Is your Pyrenees a great Watch/Guard dog?

[GreatPyr]

I have read where the pyrs are great livestock guardians but when not used for LGD they make wonderful property and human protectors.Is your Pyr this way? Would like to hear stories.

[maxsmom]

This trait is instinctive to most any LGD.  Jake will get between me and other dogs, and will retaliate, if the dog is acting aggressively.  He almost knocked me down one night to get in front of me, when a bull dog ran up growling and barking at me.  He patrols our backyard and barks to alert on squirrels, big birds flying overhead, people that he hears talking outside, etc.  He is very protective and territorial.  Kathy

[Amy (guffer)]

Zeus and Apollo are great at protecting the yard from squirrels!  Does that count?  Otherwise, they welcome all visitors with wagging tails and slobbery tongues!  Seriously though, sometimes at night they'll hear an unfamiliar noise and jump up from a dead sleep giving off a bark that sounds like they would mean serious business if an actual threat were to materialize.  I really do feel safer knowing they're in the house ready to protect if need be.  

[arkydo]

yup
great pyr's have a superb natural instinct to patrol/watch/and guard you your family and your property
they do superb with live stock a few farmers up here use them to keep out coyotes,cougars, wolves and other problem animals
i'm guessing the famers have to train them also though.

[GoldenPyrs]

Absolutely!    You should hear mine when the garbage truck comes (always before dawn....yawn)!  Seriously, everyone is right, it is what they were bred to do and they do it well.  Cara, our first, was from show/working stock and her parents could be as beautiful as the other show dogs but they also had taken down coyotes while guarding "their" sheep.  Cara had an especially strong guardian instinct and she had an amazing ability to size up people.  In 12 years she only disliked 3 people and we listened to her (she was right, I should add).  We traveled extensively with her and she loved everyone else that we met over the years and was a wonderful ambassador for her breed.  Halley, our second, was barely 3 when we lost her to bone cancer, but even while sick we had to be careful that she didn't stress her bad leg by trying to chase off bears.  I had to keep her on a leash in our yard during night time potty breaks to keep her from running and hitting the fence to scare the bears.  Cassie & Sammy sleep either in our hallway by our kids bedroom doors, or by their beds, or blocking the entry doors.  They have their soft beds, but they move around all night guarding a new spot in the house.

You may not see this guardian behavior from your puppy much until he is a little older.  Cara was already guarding when she came to us at 15 weeks, Halley was more like 6 months or so, Cass & Sam came to us as adults so I don't know.  It does seem like it varies a bit when it kicks in, but you will know when it does.      He'll let you know with a big WOOF!  LOL!   

[London_Pyr_Lover]

Definately.  Naja is wonderful at guarding our yard and house from cows, barn cats, cars driving down the road, birds flying overhead, airplanes, farm hands...And some other stuff!  lol  She's fairly quiet during the day, however when it's dark out and she see's something she won't stop till she's sure I'm aware of whatever it is she's barking at.  She also does that sniff the air thing when we go out for a pee at night, and absolutely must walk the parimeter of the front yard at least once, which sucks for me 'cause it's dark out and I keep her on a leash!   

[GoldenPyrs]

My husband just asked me to add that this guardian instict is what will cause them to wander forrrrrrever if they have the option.  So, a strong fence or leash is required with Pyrs at all times.  Poor hubby once chased Halley for over 1/2 a mile while she looked over her shoulder and laughed at him.  Poor guy nearly had a heart attack!  She only had a nano second of opportunity to get out.  Halley had pushed open the RV door when I opened it a crack to answer hubbys question.  She zoomed past us while we took chase and it took a half mile to catch her.  Fortunately, my gregarious Halley saw a nice lady that was admiring her and that's why she stopped.  Thank God for that moment she wanted to say "Hi" more than enjoy the chase.  I really can't say FENCE or LEASH strongly enough.    They just can't help themselves...b/c like barking, it's in their genes.        Still, I will live with a Pyr as long as I am able.  They are very habit forming.      

[GreatPyr]

These are some very interesting stories!

I have to ask arkydo,Where do you live to have Bears in your yard?? YIKES!!

I have read a ton on the pyrs,i know when they are in a Livestock Guardian situation they are fearless btu wasnt sure about if NOT protecting livestock per say..we do have a cat,horses and 2 other dogs,hopefully he will see them as livestock to protect..inclu ding us

The reason I am asking all of of this first of all its intereting anything i can find out about the breed and secondly we are moving in April,which Bear will be around 5 to 6 months old,where we are moving to is a very very rural down a long dark path cabin place we are moving into the vacation cabin while we build our house on a small farm we bought.We will be living at the cabin for about 3 years and am hoping Bear wil be our Security System way down in the sticks...ha..h a..

[GoldenPyrs]

These are some very interesting stories!

I have to ask arkydo,Where do you live to have Bears in your yard?? YIKES!!

I have read a ton on the pyrs,i know when they are in a Livestock Guardian situation they are fearless btu wasnt sure about if NOT protecting livestock per say..we do have a cat,horses and 2 other dogs,hopefully he will see them as livestock to protect..inclu ding us

The reason I am asking all of of this first of all its intereting anything i can find out about the breed and secondly we are moving in April,which Bear will be around 5 to 6 months old,where we are moving to is a very very rural down a long dark path cabin place we are moving into the vacation cabin while we build our house on a small farm we bought.We will be living at the cabin for about 3 years and am hoping Bear wil be our Security System way down in the sticks...ha..h a..

Did you mean me?  If so, we live in the Pacific Northwest and black bears are common here.  We had a big one that lived (or hung out a lot!) in the forest behind our fenced yard b/c there were lots of blackberry briars back there (and they love blackberries). 

I think that your Bear will be happy to guard you, your dogs, cats, horses, butterflies, gnats, etc.  LOL  You know, anything he can either see, hear or smell.  Again, it's just what they do.  I'm sure that you will feel much more comfortable & cozy in your cabin with him around.  What's better than a big, sweet snuggle-bug/guardian?   

[BigSoftandFluffyLover]

Rasputin will walk into whatever room i am in and then go into whatever room my husband is in then walk a few paces away, where he can see us both, then "pretend" to sleep.  Which is the big defining trait of a GP, they look like they are sleeping all the time but they're not!!!  They eat so little cause they are always laying down but they are using those huge ears of theirs to listen to anything that could POSSIBLY be going on ANYWHERE!!!  Then they bark... Long story short, he likes to lay close enough to us but also have the closest entry point in eye sight.

[pyr4me]

Jenny greets everyone she meets with a gentle nudge for a pet and a tail wag, so it was hard for me to imagine her being protective or guarding of anything; however, a couple of weeks ago I was taking the dogs outside for a late night potty, and when I looked over at my neighbor's house there were 4 people sneaking around, and I tell you, the minute I felt scared and stiffened, Jenny reacted immediately--at instant attention, barking furiously, moving in their direction, etc. She was an immpressive sight and managed to scare away those people (who, incidentally, were teenagers that are friends of my neighbor's daughter pulling a prank--but how to know that at midnight??).

Anyway, that's just to say, that even though Jenny seems gentle and sweet with everyone she sees, she definitely also seems to know when things aren't okay and reacts accordingly, like the Great Pyrenees she is!    I grew in respect for her and her breed in that moment.

[People Whisperer]

Last night I got as proof that my dog is GREAT Watch companion...I took her for one hour walk, then for one hour obedinece class, she came home pretty tired and passed out in her fav relaxing position, you know...the one on her back with legs spread out and chin up, LOL! She was totally asleep (I thought) and snoring. Then I heard a car pulled in the parking lot and Lily had to bark but was too tired to wake up and so she barked ON HER BACK!!! It was the finniest thing I have EVER seen! With every bark her legs wide spread were bouncing up  

[GreatPyr]

Jenny greets everyone she meets with a gentle nudge for a pet and a tail wag, so it was hard for me to imagine her being protective or guarding of anything; however, a couple of weeks ago I was taking the dogs outside for a late night potty, and when I looked over at my neighbor's house there were 4 people sneaking around, and I tell you, the minute I felt scared and stiffened, Jenny reacted immediately--at instant attention, barking furiously, moving in their direction, etc. She was an immpressive sight and managed to scare away those people (who, incidentally, were teenagers that are friends of my neighbor's daughter pulling a prank--but how to know that at midnight??).

Anyway, that's just to say, that even though Jenny seems gentle and sweet with everyone she sees, she definitely also seems to know when things aren't okay and reacts accordingly, like the Great Pyrenees she is!    I grew in respect for her and her breed in that moment.

WOW! Thats impressive!

[London_Pyr_Lover]

BWAAAHAAAHAHAH AHAHAHA!!!  I can picture it in my head!  HAHAHAHAHA!!  I think I've seen Naja do the same once or twice, but I think she was barking at something in her dream. 

[CalistogaPyr]

Bo is most definitely a guardian.  Her father was from working stock, so she got a really strong guarding instinct from him (I think).  She's a therapy dog and works wonders with seniors and the mentally ill, but come at me sideways or glance at our house, and she's there to let you know not to get too close!!  She barks at anything that could be considered a threat (mouse farts, wind, the creek, buzzards, mosquitos, the voices in her head...), so we're constantly having to check out whatever the offending thing is!!  Floyd, on the other hand, can't be bothered to get out of bed to check something out unless he thinks there is food in it for him!!!
Jenn, Bo & Floyd