Our Livestock Guardian ~Sugar, the Gentle Giant

This year we said good-bye to our 15-year old Australian Shepherd, Jill and adopted our first livestock guardian.

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Jill was the best dog I’ve owned. Highly intelligent, loving, caring and a second mom to my children. The kids became her job and she kept watch over them. Herding and nipping at them if they were doing something she thought was wrong. 

Her health had been declining this last year, especially her hips. She didn’t seem to be in pain but there were days she could hardly get up. I knew I was about to have to make a hard decision.

Like most children, my fourteen-year-old daughter had been wanting a puppy. Jill was sleeping most of the day and when she was up, she moved slowly. Not much fun. But how could I get a new puppy while still caring for a senior dog with the inevitable looming around the corner.

After months of begging, I gave in. However, I had several stipulations. It would need to be a dog with a low prey drive and even better if it protected the chickens so we decided on a livestock guardian (LGD).

The Bearded Rooster did some research and we got a Great Pyrenees. 

If you are considering a livestock guardian dog, there are a few characteristics that you should know about: 

Independent thinking 

Great Pyrenees were bred to live on a mountain and have very little interaction with people. LGD’s have their own agenda and their own ideas about what’s important. You may call them and call them, but if they think what they’re doing is more urgent, like watching over their flock, good luck! It takes a lot of convincing (or good-girl treats) to get them to come. 

Nocturnal 

Most predators will attack at night so livestock guardians will patrol and watch over their flock all night long.  Because of this, they may appear lazy by sleeping most of the day. This is the farthest thing from the truth. Because they are highly intelligent, they will only exert energy when necessary. 

Barking

Great Pyrenees have several types of barks. They will bark to announce they are on duty and additionally, if they hear something that may be a threat. Young Pyrenees puppies may bark at everything! This should decrease once they are more comfortable with their abilities, usually between 18 months and 2 years.

Pyrenees use their voice to deter predators. They are not attack dogs so they rarely bite unless there is a threat. Pyrs are devoted to their charges and will die protecting them. 

There is a third bark that we’ve only heard on occasion. When you hear this, you’ll know something’s out there. 

Grooming

Coat 

Great Pyrenees coats tend to be mostly white and may have some tan, black or grey (badger) markings. It’s believed they were bred to have white coats so their owners could distinguish between their dog and a predator. 

Pyrenees have a double coat and need to be brushed once a week (although we tend to go longer) to prevent matting. The amazing thing about their double coat is that it’s self-cleaning. Sugar can be covered in mud one night and by the following morning, it has completely fallen off. So because of this, you only need to bathe every few months. I’m not sure if this is true about other LGD’s coats

Brushing is also a great way to identify any skin issues, injuries or ticks. We use a wire brush weekly and like using the Furminator de-shedding tool, when she has her annual or bi-annual shed. 

Double Dew Claws

There are several livestock guardian breeds that have double dewclaws on their hind legs including the Great Pyrenees. Some large breeds may have a single dewclaw. 

For a mountain dog, the dewclaw gives extra traction and helps stabilize the dog when running and maneuvering rough terrain.  

Since it doesn’t constantly touch the ground, you will need to trim on occasion to prevent it from growing into the leg. I like the dog nail clippers with a guard.

Health Problems

Allergies

We haven’t dealt with this. Some can have grain/food allergies causing hot spots, ear infections, and blood in the stool. 

Hips and legs 

Several people in my LGD facebook group, have reported hip, knee, and leg problems. They are genetically predisposed to hip dysplasia. If they are working dogs, LGDs can be subject to ligament ruptures and tendon tears. 

Bone cancer 

This is not just an issue for livestock guardian dogs. It’s prevalent in large to giant breeds of dogs and generally happens later in life. 

Bloat

Pyrenees are susceptible to bloat where the stomach twist causing obstruction. It can be caused by overeating, eating too fast, or stress. It can be life-threatening so if you suspect it, contact your vet immediately. 

Overheating

Pyrenees are cold tolerant and because their coat is so thick, they can overheat easily. Some people will shave their dogs but their coats actually protect them from sunburn.

With the brutal summers we have in Texas, I have a kiddie pool for the chickens. I place bricks in the bottom for them to stand on to keep cool. Sugar loves to jump in and splash around. They, of course, are not thrilled about this at all. (chickens don’t like to get wet). 

Her love for water is not limited to the chicken pool. It can be standing water on the sidewalk, a mud puddle or creek. If it’s there, she will find it. 

To keep cool, Pyrenees will also dig down in the dirt. Watch out for large craters.

As soon as we brought Sugar home and introduced her to the chickens, her instincts kicked in. She’s a natural guardian.

Sugar loves her chickens and she knows it’s her job to guard them. She helps them dig for bugs, she checks the coop for predators. and she loves treat-time. We give the chickens leftover meat, pasta, fruit, and veggies. Sugar’s favorites are corn on the cob, watermelon, and cantaloupe.

I love watching her experience and learn something new every day. As long as I look at it in this light, I can tolerate the tree branches she brings in to chew on (where did that come from!?), the mud, and stealing of shoes. 

Sugar has some big paws to fill. I miss Jill everyday and she will always have a special place in my heart. But Sugar, with her sweet soul and curious nature, has quickly made her way there and is helping me to heal.

To learn more on the History of Great Pyrenees https://gpcaonline.org/history.htm