to be inside the house with her family she&#8217;ll be facing the cold cruel world on her own.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Danniulrich05, Maura is right on...as usual 

I'm the one who chose the Bulgarian Karakachan. I brought her home at 8 weeks of age. This had not given her time to learn from her parents, which meant I had to teach her everything. Luckily my place is small so her socialization was an easy thing to do with my goats, chickens and one large labradore dog. However, it would have been easier on her had she been given the time to learn some of what an LGD does from her own parents and litermates.

As for your Pyre, I chose not to get one for the very reason you are describing as problematic, i.e. they seem to prefer people over animals. Not sure you can 'socialize" that out of one.


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