The Great Pyrenees

We have (or have had) horses, donkeys, goats, feeder calves, cows, chickens, guinea hens, turkeys and sheep on our property.  Our Pyrenees have guarded them all.  We have had several Pyrenees on the property since 2000, but Alaska (momma dog) has been the constant companion of our daughter Heather. 

Alaska has been very patient with both human and animal.  We have come home and found kittens nursing along side her puppies.  My hen, Raven (below) and Alaska apparently had an agreement as well.  When Alaska left one litter, Raven, who was perched nearby, would hop down amongst the puppies and fluff all out as big as she could make herself and would "sit" on those puppies until Alaska came back to nurse the puppies.  Other chickens would come in to steal dog food.  Once Raven got settled on her "brood", she never moved.  It was even cuter when the puppies were younger and she sat in the middle of them as if they were so many eggs.

We have other dogs on the property and neither Alaska nor our other adult Pyrenees have ever harmed any of the little 4 pound weaklings who dash out the door barking their fool heads off at them.  They just look at them like the pitiful piles of fur that they are and walk away.  The small terriers have even jumped up and hung from the fur on their faces or jowls, and the Pyrenees just stand there thinking, You fools.  Near the food bowl, our Pyrenees will growl and let them know to stop pestering them and that is THAT.

Alaska has always been very affectionate.  If you are walking, sitting or standing in her vicinity, she will come and put her head under your hand seeking a pat or stroke.  (Alaska died in 2008)

If you are already familiar with the breed the following information may not be educational, so I will include it for its entertainment value.

For the Pyrenees pups, if their parents guarded livestock, guarding livestock comes naturally.  You won't have to train your pup one bit.  Her parents are working dogs so she will know exactly what to do. 

Let me tell you a little about the Pyrenees.  They are a "live and let live" kind of dog.  I'll explain.  When a varmint or predator invades their space, they will sound the alarm.  They will bark first.  The Pyrenees will bark to let any varmint know that “I’m on patrol and I know you are out there.”  They may continue to bark for a while, as long as the threat is out there.  As long as the intruder stays at a distance, the Pyrenees will just bark... 

"You'll go away if you know what's good for you.  I've got a set of canines up here and I'm not afraid to use them.  Go ahead, make my day.  Oh yeah, and your mother is a skunk!" 

If the varmint or predator decides to push their luck and advance, the Pyrenees will set out barking at a run toward the intruder. 

"I warned you.  Maybe you are hard of hearing.  And if your eyesight is bad, I'll just get a little closer so you can get a look at these teeth.  Ready or not, here I come.  If you know what's good for you, you won't be there when I arrive."

If the varmint is so dull of thought that they still can't figure it out, you won't have to worry about that particular varmint ever again.  He/she/it will be toast.  You might find a wad of fur somewhere, but that is about all.  These dogs will give whatever critter is out there every chance to go away.  If the varmint advances, the Pyrenees advances.  If the varmint crosses whatever invisible line that the dog has drawn in the sand, they are terminated.

These dogs are not Rottweilers (as far as human intruders go), but they will bark.  They do protect our children though.  Let me give you a for instance: 

Our children were riding the horses down the county road when a flock of hunting dogs ran out to chase the horses.  Our male Pyrenees, who had been following behind the horses, immediately put himself between the on-coming dogs and the children/horses.  He barked a warning but mob mentality was the rule.  There was only one Pyrenees against several bullies.  Our male grabbed the first (biggest) mutt by the scruff of the neck and tossed him somersaulting through the air, the second one got the same treatment.  (Dogs don't land like cats do.  Their landing was neither pretty, nor graceful).  The others decided that they needed a bath or their nails done or had some pressing appointment elsewhere.  When my children rode back by this property on their way home, the dogs again all charged out and our Pyrenees again took the point, this time the hunting dogs all stopped at the edge of their property and just barked at the equine parade.  Our dog did not go onto their property to assault them, he stayed in the road where he belonged, just doing his job.

Can you tell how proud I am of our dogs?  Hope this helps you appreciate the Pyrenees as much as we do.