What I inadvertantly found out about Samson's daddy today ) :

[GR8DAME]

I have never had a LGD, and I understand that their issues are as different as their temperment from other dogs. That being said, I have had dobermans all of my adult life. And let me tell you, the right (or wrong) doberman will have you down and disabled in the time it takes you to think about getting away. My first male had some issues with aggression, I had three episodes in which I stopped him in full attack mode when he perseved a threat to his "pack". He was never trained as a "guard dog", he just followed his instincts.
I kept two of his pups, my sister-in-law had two, and I have knowledge of 8 others in the area, knew them on sight and spoke often with the owners. Of all of his git, NONE of them had his aggressive tendencies, all twelve of them were mellow family dogs, no more unpredictable than your average lab. Half of the battle is environment and training, genetics is only a part of what makes our dogs the way they are. The tendencies may be bred into them, but how you manage those tendencies can win the war for you. Samson has a better than average chance of being just FINE. You have already worked through so many issues with him, and have such a stron bond that I am confident that he could not be in better hands.
Stella

[Gypsy Jazmine]

Thanks everyone!...I'm not worried about Samson with us...I've a feeling his daddy gained his issues through the way his owners handled him (or didn't handle him which would be the case here)I really think the issues he had in the past were due to nonsocializati on combined typical Pyr mistrust, & now I understand a bit of a harder temp possibly due to the Marrema blood...Having this bit of handy knowlege will help me in keeping him a dog fit to be here along with the vigilance I take with my dogs anyway...I'm actually having a bit of fun with it calling him "Marrema Boy" when he starts to get too big for his britches...lol ...I think we'll be just fine but I am glad I am aware! P.S. April, I got your p.m. on the storms...I'm going to run to the vet to pick Rosie up some happy pills incase she gets bad again...Right now she is comfortably in her crate.

[longshadowfarms]

I really don't want to be a worry wart or a pessimist, I just get very concerned with some of the breeding practices I hear about and do want people to be aware of what can happen.  I'm not saying it happens a lot, but it does happen and is something Pyr owners need to keep tucked into the back of their minds, esp if their dog came from a BYB and as they hit the age of about 2 in particular.  Actually, not just Pyr owners, I don't read up on a lot of breeds but I've heard of it in Saints as well (other breeds too but that is another giant breed at any rate).  In all the time I've researched Pyrs, there is very little said about the issue unless you get way deep talking to people.  Unfortunately, the longer I'm around Pyr people and get deep, the more often I hear about it.  Sounds like you're very much on top of the situation, esp if you've worked with a behaviorist before so that is great.  Frankly, it is as important an issue to be aware of as hip dysplasia or some of the other "giant" issues.  Again, not trying to be pessimistic, just hoping you'll tuck it away in the reference book corner of your mind hopefully never to be needed again. 

Happy pills?  What are those?  Jesse might be able to use something like that to get him through right now. 

[Gypsy Jazmine]

I really don't want to be a worry wart or a pessimist, I just get very concerned with some of the breeding practices I hear about and do want people to be aware of what can happen.  I'm not saying it happens a lot, but it does happen and is something Pyr owners need to keep tucked into the back of their minds, esp if their dog came from a BYB and as they hit the age of about 2 in particular.  Actually, not just Pyr owners, I don't read up on a lot of breeds but I've heard of it in Saints as well (other breeds too but that is another giant breed at any rate).  In all the time I've researched Pyrs, there is very little said about the issue unless you get way deep talking to people.  Unfortunately, the longer I'm around Pyr people and get deep, the more often I hear about it.  Sounds like you're very much on top of the situation, esp if you've worked with a behaviorist before so that is great.  Frankly, it is as important an issue to be aware of as hip dysplasia or some of the other "giant" issues.  Again, not trying to be pessimistic, just hoping you'll tuck it away in the reference book corner of your mind hopefully never to be needed again. 

Happy pills?  What are those?  Jesse might be able to use something like that to get him through right now. 

I don't think you are being a "Debbie Downer" It is a very real concern which should not be taken lightly!...After the issues Sam had when we got him we chose to find a breeder who breed for temperment first &  foremost & went on a two day trip to get our Pippin who I believe has Pyrfect Pyr temperment!...I will never again buy a dog from a BYB!...The differnce in Sam's & Pippin's temperment can be night & day!...The happy pills are for anxiety in dogs...Not sure what they're called but your vet would beable to help with that...Rosie is so scared of storms the first time I saw her suffering the anxiety brought on by the weather change even before the storm came that I thought she'd been poisoned somehow!...She shook so hard she could hardly walk & actually vomited!

[dufus]

Actually, not just Pyr owners, I don't read up on a lot of breeds but I've heard of it in Saints as well (other breeds too but that is another giant breed at any rate). 

At the doggy daycare that we go to, they mentioned that they had a St Bernard before who became quite aggressive when she reached 2 years old and had been fine before.  I must let the Day-z beast know who is the boss.....

[longshadowfarms]

At the doggy daycare that we go to, they mentioned that they had a St Bernard before who became quite aggressive when she reached 2 years old and had been fine before.  I must let the Day-z beast know who is the boss.....

Aggression showing up at about age 2 is not uncommon.  The question is whether it is the dog's normal temperament, but has just not emerged until adulthood or if it is mental illness.  It became well known in Springer Spaniels as "Springer Rage" and thus took the common name of "rage" but it is a mental illness that resembles bipolar in people.  One of the keys is "the look," kind of a glazed look that comes over them just before they attack and then it goes away again when the attack is over.  It does not always indicate "rage" but that look is one of the signs that points to mental illness.  A behaviorist helped us work through and determine that what was going on in ours was mental illness and not just aggression.

[BabsT]

i think at two a lot of dogs are maturing and a lot of people are knowledgeable enough on how to handle dominant animals... I am not reffering to rage syndrome but just plain maturity

a lot of people treat dogs like people and well when the dog matures there is no respect for authority...to o little too late

[longshadowfarms]

I don't think you are being a "Debbie Downer" It is a very real concern which should not be taken lightly!...After the issues Sam had when we got him we chose to find a breeder who breed for temperment first &  foremost & went on a two day trip to get our Pippin who I believe has Pyrfect Pyr temperment!...I will never again buy a dog from a BYB!...The differnce in Sam's & Pippin's temperment can be night & day!...The happy pills are for anxiety in dogs...Not sure what they're called but your vet would beable to help with that...Rosie is so scared of storms the first time I saw her suffering the anxiety brought on by the weather change even before the storm came that I thought she'd been poisoned somehow!...She shook so hard she could hardly walk & actually vomited!

Glad you didn't take offense! It is one of those issues that I probably take too seriously because it does hurt so much.  I wish no one else would ever have to face it.

Thanks for the tip on the happy pills!  I'll be over near the vet tomorrow so it might bear getting some to help him through this initial period of mourning.  He's doing a bit better but still comes crawling under my legs at least once a day.  It helps that he's taken on oldest dog status which means he gets first dibs on plate cleaning, treats and what not.