Ratsicles
Posted : 12/13/2007 5:40:03 PM
He is adorable,Why would you not choose him for a companion?
It's just personal preference as far as what I want for a companion. My house is small, and Pyrs are huge, so size is a factor. Their coats require a lot of upkeep, and they blow their coat twice a year...also not something I want to deal with- I HATE grooming.
Physical issues aside, I just don't think my personality would mesh well with theirs. I have six male dogs, and a ton of other animals, and to keep fights from happening or prey drive from getting out of control I need easily trained dogs who do what I say, no questions asked. I need a dog that will stop in its tracks and turn on a dime if I tell it to leave something alone. Pyrenees...they're smart dogs, but they were bred to work alone, outside of the influence of humans. Because of that, obedience is not really their forte. They will defend their families to the death, but that probably won't come when you call them. That, for me, is just a dealbreaker- again, because I have 6 male dogs, all of breeds prone to dog aggression, I have to have COMPLETE control over my dogs and the assurance that they'll do what I say, when I say it.
My Pyrenees is bonded to the goats, and they are his pack. We're friends- I feed him and hang out with him sometimes, but his first love is his goats. He doesn't come in the house, he doesn't interact with my other dogs, he just spends 24/7 out with the goats- so this arrangement works really well for us. If for some reason I had to get rid of my goats, he'd have to go with them- partly because he would be miserable as a pet and would never adapt to living in the house with other male dogs, and partly because I just wouldn't do well, at all, with having a Pyr as a pet.
That isn't to say that Pyrs aren't GREAT dogs- they are- they're just not what *I* would personally choose as a pet. It's entirely personal preference. As an LGD though? I probably wouldn't pick anything else. Chief is amazing.
I read they are good with Children,protective of livestock and family?
Pyrenees are good with whatever they are raised with. If they're raised with kids, they're good with kids. And yes, Pyrenees were originally, and still are, bred to live with and guard livestock- they aren't herding dogs, they're livestock guardian dogs- and a lot of people confuse the two. Pyrenees will guard with their lives whatever they consider their pack- in Chief's case, it's goats- but a companion Pyr will guard it's human family.
Keep in mind though that they are major barkers- part of their guarding involves running along fence lines and barking, alerting predators to their presence. Many pet Pyrs will bark constantly...it kind of depends on the dog, though.
Ratsicles - I adore Chief (and his mustache, which I never noticed before) and hope everything is doing better now, for him and you, and Axl and Punch especially.
Thank you! Chief is doing excellently, as are Punchy and Axl. Punch and Chief both got the IgG treatment at Auburn, and they titered Axl to see if he had immunity- his antibody levels were high enough, so they didn't treat him. Punch never showed any symptoms and is fine, so we majorly lucked out. When I have a second I'll post a proper update in Chief's original thread.