Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana

This boy loves having activity around him and likes to stay busy! This evening he planted himself in guard mode over the toddlers riding bikes down the hill, the goats being fed, and working on our company plow truck prep. He is very mellow but on guard. He is amazing with barking. Literally, two barks and then physically goes to it. All kinds of construction traffic on my communal driveway today. While I was home he was the perfect property dog. From what I have seen, he needs full-time activity, like a working property and family. In the short time he has been here, I can tell he is an acreage dog. He has respected our field fences (so far), but also hasn’t had a chance to be ‘over’ all our new things to explore further. He is a rock star with our goats, Jackson (my Akbash),  hasn’t bothered the farm cats, or the abandoned giant pet bunny my toddlers have decided to feed. Today for nap time, he quite literally watched the front door, but never wanted to come in despite the rain. He was content supervising the pastures, house, and primary driveway. 

 

He is not big enough to really work as an LGD (and doesn't have the interest either!). He just doesn’t have the body shape. All leg, and fast. He needs some work in areas of confinement. Our door into a long narrow hallway causes him stress. He literally runs it as fast as he can. The crate and our 6 car pole barn were too confining for him. He prefers to come inside at night. That is the only time we have had him come inside without dead weight issues. Yet our small family room with toddlers on the ground is fine. He had his eyes examined by a 2 yr old. His only reaction was a gentle paw/push away. My 5m old inch-wormed to his tail and he didn’t mind her playing with him. He loves to chase the toddlers around. He spends the night with our female dog, no problems. 

 

I am letting him find himself before figuring out his manners. Leash skill needs work. He needs some confidence. He tries to play with our female Aussie, but he backs down quickly when she returns the behaviors back. I find him a bit hand shy. When correcting a behavior, verbal is meaningless. A gentle touch or nudge does get his attention (but I think this is part puppy brain, part new environment where I don’t have authority yet). 

 It’s duck hunting season and we are on the lake. He gets really flat on the ground with gunshots. He doesn’t hold onto the fear, but for a minute or two he is down and nothing will convince him otherwise. No aggression.