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Great Pyrenees => Great Pyrenees Discussions => : Gypsy Jazmine October 18, 2005, 11:49:07 AM
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About a mile from my house there is a small farm with maybe 6 to 8 sheep...I am dying to go knock on the door & ask if I could bring my dogs over to "gaurd" the sheep...Both Sammy Whammy & Pippin are out of working livestock gaurdians & Pippin was actually in with the goats from 3 weeks until I got him at 5 months...I think my dogs would LOVE a doggie/sheep playdate...Pip pin's breeder says go for it & told me how to go about introducing the dogs & sheep...What do you guys thinks?...Will the sheep owners call the men with the little white coats?...lol!...I long to see my bigwhitestinky dogs doing what they were bred to do!
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I say go for it! It would be so fun to see them guarding the sheep. Hopefully your neighbors are nice too and would be all for it. :)
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Having been around dogs that had been with goats, I'd suggest no. Goats stink, and I bet sheep aren't much better.
(PLEASE DON'T xpost this to PyrTalk!!!)
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Hey,Chelle, I just reread your chat post... Are you sure you want fainting goats...Sorry, but LMAO, I just get this mental picture of Pippin and Sammie guarding all these little passed-out goats....Seein g the boys at night could make me pass out ::)
Stella
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Having been around dogs that had been with goats, I'd suggest no. Goats stink, and I bet sheep aren't much better.
(PLEASE DON'T xpost this to PyrTalk!!!)
I ain't saying nothin'!!...I got your back Pupdaddy! ;D
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Hey,Chelle, I just reread your chat post... Are you sure you want fainting goats...Sorry, but LMAO, I just get this mental picture of Pippin and Sammie guarding all these little passed-out goats....Seein g the boys at night could make me pass out ::)
Stella
Sorry I went poof!...I got the evil BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!!!...My dogs would be great gaurding passed out goats...Then they wouldn't have to get up & they love that!...lol!
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Ok, I must defend myself, a sheep raiser. First of all sheep do not smell. I work with them and find my hands in very good shape because of their wool. They are very gentle and trusting creatures. My dog works them and they are not afraid of her, but if a strange dog comes in, they get upset and stomp their feet while huddling in a circle for protection. It takes time before they can all proceed to accomplish something together becuase, it takes trust on all sides. These animals have provided the human race with warm clothing, food and comfort on many cold, cold nights - give them a little more respect. They are not play toys for dogs. :)
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Ok, I must defend myself, a sheep raiser. First of all sheep do not smell. I work with them and find my hands in very good shape because of their wool. They are very gentle and trusting creatures. My dog works them and they are not afraid of her, but if a strange dog comes in, they get upset and stomp their feet while huddling in a circle for protection. It takes time before they can all proceed to accomplish something together becuase, it takes trust on all sides. These animals have provided the human race with warm clothing, food and comfort on many cold, cold nights - give them a little more respect. They are not play toys for dogs.  :)
I completely agree that they are not play toys for dogs...That's why I called Pippin's breeder (who raises her dogs to work with livestock) & am going to call Samson's breeder (who does the same) to get her opinion on the matter...The reason I even considerd this is because both of my boys were bred to be gaurdians & both of my breeders sell very few as pets & I wanted to give my boys the privlege of doing what they were bred to do...I am asking the advise of experiences LGD breeders & LGD people because I want to do it right & I am planning on getting Pygmy goats for my boys next spring as companions to my dogs & my family...I researched my beloved Pyr breed for 2 yrs. before I got my first Pyr...I know what they were meant to do & I know what makes them whole & happy...I do not take this lightly at all...I see those sheep & envision my boys proudly working with them...Doing what they were meant to do...If, upon the initial meeting (on lead & through the fence) there was ANY indication my dogs would not do well by the sheep I would NEVER allow a meeting with my dogs off leash...& the first meeting off leash would have to be in a small penned area so I would have control of my dogs...I would never jepordize the peace of the sheep (or any other livestock) or that of my dogs...I am not considering this on a whim...It is being throught through, advised & researched...B TW, I've never thought sheeps or goats smelled bad at all! :)
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There can be nothing better than observing and participating in what a dog is bred to do. Seeing a LGD doing it's job has to be a high!
I hope your neighbors are amenable to the introduction of your dogs into the flock, I hope you are ready to allow them to accept them. They may just shepard them home everynight so they can keep an eye on them!
Sometimes Gods' greatest gift is unanwered prayers-Garth Brooks
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There can be nothing better than observing and participating in what a dog is bred to do. Seeing a LGD doing it's job has to be a high!
I hope your neighbors are amenable to the introduction of your dogs into the flock, I hope you are ready to allow them to accept them. They may just shepard them home everynight so they can keep an eye on them!
Sometimes Gods' greatest gift is unanwered prayers-Garth Brooks
No...My boys have to sleep with us at night but they could stay with the sheep until 10 p.m. or so..lol...I can however point them in the direction of two awesome LGD breeders if they are interested!...lol!
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Sorry, Gyps, I did not mean to sound cold, just had this funny picture in my mind of dog and sheep on a playdate. (bounding up and down on springs, having a good time) ain't gonna happen that is why sheep are livestock. I like watching sheep trials but you have to remember these sheep know right where the pen is and what is required as well as being herded to follow the shepard's every move so a lot of it is staged. When you really are out there working the dogs are often following a tractor with headlights on and using their own experienced judgements as to what needs to be done next more than the shepard's directions. I have seen many mixed breed dogs do a better job than those that were particularly bred for a specific job. I know you always use the best judgement and, again, did not mean to offend. I am sometimes too compassionate about working dogs.
Peggy
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Peggy,
I love your dedication to your animals, and what you know what's right for them.
I tried to warn Gyps about the possesiveness of her dogs, and tried to do it in a gentle manner.
If she wants to introduce sheep into her family, she had better be ready to sleep with them!
Her dogs are her business, your sheep are yours.
Let her fantacize about her dogs doing their thing, It's what we all would love to see our dogs do. Live up to what they were bred to do.
Let's have fun here and ask, What If?
John
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1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, 4
no no
1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor
nighty night
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Sweet Dreams Hun!
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1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, 4
no no
1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor
nighty night
lol Peggy!!...I'm not offended...I just wanted to make sure you knew that the sheep idea wasn't something I was jumping into without proper guidance & research. :) I probably won't even have the guts to go ask the person who owns the sheep but a girl can dream...lol! :)
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I bet Sammy & Pippin would be great at it. Now if you do it you have to take photos.
Lisa
1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep, 4
no no
1 tequila, 2 tequila, 3 tequila, floor
nighty night
lol Peggy!!...I'm not offended...I just wanted to make sure you knew that the sheep idea wasn't something I was jumping into without proper guidance & research. :) I probably won't even have the guts to go ask the person who owns the sheep but a girl can dream...lol! :)
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This thread made me think of a question..... Chelle, do the Pyr's have to be trained to do something like that or is it instinct? It would totally amaze me if they got out there without being trained and start doing exactly what they're supposed to do! :o I also think getting some goats or some kind of livestock would be a great idea!! ;D
Andi
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In an insane moment I bought 3 sheep specifically for my Pyrs. Now mind you these were multigeneratio n show dogs never before exposed to livestock of any kind. We put the lambs in a pen next to the dog yard and the dogs went NUTS They had to go meet the sheep IMMEDIATELY And that was their training. They went on to guard the sheep just like they were raised to it, slept with them, took care of the lambs and so on. Rather amazing - they knew instantly what to do. I have found that you do have to watch that the Pyr puppies don't chase the sheep- easy to correct if caught in the beginning.
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My best friend's husband inherited 5 year old Pyr a few years ago when an of his uncle died. There are sheep in a field behind their house. It wasn't three hours from the time hearrived until Mask, who had lived in a yard in Des Moines his whole life, snuck out thru the garage, dug under the barbed wire fence, and took up guarding the sheep. The farmer was a little aggravated to have his sheep guarded from HIM at first, but it didn't take long to figure out a time share solution that suited Mask admirably.
Now have to say something else: I love me some sheepies, but this:
First of all sheep do not smell.
is a big fat lie. I grew up around sheepies, and if you can't smell them, you should have your nose checked. ;) I have spent many a day and night on a sheep farm, helping out during the shear, feeding orphans in the mudroom, helping run them thru the dip, and I'm telling you, a undamaged nose can smell sheepies at least a block away.
That said, I have never loved a goat yet. Probably because all the ones I've encountered are far, far too stinky to snuggle. I hope mini-goats come with mini-stench!
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This thread made me think of a question..... Chelle, do the Pyr's have to be trained to do something like that or is it instinct? It would totally amaze me if they got out there without being trained and start doing exactly what they're supposed to do! :o I also think getting some goats or some kind of livestock would be a great idea!! ;D
Andi
It is instinct for them to gaurd livestock but with dogs that have never been with livestock there has to be supervision to make sure they are not chasing the livestock...Pi ppin was actually in with goats & his working Pyr family for almost 5 months before I got him...Samson was also from working LGD's...Though he never got to go out with the sheep, he did see them in the barn...His father is now at The Bridge but his mother is still out gaurding sheep.
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Actually it is the male goats that stink - and they think they smell wonderful - if you neuter the males they will have no odor
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Earlier today I got up enough nerve to go knock at the door of the person who owns the sheep...Nobody was home...Maybe I'll try again another day....I just have to...Poor Pippin has been reduced to gaurding my bunnies when I take them out into the yard. :D
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I find this all fascinating too!! To think they do most of this stuff out of pure instinct is amazing!! Keep us updated Chelle, I hope you can get ahold of the neighbors to at least ask! This is kind of exciting!!
Andi