Preparing for our new pup

[Kinah]

Hi everyone!! Been a while since I was here. About a year ago my mom and I adopted a Pyr/Anatolian pup that we named Kyla. Will try to get new pics of her.

Okay, so to the point, I moved out, and Kyla stayed with mom. Had a room mate for a while that had 2 dogs, so I couldn't get my own pup, but she's leaving, and I wasted no time. I posted on Craigslist, which is how we found Kyla. the person that answered my "looking for large breed puppy" ad? the same people we got our Ky from a year ago!! Crazy right? Unfortunately, at the time the pups were only a week old, so I have been going absolutely insane waiting to be able to pick her up. The good side is that we can prepare. Pups are five weeks today, I just ordered a nice large wire crate, 32" high so hopefully she wont outgrow it.

Few questions. First, we didn't get Kyla untill she was 11 weeks old, and our new pup we will get at 8 weeks, and I want to make sure I do everything right! (okay not happening but a girl can dream). Kyla is a bit... shy. even flat out scared of strangers. under socialization problem as a pup? Mom wanted her to guard, so didnt like her making friends with people. How do you make sure the pups not afraid of people but still guards? Also, what kind of food should I feed her? I was thinking Science Diet Large Breed Puppy but all suggestions welcome. Also was hoping to teach her to walk off leash. How should I go about this? Any advice at all on anything is greatly appreciated. The pup im going to be getting is 1/2 Pyr, 1/4 Anatolian, and 1/4 Komondor. I have no experience whatosever with Komondors, but from Kyla, I knew i was in love with the Pyr/Anatolian. Though my pup will have less Anatolian. Anyways, long post lol!

http://i42.tinypic.com/htwi8g.jpg

The pup we picked out at 3 weeks old. The people we are getting her from is a long ways away so unfortunately all we get is a new pic a week, due for a new one today, will update. But she just looked so sweet and alert. She caught my eye, and my heart.

[TexasKat]

Hi there! Welcome back!

Best advice I can give... socializing a dog doesn't keep him or her from being a great protector. What you want to do is make sure that their protective instincts kick in at an appropriate time. It is impossible for them to judge what is 'appropriate' unless they are exposed to people in a 'friendly' situation.

For instance, children running up to dogs with their arms waving and making loud noises. An unsocialized dog may very well misinterpret that as a threat. An unsocialized dog is often a threat all the time to everyone.

Both of mine are extremely well-socialized because we've worked hard at introducing them to lots of people (and kids). Neither one has an issue with protecting us from strangers... Pyrs almost CAN'T not protect you from a stranger or anyone who seems threatening or who in their judgement "seems" threatening.

They aren't so much 'property protectors' as they are 'living things' protectors though.

[jessaba]

What we did is made sure Lillie was around lots of people and people could only pet when we were around. Now at 9 months old she will bark and growl at anyone that goes near her family or goats unless I'm sound then she sees it is ok. Although ours is a goat guardian. Expose her to lots of different people and she will be friendly but will still guard you as that is their natural job and what they were bred to do ! Good luck! She is adorable

[Kinah]

One additional question that I forgot (sure i'll post those words like 5 million more times). We also have two cats that got along with dogs, but has never met any dogs other than the two they lived with since they were a month old. How do your pyrs get along with cats, any issues/advice? Thanks!

[TexasKat]

Scout ignores cats, Gypsy thinks cats are the bestest thing ever.

It's harder getting cats to accept dogs than the other way around usually.

[Tsunibear]

Missy loves her cats but, they don't love her. So she has learned to let them come to her instead of her going to them.

As for the socialization stuff, I was inviting people over to my house while Missy was younger and socializing her that way. Once she had all of her shots she was out and about in everybody's face wanting love. Now to this day she will stand and stare at people until they pet her.

Also cute puppy.

[Jewel]

With a mix of 3 LGD breeds, you MUST extensively socialize this puppy so you set her up for success. As TK already said, withholding socialization in order to make the dog a "guard dog" is really a bad idea. It is like raising a time bomb. The komondor especially is a tough breed to handle. They have sharper temperaments than pyrs. Komondor breeders generally will not place their dogs in a home with an owner who is not an experienced handler.

As for walking without a leash. LGDs generally are not reliable recall dogs. If you really want a good recall dog, your better bet is to go for a golden or a lab. Please understand that walking a dog offleash means you have to have absolute verbal control over your dog. That means if you see another dog coming near you, you must have the ability to make your dog stick to your side immediately as you ask. LGDs usually do not respond to commands with lightening speed. Not saying it's impossible to have an offleash LGD, just that if that's what you want, you have to realistic as to the amount of work that may require. Please never just let you dog walk offleash just because you think your dog is not aggressive. Other people's dogs may be aggressive and it is very rude for your offleash dog to approach another person's dog without being invited.

I would urge you to read this before you get your puppy:
http://coloradogreatpyreneesrescue.b....html?spref=fb

[TexasKat]

Jewel, I'd like to read it as well, but the link doesn't work. Can you manually "link" the page with the link tool for us?

[Jewel]

Sorry, see if I got it right this time:

http://coloradogreatpyreneesrescue.blogspot.com/2011/11/before-you-adopt-great-pyrenees.html?spref=fb

[Kinah]

Thank you for the lovely information. I wasnt planning on leaving her out alone, I was just hoping say, if im out doing yard work or something she could run and play and stay generally near me. Is what we did with out Shephard. Moms Pyr has done this before, and she always stays either in her yard or mine (Im right next door). Oh another question I forgot to ask! lol. Any advice on how to introduce my new pup to moms year old pyr? Shes an unspayed female. Warning signs to look for? Things that might look bad that arent? thank you all again!

[Davey Benson]

That was a pretty good article.

The only thought I would like to interject is a point that has been made before on this board, and I believe it's true.

A dog that is 1/2 something, 1/4 something else, and 1/4 a third breed, doesn't necessairly mean that it's characters, and behaviors will fall in the same proportions. In some ways your puppy could exhibit all the behaviors of an Anatolian shepherd, or maybe the way it does something could be entirely Komodor.... it's hard to say at this point which genes will be expressed, and which will be repressed. It might look entirely like one breed, but behave entirely like another. It will be interesting.

I've had the good fortune of getting to meet a pure bred Komodor in person once, so I have had exposure to that. They are much more stand-offish in reguards to strange people than what Pyrs tend to be. I've social my dogs and yet they've done very well with picking out what might be a true threat and what isn't. I too don't really buy into the line of thought that you have to keep a Great Pyr away from people so it will be a good protection dog. I feel you can socialize them well with other people, and then you can have the best of both worlds.

[Chicag0_Red]

Sorry, see if I got it right this time:

http://coloradogreatpyreneesrescue.blogspot.com/2011/11/before-you-adopt-great-pyrenees.html?spref=fb

Yep that one works...

I tell people having a PYR off-leash is like driving a car without brakes... you may get away with for a while, but, sooner or later it won't end well.

[nick's spirit]

Kinah...you new pup looks like a cutie!!!
in your favor is that your mom's dog is only a year old....still a pup herself, she may take to your pup very fast because of this, take it slow & if possible in a neutral area, not your mom's backyard, and may be with a leash on lyour mom's dog at first.
I have noticed in my Pyr's that right around 2 years of age the "guarding" instinct seems to kick in, your nom's dog may be the guardian she wants very soon.
I have walked my Pyr's off leash, I live in Alaska where that is possible...we very seldom have a problem with people, dogs or autos on our walks. That being said...I have also had my Pyr's dis-a-pyr. Nick was gone for hours one day chasing a coyote or a wolf not sure what it was, but he took off...they cna be very quick when they want to! He came home later with a long piece of devil's club attached to his hindquarters...very proud of himself. Our first Pyr, Spirit, by the time she was 2 could not be walked off leash as she disliked other dogs & not crazy about people around me. Holly listens to my husband...fairly well, but she is now 7, she'll still take off chasing a squirrel whenever she gets a chance.
Socialize your girl as much as possible, her personality will change as she grows.

[Tsunibear]

Missy is half pyr and half berner, personality wise she is pretty much a pyr. There are a couple things that give away the berner in her one of which is if we are at the lake she can be off leash and won't leave my side. Which is odd because, her come when called is questionable when I am at home or at a pet store. :confused: Another dead give away that she is mutt is her color...she is white, reddish orange and black. Her body features and head though look like a pyr to me personally.

So what I am trying to say is knowing that your little one is a mutt it will be hard to tell if she will do well off leash.

Without knowing much about your Mom's dog it's hard to tell you what signs to watch out for when introducing them. Also since they are both females that will also make it rougher. Same *** tends to give you more headaches then opposite *** set ups.

Jewel that was a good article.