Great Pyrenees rough with sheep

Don & Sandy

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We have a one year old Great Pyrenees that we got at 6 weeks as a LGD for our sheep. She is very good natured and has never shown any aggression. But, she has hurt a couple of lambs really bad by catching them by their back legs. When they run, she wants to run and catch them to play. Right now we have chained her up while we aren’t at the barn.
 

Baymule

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My Great Pyrenees, Trip did the same thing. It took time and patience, although once I lost it and let him have it.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/trip-is-a-sheep-guardian.32758/

I used a long leash and jerked it hard when he misbehaved. I put him in with the sheep when I could keep an eye on him and work with him.

I have another GP that was a "free" problem dog. She eventually made a fantastic chicken guard and a wonderful sheep guard.

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/paris-has-begun-lamb-training.33844/

Every dog is different. My methods might not work on your dog, it might not work on the next dog I have. The underlying message is patience and action. if one thing is not working, don't have a melt down, take action. Try something else.

There were times I had to just call it off, pen the dog up for a little while and rethink things. I think that is where you are with your dog. Time out. Look at it this way, our dog is a teenager. Just like human teenagers, dogs also can get an attack of stupid. Spend time with her, if she makes a dive for the lambs, scold her, if that doesn't do it, yell at her, what I call a Come To Jesus Meeting. Maybe a choke chain collar and a loooong lead so that she thinks she is free, but you can haul back on it and stop her in her tracks.

Let her know that you are VERY unhappy with her behavior and put her in a pen. In my thread training Trip, I switched places with the sheep and him, putting him in the night lot and the sheep in the pasture, then switching back at night.

Time and patience. Work with her, she is just having an attack of stupid. I am no expert, by any means. I have 2 GPs, the only 2 that I have ever had. What I did may not work for your dog. But maybe you can glean a nugget of wisdom from my posts or posts of others comments. Good luck with your dog, please let us know how she does.
 

babsbag

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I had one that was a problem child too. I tried a long lead and she was always good when she was on the lead...smart dog. I used an electronic collar but only on vibrate. I didn't want to hurt her, I just wanted to get her attention so I could verbally correct her. You need to work with her and be around when she is misbehaving so you can correct. Does she know "leave it" or "no"? What things have you tried?

What finally worked with mine was a mean doe that let her have it, and a little time. I also got a puppy for her to play with, I think that that is what worked the best. She would get bored so played with the goats and once she had a friend the goats were no longer any fun.
 

Don & Sandy

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I really believe boredom is Bindi’s (LGD) issue. She is very smart and obeys come, stay, no very well. We bought a shock collar and when I come to the barn we put it on and she knows it’s time to work. She does really good with the sheep for a long time, then it’s like she forgets her training when the sheep go running past her and she wants to get it on the chase. When I hollar no, she will stop immediately. Our biggest problem happens at night (when we were leaving her loose). She went for several months with no problems then started all of a sudden. I figured she was growing and got bored. We have her chained in the barn where the sheep can’t get to her but they are all around her. We let her loose with them every day when we are there. Does it seem like I’m doing the right thing? I don’t want to give up on her as a LGD, yet.
 

Mini Horses

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one year old Great Pyrenees

I don't have an LGD (yet) but, from what I've read for months, this is an age when they can have issues with their decision making. Seems they slip back into "adolescence" momentarily, at times. o_O This is more apparent, as a reader, when they do not have older, trained dogs to keep them "in line". Just my thoughts.

I'm of the opinion that she needs some guidance for now. You will find a way -- they are super intelligent dogs and want to please! It's a matter of you two working it out & others can give you help -- as some already have.

Read some back posts, too. :love Good info there.
 

Southern by choice

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We have a one year old Great Pyrenees that we got at 6 weeks as a LGD for our sheep. She is very good natured and has never shown any aggression. But, she has hurt a couple of lambs really bad by catching them by their back legs. When they run, she wants to run and catch them to play. Right now we have chained her up while we aren’t at the barn.

First, no respectable breeder would ever place a LGD pup at 6 weeks. EVER.

Second, why do you say she wants to run and play and catch them. When I hear this and I hear this a lot my first thought is "pet mindset".
LGD's are different- they think different- act different.

What exactly happens- walk me through it. Lambs go to run... what does she do? Is she grabbing back legs and then stops? Is she grabbing them and chewing on them? Once they stop does she? How big an area? How many lambs/sheep?
 

Don & Sandy

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First, no respectable breeder would ever place a LGD pup at 6 weeks. EVER.

Second, why do you say she wants to run and play and catch them. When I hear this and I hear this a lot my first thought is "pet mindset".
LGD's are different- they think different- act different.

What exactly happens- walk me through it. Lambs go to run... what does she do? Is she grabbing back legs and then stops? Is she grabbing them and chewing on them? Once they stop does she? How big an area? How many lambs/sheep?

Sorry, I’m probably not explaining very well. We bought her from an individual that has Great Pyrenees with their sheep and goats. They had both the male and female parents.

We currently have 24 ewes and a Ram with 12 new lambs and about 10 more lambs expected. We have them in fenced pastures that are about 3-4 acres each.

During the day when Bindi is loose (under our supervision), for the most part she goes amongst the sheep, runs through her field, and around the area in general. There are times when the sheep will run past her and she will start running with them and has a time or two nipped at their back legs. Our issues with her hurting them have always been at night so we don’t know what has happened. The first time she tore up the back leg of a 3-4 month old ewe, chewed her ears, and we had to pen the ewe up and doctor her until the wounds healed. I tied Bindi up and let her loose for periods of time and continued training. I would then leave her loose during the day and go back/forth checking on her. After about 3 weeks all seemed good so we let her stay loose with them. No problems. A few months later we were able to turn the hurt lamb back with the herd and she did the same thing to her again. We went through the same retraining process and when we turned her out with them again, she hurt the back leg of another one. She’s been chained ever since. We let her loose every day to be with the herd and only once in a while does she even do any behavior that needs correction but are afraid the just leave her with them alone.
 

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