Author Topic: New owner  (Read 7963 times)

Offline pharm_girl20

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New owner
« on: September 03, 2008, 02:24:45 pm »
I am a new owner of a young adult male great pyrenees and am requesting any advice from other owners.  Someone dropped him off in my neighborhood, and after a few days he adopted us.  I have never owned a dog larger than a collie which I have one now.  We live in the country on a large farm with no close neighbors so he has plenty of room to play.  He shows no signs of aggression toward my other dog or my cat.  However, I am the mother of a 3 & 1/2 month old and am concerned about a dog of this size and a baby.  Advice?
Vicki owned by
Gracie (cat rescued 11-02)
Sheena (collie mix adopted 3-03)
Samson (Great pry rescued 8-08)

angelsmama

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Re: New owner
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2008, 02:30:08 pm »
Welcome to the board :) I do not have a Pyr but I do have a 5 yr old female Rottweiler mix and she is amazing with my 1 yr old. She is very gentle. She jumps on people all the time but not once has she knocked my little girl over. Just follow the basic guidelines with kids and dogs, do not leave them unattended together because even if he does not do anything intentionally, he could accidently hurt your baby. I trust Angel, my dog, 100% but I do know accidents could still happen.

Offline pharm_girl20

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Re: New owner
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2008, 04:06:05 pm »
Thank you for the advice.  Both dogs (the collie and the pyr) are outside dogs so her exposure to them is supervised at all times.  Still I want the baby and the dogs to grow up as friends since all my childhood was filled with cats and dogs.
Vicki owned by
Gracie (cat rescued 11-02)
Sheena (collie mix adopted 3-03)
Samson (Great pry rescued 8-08)

Offline pharm_girl20

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Re: New owner
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2008, 08:12:56 pm »
Thank you.  He is a little underweight and shaggy, but I'm working getting him back to good health.  I took a picture of him on the front porch today and posted it as my pic.  He is such a wonderful animal but he is so shy and timid especially around men.  I worry that he may have been abused by either previous owners or people he has come in contact with while trying to find refuge.  He is the most gentle, loving dog and he loves trying to fit his huge frame onto my lap.  Any advice as to how to help him overcome his fears and loosen up?  He rarely leaves the porch and will not venture from the front yard even if I try to get him to walk with me.
Vicki owned by
Gracie (cat rescued 11-02)
Sheena (collie mix adopted 3-03)
Samson (Great pry rescued 8-08)

Offline GoldenPyrs

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Re: New owner
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2008, 03:44:01 am »
I'm so glad that you took him in and he has a loving home now.  It sounds like he picked you to be his new family, smart pup! 

We've raised all three of our kids around Pyrs and it's been wonderful.  Pyrs by nature are very protective and generally very gentle around sheep, goats, etc. so in a home situation they take on the children as their charges to love & protect.  As everyone's said, it's always important though to be watchful when kids are around any dog, even our own.  That being said though, our pups have been wonderful with our kids (and visa versa).

In answer to the question about teaching him to trust & walk on leash with you.  I'd give him a little time to settle in (few days or a week or so) and then put the leash on him and let him just wear it around the house for a little bit at a time, since he may never have been walked on leash before, who knows?  Gradually, I'd offer him treats to walk toward you on leash and then slowly get him to walk on leash in your yard and then outside your fence, eventually down the street with you.  I'm sure that others here will have more suggestions for you too, but that's what came to mind for me.

Oh & welcome by the way!
Marie

And my pups:
Daisy a 9 y/o Golden/Lab mix
Sammy a 6-7(?) y/o Great Pyrenees adopted 3/07
Cassie a 3 y/o Pyr/Mystery Snuggle Bunny mix adopted 2/07

My angel girls waiting at the Bridge:
Cara 1989-2001 Great Pyrenees
Sally ? - 1993 Dobie(rescued '92)
Halley 2002-2006 Great Pyrenees

Offline pharm_girl20

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Re: New owner
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2008, 06:18:34 am »
Thanks for the advice.  Oh and by the way, we have named him Samson.  Can anyone tell me from his picture if he is indeed a great pyr?  I've had several individuals tell me that he is and possibly full-blooded.  He is shedding so his coat has a bit of discoloration in the picture, but he is solid white.  He also has the dew claws which are a trademark .  This morning Samson and Sheena (my collie mix) played a little so they are starting to warm up to each other.  I've checked around and so far no one knows where he came from.  In this rural area, we have a lot of animals dropped off (my cat was pregnant when she was dropped off at our house 6 years ago) so we believe he was abandoned.  It is truly sad that people believe it is ok to cast animals off like old clothes to fend for themselves. 
Vicki owned by
Gracie (cat rescued 11-02)
Sheena (collie mix adopted 3-03)
Samson (Great pry rescued 8-08)

Offline steve

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Re: New owner
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2008, 04:00:04 pm »
Kinda looks like a pyr but could be a mix. Pyrs are roamers so that sounds unusual but I have a Shiba Inu who was a stray and now will not leave the house.
If it is a Pyr it may seem timid but make him mad and he will send shivers up and down your spine (or an unwelcome intruders).
Strays need alot of reassuring and comforting to fit in, other dogs help.

Offline faye

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Re: New owner
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2008, 04:51:06 pm »
I have 2 female pyrs who act like guard dogs if anyone comes around but they are great with small kids.  just dont like adults coming around for the first few minutes.