Our Great Pyrenees, China!

The Great Pyrenees is a large, principally white, guard dog used since 3000 BC by Pyrenees Mountains shepherds in Southwestern Europe. Traditionally a peasant's dog, they found favor in the royal court of Louis XIV and as elegant guardian of many grand French chateaux. Renowned for their ancient instincts and ability to determine friend from foe they are still prized as guardians. The first breeding pair came to America in1931. Today they are found around the world as companion, guardian, therapy, and show dogs.

China is our Great Pyrenees guard dog and though friendly and playful, knows what her job is - to protect the alpacas from predators. Now we haven't had any real predators that we know of, but word has it that coyotes have been spotted and are infiltrating our county and the counties surrounding us. Of course, neighborhood dogs also pose a threat to our beloved alpacas, and therefore, when a strange dog is taking a walk or running free, China barks and paces the fence line until the dog is gone. Having witnessed a guarding situation several years ago, we have seen the innate instincts of this breed. One afternoon, China sensed danger and brought the herd together in the pasture. There was one lone alpaca eating hay at the feeder near the barn. China ran up towards the barn and brought the lone alpaca down to the rest of the herd. An alpaca's only defense is to hope that in numbers they will intimidate other animals.

China is very playful during the day when we're tending to our chores. This is not always good. For example, some days I take off my gloves and set them down either on the seat of the gator or on the ground when cleaning the waterers. Though large, China quietly sneaks up, and somehow without us knowing, steals the gloves, or anything else that may have been lying around such as my clippers! Some days I can get the items back and other days I just have to wait until later.

A couple of years ago when China was a young pup, we were fortunate to have been asked to come film her for an episode on "Dogs With Jobs." It was an all day event of filming for about 15 minutes fame, and if you should see it on television, just know she's come a long way since the taping of that show and we are proud of our wonder woman guard dog, China!

The following is an excerpt from the Great Pyrenees Club of America's website.

Livestock Guardian Dog

The Great Pyrenees is, as its name suggest, a very large dog. It ranges in size from around 25-32 inches at the shoulder. In weight it ranges from 85-140 pounds. It is primarily markings of badger, gray, or varying shade of tan and has a long, flat, harsh protective coat.

The Great Pyrenees originated in the Pyrenees mountains of Europe which form the border between France and Spain. They were developed by the Basque people to protect their flocks from predation by bears and wolves. The dogs have been used for this purpose for over a thousand years. Since a lot of the bears and wolves have disappeared from the mountains, the dogs today are still guarding homes and property. Historically, the dogs have also been used in France to guard large estates. The ability of these dogs to work was achieved by selective breeding in which only the most successful workers were allowed to reproduce themselves, and therefore, a great deal of this inbred instinct remains strong. It is upon this thousand-year selection that we draw when we breed modern dogs for working purposes.

The Dog as Worker

The Great Pyrenees is a territorial guard by nature, which means that he works to keep his territory free from predatory danger. Because of this, there may be times when the shepherd does not see the dog for long periods of time. He knows that the job is being done because the losses decrease. If the dog is working effectively, the stockman may never see a predator, and the flock will never be disturbed.

A good working dog has been selected for hostility toward all possible predators. This is why Great Pyrenees, although bred to work on bears and wolves, are equally effective on wild and feral dogs which are an increasing problem to stockman. By nature, the Great Pyrenees is nocturnal. It has no tolerance for other dogs except the herding dogs that it works with, and very small dogs. It can be trusted with small, young and helpless animals of any kind, but it has to be watched as a young pup with some supervision as it usually takes a pup 18 months to become a livestock guardian dog. It is one of the most interesting qualities of a Great Pyrenees-the absolute intolerance of all predators, coupled with extraordinary patience and kindness to stock.

There are basically two ways in which Pyrenees are utilized as protectors of stock. The first is what we call an all-purpose "Ranch or Farm Dog." This is a dog that lives on a farm, usually in the proximity of the farmyard and ranch house. He is part pet, part guard dog. He takes care of the ranch, the family, and the stock that is usually pastured close to the house. The other Pyrenees is what we call a "Livestock Guardian Dog." The Livestock Guardian dog is not a pet, and he is not allowed access to the farmyard or to the house. His sole duty is to protect the stock, in some cases on large isolated pastures or ranges. Both types are a working part of the stock operation and function as such. Pyrenees have been known to increase their territory and may also protect stock belonging to adjoining neighbors' pastures. The breed performs admirably in either of these situations.

Because of the differences in the ranch/farm and working livestock guardian environment, if the stockman is looking for a working livestock guardian, the fact that a farm raised pup is born to parents who are "Ranch" or "Farm-Dogs" does not necessarily confirm its ability to perform successfully in open range, semi-isolated conditions. Most pups go to new homes between 7 and 12 weeks and have spent most of that time with their dam and littermates. A slight advantage is given to pups being raised with livestock as the breeders can observe their interaction. Many superb and effective working Pyrenees have never seen a sheep before their arrival at the ranch. What is most important is whether or not the parents and/or relatives have produced animals that have worked successfully in your situation.