Post by Jes on May 22, 2021 5:52:59 GMT -5
I'm curious if anyone may have ideas I haven't thought of yet. I've accepted I won't be able to reconcile with one another the two neutered full-brother 3-yr old Great Pyrenees I have. I know it's uncommon for two male LGD's to co-exist peacefully but my DH brought both home (Jerry in Jan. 2019 and Brutus Oct. 2019) on a whim despite my better judgement. There are enough fences to keep them apart, and enough livestock and land that having two LGD's is reasonable. Mostly I struggle with foxes and rats at the chickens plus coyotes, dogs, and black vultures all around.
Jerry adapts to almost any livestock I house him with, allowing me enough flexibility to move him around as needed. Once I introduce Jerry to an animal and supervise initial interactions, he settles in to adding them to his protection. I pretty much trust Jerry and his judgement unconditionally. The only thing he'll leave the livestock for is myself.
Unfortunately, Brutus doesn't have the same temperment. The diversity of these two brothers natural demeanors shocks me. I don't know if it has to do with the pre-existing bond I worked to build with Jerry before the arrival of Brutus, or if Brutus is simply less tractable. He is short-tempered with large livestock -- I've laid down the law that he isn't allowed in the same fence as the horses or cows anymore. I was keeping Brutus with the chickens since he tolerated the birds and likes to chase small furry things...I figured he could keep the foxes at bay. That seemed to work until our neighbors pitbull taught him that chasing and killing chickens is fun. (Both LGD's are useless against FEMALE dogs. 🙄 Still an ongoing problem with the pitbull at the chickens but that's another discussion entirely.) Now he is chasing, and I suspect may be killing, the chickens himself. I can't even bring Brutus in to become an over-sized house-guarding pet because he'd rip my housecat to pieces. He has a no-nonsense, serious demeanor. Where Jerry is a total cuddly goof who barks his fool head off at potential threats, Brutus is more aloof. I have seen him go on the assault without signaling a warning (cats are his mortal enemies). That trait in particular gives me concern. I can't say I trust Brutus's insticts.
At this point I don't know what to do. He seems to be great with people (including strangers, as the utility workers have told me when they show up un-announced) and with female dogs. This isn't the type of LGD I have space for though. I very nearly took him to the local animal shelter yesterday but couldn't bring myself to actually do it. I've never given up on a dog before, even when it was my fear-aggressive Chow mix I had as a teen. I train relentlessly, adapt my routine to accommodate what training can't overcome, and provide the best lifelong care possible. But. I'm not a child anymore, this isn't strictly a pet, and the livestock are a financial investment I won't squander.
The most local GP rescue is so over-populated they won't even return calls or emails asking if they can accept him. Aside from guilt at giving up a dog I accepted responsibility for, my concern about taking him to the shelter is that someone will adopt him and try to put him with their own livestock...even if the shelter were to agree to list him strictly as a house-dog and not suitable for livestock, the idea that someone may disregard that warning gives me pause.
This turned in to a novella. Lol. Sorry for that. I was posting to ask if anyone knew of techniques for guiding an LGD to protect livestock and stop harassing them. I know when they're young they need guidance to ensure they don't pick up poor habits -- is he still as a 3-4 yr. old young enough to need that type of supervision? Have I erred somewhere along the way and ruined a potentially good LGD? The male on male aggression and the cat hatred are two traits I'm willing to work around if there's a way to train him to protect the chickens, orchard, and gardens. Fencing around these three assets amounts to roughly 2-3 acres. I know it's not much for an LGD, but... If his hatred of small fluffy things (foxes, stray cats, rabbits, voles, rats, etc.) can be put to use then I'm willing to keep trying to work with him. It really WOULD be of use to me, provided he isn't a threat to the chickens. I lose enough chickens to all other predators. Losing them to one of my own dogs is unacceptable.
Jerry adapts to almost any livestock I house him with, allowing me enough flexibility to move him around as needed. Once I introduce Jerry to an animal and supervise initial interactions, he settles in to adding them to his protection. I pretty much trust Jerry and his judgement unconditionally. The only thing he'll leave the livestock for is myself.
Unfortunately, Brutus doesn't have the same temperment. The diversity of these two brothers natural demeanors shocks me. I don't know if it has to do with the pre-existing bond I worked to build with Jerry before the arrival of Brutus, or if Brutus is simply less tractable. He is short-tempered with large livestock -- I've laid down the law that he isn't allowed in the same fence as the horses or cows anymore. I was keeping Brutus with the chickens since he tolerated the birds and likes to chase small furry things...I figured he could keep the foxes at bay. That seemed to work until our neighbors pitbull taught him that chasing and killing chickens is fun. (Both LGD's are useless against FEMALE dogs. 🙄 Still an ongoing problem with the pitbull at the chickens but that's another discussion entirely.) Now he is chasing, and I suspect may be killing, the chickens himself. I can't even bring Brutus in to become an over-sized house-guarding pet because he'd rip my housecat to pieces. He has a no-nonsense, serious demeanor. Where Jerry is a total cuddly goof who barks his fool head off at potential threats, Brutus is more aloof. I have seen him go on the assault without signaling a warning (cats are his mortal enemies). That trait in particular gives me concern. I can't say I trust Brutus's insticts.
At this point I don't know what to do. He seems to be great with people (including strangers, as the utility workers have told me when they show up un-announced) and with female dogs. This isn't the type of LGD I have space for though. I very nearly took him to the local animal shelter yesterday but couldn't bring myself to actually do it. I've never given up on a dog before, even when it was my fear-aggressive Chow mix I had as a teen. I train relentlessly, adapt my routine to accommodate what training can't overcome, and provide the best lifelong care possible. But. I'm not a child anymore, this isn't strictly a pet, and the livestock are a financial investment I won't squander.
The most local GP rescue is so over-populated they won't even return calls or emails asking if they can accept him. Aside from guilt at giving up a dog I accepted responsibility for, my concern about taking him to the shelter is that someone will adopt him and try to put him with their own livestock...even if the shelter were to agree to list him strictly as a house-dog and not suitable for livestock, the idea that someone may disregard that warning gives me pause.
This turned in to a novella. Lol. Sorry for that. I was posting to ask if anyone knew of techniques for guiding an LGD to protect livestock and stop harassing them. I know when they're young they need guidance to ensure they don't pick up poor habits -- is he still as a 3-4 yr. old young enough to need that type of supervision? Have I erred somewhere along the way and ruined a potentially good LGD? The male on male aggression and the cat hatred are two traits I'm willing to work around if there's a way to train him to protect the chickens, orchard, and gardens. Fencing around these three assets amounts to roughly 2-3 acres. I know it's not much for an LGD, but... If his hatred of small fluffy things (foxes, stray cats, rabbits, voles, rats, etc.) can be put to use then I'm willing to keep trying to work with him. It really WOULD be of use to me, provided he isn't a threat to the chickens. I lose enough chickens to all other predators. Losing them to one of my own dogs is unacceptable.