Need tips from Pyrenees experts ;-)

[Kermit]

I was wondering if anyone could help me out with Mokey. She is not anywhere near a purebred Great Pyrenees, but she thinks she is. Her guarding and patrolling behavior is unlike anything I have ever dealt with in any of my dogs, past or present. All my dogs are indoor dogs, but I really think she'd rather stay outside- getting her to come back in can be a real chore! And when she's out, she's barking at any creature she can see from the fence. She runs the boundary of my yard every day and will hardly socialize or play with my other dogs until after she checks out the boundaries, and barks for a while, and just generally guards my yard from "invaders". Inside, she is CONSTANTLY on alert. If she hears anything at all, like, neighbors coming or going, she barks. She will find things in the house to guard. It's like she needs an outlet for this instinct she has. I swear I am about to buy some sheep for her to guard!!!!

What do you guys do to fulfill those Pyr instincts? I can tell she is a frustrated girl, and I'd love to be able to make her happier. I take her for walks, but she gets really nervous about being away from our house, and doesn't seem to have a good time when we go out.
Any ideas?

[Kermit]

Oh and I forgot to mention she does not sleep at night. I think she stays awake and monitors the cats' nighttime activities!

[DixieSugarBear]

Sounds like she is 100% Pyr.  Do you have an area when she can have a dog door into a fenced area at night.  Dixie loves to run out and check things out during the night.  It is one quick go around and then she is back inside guarding her new pup. Now Sugar Bear only wants to guard anyone one with treats.  Penny Lane looks for something to bark at and she is only 11 weeks old.

Lisa

[Kiahpyr]

Mokey certainly got all the pyr traits! Kiah does the same thing such as the guarding and the barking. She does like to go on walks tho. I often wonder if Kiah would like something more to guard. However that's just not possible where we live and leaving her outside isn't an option either due to the barking. No one would get any sleep! Kiah hates coming inside in this cooler weather. I let her be outside as long as she wants and if she's not constantly barking. I use treats to bring her in. Sorry I don't have an ideas. Just know we're going through the same thing. Aren't pyrs fun!!

Modified to add Mokey is so beautiful!!! Plus I really don't think Kiah would be happy outside all the time. She really likes being with the family.

[DixieSugarBear]

Same with my three they just want to be check things out in the yard, but then back in with the family.

[Kermit]

Well, you guys are right- Mokey did the same thing. I let her out early this afternoon and didn't try to call her back in. She was out there maybe 30 minutes before she came and sat at the back door, ready to come in and be with the family.

I think if I gave her access to the yard at night, all the other dogs would want to go out too, and then we'd have bark-fest 2006 all night long! And our house is pretty close to the neighbors, unfortunately! Man I am ready to buy a house out in the country!!!

I am glad to know this is "normal" behavior in a Pyr! Thanks, now I know I am not alone!

[bigdogs@5501]

The traits you have described is on of the reasons that I love Pyrenees. I have enjoyed my girls instinctively patroling and guarding-

[Kermit]

The traits you have described is on of the reasons that I love Pyrenees. I have enjoyed my girls instinctively patroling and guarding-

Do you think Mokey is happy and I am just misinterpretin g her? I just want her to be happy! (Personally I don't mind the barking so much but my other half gets pretty mad )

[tanimara]

This question is one that requires a detailed answer so here goes.

First of all, Pyrs have been bred for thousands of years to do just what your girl is doing.  Every trait you mentioned is Pyr.

Now that you know that, you can make a more sound decision on "the problems" you are having, which are not problems at all but your dog just being a pyr.  Do you know what she is mixed with?

All Pyrs do not guard, or at least some are not as good a guardian as others.  You will also see very different pyrsonalities between dogs.  They are smart, smarter than you or I, they are self thinkers, and you need to listen to your dog when she (by her actions) tries to tell you something.  I would say, from what you are telling me, that Mokey has very strong guarding instincts.  A Pyr that was born and bred to guard will not be happy without something to guard.  In some Pyrs, their two leggeds are enough but in Pyrs with strong guarding instinct, they absolutely have to have something to guard.  Now that does not have to be cattle, or sheep, or goats, or horses.  Pippin, Chelle's Pyr she bought from me has very strong guardian instincts.  He is content with running out to bark at the fence line, then coming back in to guard his family which includes two leggeds, guinia pigs, rabbits, and kittens plus two legged children.

Pyrs bark to announce to the world they are on guard.  They bark at all they can see and hear, like butterflys at 10,000 feet!

Pyrs patrol what they consider their territory for predators.  That's why they are roamers.  They will establish a path and patrol it and as time goes on the area they will guard gets bigger.  What do you call a Pyr off leash?  GONE!

Pyrs are nocturnal.  That's why she does not sleep at night.  When are predators most prevailant?  About 3am.  They sleep mostly during the day time but are even alert then.

I could go on forever but instead I have something that you need to read.  Lisa, on this list has a new pup (Penny Lane).  That pup came out of Joe Gentzle's lines.  That pup has a very big chance of having strong livestock guarding instincts due to the line she came out of.  Joe had a kennel dog he sent to live on a farm because he was not happy.  Patou was 6yo and had never guarded in his life.  Read this and you will understand your dog better.  It's long but an excellent article and will give you the info that you ask for, as well as making your heart swell with pride that you own one of the amazing dogs.

This is Patou's Journal
http://www.pyrenean-journal.com/patous.htm
Jackie 

[DixieSugarBear]

Every single time I read the story of Patou it makes me so proud to live my life with Great Pyrenees.  Penny Lane is going to have outstanding guarding instincts. She is only 11 weeks and she does a backup bark every time that Dixie does.   She runs along behind Dixie when she patrols the property fence line.  She will run then stop look around and do a go away bark.  Now Sugar Bear style is to guard the treat dish and Mommy’s lap, it is a tough job but somebody has to do it.

Lisa

[Gypsy Jazmine]

As Jackie said, some Pyrs (or mixes)exibit a very strong drive to gaurd...like Pippin & Sheba...Sam, he gaurds from the couch mostly & also the doors to the house...Sam would rather be in the house than outside so I don't worry so much about him...Pippin & Sheba I make sure have time with the kittens I seem to usually have lately...Both get guinea pig time & Pippin gets time with the bunnies...I make sure that they get this time...They don't knowthe difference between the guinea pig & bunnies & sheep...They are just happy to be working...With Pippin it so absolutly evident the bliss he feels when he is gaurding...It is an amazing thing & I have seriously considered & am still considering something more traditional for him to gaurd...I am weighing the pros & cons...One negative is the fact that Pippin will most probably no longer want to be in the house & that is a toughie!!!...I love Pippin & want him to be happy BUT I also want him inside with us...Also, besides the selfish reasons I am not so sure the extra barking will fly with the few neighbors we have.
Is it possible to get Mokey some kind of small animal she can gaurd?...I know for sure it makes Pippin & Sheba happy!

[Kermit]

Thanks for all the insight. Mokey has been so intriguing for me, it has been a real learning process. She is outside by herself right now, she won't come in, she is on duty!

I would love to give her something of her own to guard. I am really going to start thinking about that. I want my dogs to be happy, and if that means giving them jobs, I will do my best! So the next step is figuring out what I can do to fulfill Mokey's instincts. She is amazing, like I said she has traits that I have never seen in any dog I've ever had.

As for what she is mixed with, my best guess is Lab, and I think there is some Airedale terrier in there (judging from her mama and brothers). But it seems she got all the Pyr traits, eh?

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Thanks for all the insight. Mokey has been so intriguing for me, it has been a real learning process. She is outside by herself right now, she won't come in, she is on duty!

I would love to give her something of her own to guard. I am really going to start thinking about that. I want my dogs to be happy, and if that means giving them jobs, I will do my best! So the next step is figuring out what I can do to fulfill Mokey's instincts. She is amazing, like I said she has traits that I have never seen in any dog I've ever had.

As for what she is mixed with, my best guess is Lab, and I think there is some Airedale terrier in there (judging from her mama and brothers). But it seems she got all the Pyr traits, eh?

I would say yes!...She does have all the Pyr traits!...& I for one, consider you lucky! Awesome to behold!

[DixieSugarBear]

Pyrs are such a very special breed, they do have traits you do not see in other breeds. It is funny how those traits can be the things that hook you on the breed.  I now have three and who knows what the pyr count will be in 5 years?  

[cricket36580]

Just a thought...Can you put her out at night and bring her in during the day?  Or put her out at midnight?  Eventually she will only bark at things she percieves as a threat...But if you have really close neighbors like in a subdivision then it may not be a sterling idea.