Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Great Pyrenees Dogs???

Greetings!
Yes, we have a "house broke" Great Pyrenees.
I'll start this story by saying that Dakota (Debbie named him)and I have a mutual respect...now.
It didn't start that way.
Actually, I've never really looked at myself as a dog person. I've always been someone who has a dog.
This dog, this Great Pyrenees, Dakota, changed that.
He gave me no choice...and I'm so glad he did.
Here's our story. (If you want to skip down to how the dog is, you can forego the entertaining part of this tale by scrolling down about ten paragraphs)

Back in November, 2009, I got an email from Betsy Freese, editor of Living the Country Life magazine. She asked if I had an article about building a beach. I did, so rewrote and edited it and sent it on in about 20 minutes after receiving the email. She emailed right back, wanted to run the story and needed photos. I sent photos...and she sent a message explaining that she didn't have a budget to pay, but she'd gladly offer a subscription to the magazine.

The first issue was January, 2010. On the cover was a beautiful snow scene with a huge Great Pyrenees bounding down a snow-blanketed hillside with his owners behind him. I looked through the magazine with an editor's eyes, looking at the layout, ads compared to articles, how it was laid out, that sort of thing. It was a nice looking magazine. I gave it to Queen Debbie and forgot about it.

February 10, I asked my bride what she would like for Valentine's Day, a short 4 days away. She disappeared for a few minutes, came back with a furled magazine, unrolled it, pointed at that big dog and said, "I want one of these."

I felt my face contort a little bit, especially since I was thinking about flowers, maybe a nice dinner or something of that sort.

I said, "Why do you want a big dog?" After all, we had little Romeo, a six pound Yorkie.

Her logic was hard to argue. "With the kids grown and gone and you traveling a fair amount, I'd feel safe with a big dog. Besides, John and Karen have two of them in their house and it works pretty good."

I said, "Neighbors Keith and Deann have one...I'll ask them where they go it."

Before I finished the period at the end of that sentence, Debbie said, "Nope..." She pointed at that magazine cover and said, "This is Bob and Sarah Lea, from Minnesota and that dog is Asher. I want Asher to be the father of my baby."

Of course she did.

I felt that funny look spread across my face again. "All we have to do is send them a check for $100 and that will hold a spot for the next litter...and they said I could have first pick."

I remember uttering, "For Valentine's Day, you'd like me to send a check for $100 to some people in Minnesota that we don't know for a dog that hasn't been born, yet?"

She looked bewildered, like I only had one eye in the middle of my forehead. "Uhhh....YEAH!"

I asked, "How will we get it to Texas?"

She didn't miss a beat. "We're gonna go get it."

She'd been talking with these people, getting to know Mrs. Lea and working her way toward a puppy.

On July 2, 2010, her baby was born and in August, we drove west of Minneapolis to get him.

He was a basketball-sized bundle of snow white fur with a spirit. Boy, did he have a spirit.

He went to obedience school...not once, but twice. As he grew, he had this innate sense to protect our property, without any respect to the boundaries.

I continued to do what I do, traveling, working on lakes, putting the magazine together. Dakota continued to grow.

Since Day 1, he's slept in the house, on a giant bed, near the foot of our bed.

Year 1 wasn't much fun because the only commands he would respond to were for dogs on a leash. You can't easily leash a Great Pyrenees. They want to roam and protect you and your property from all evils.

Dakota would bolt out the door, chase the squirrels, make sure they were in the trees, chase the ducks, makes sure they are on the water, swim, run, chase, and then go make sure all the neighbor's dogs knew he was the alpha, and make sure all the neighbor's other animals knew he was in charge. I'm completely surprised he didn't get shot by a neighbor during his first two years of life.

He'd show up at the door at his discretion, usually muddy, smelly with sticks and stickers in his fur. Important note about this breed of dog...they magically become clean after filthy. Their hair has some sort of oil in it that allows the dog to be self-cleaning. That's pretty cool.

He's cornered several deliverymen, including the FedEx people, UPS people and the school bus. The FedEx man throws a treat out the window, waits until Dakota picks it up and then heads to the door with that day's box. I didn't know he did that until I saw it first hand. I gave the guy $10 to buy more treats, but told him to make Dakota "sit" before giving it to him.

Little did I know all the things I was doing wrong for that dog.

Fast forward to six months ago. We had figured out that Dakota doesn't like loud noises like thunder or gunshots. We have several neighbors who like to take target practice several afternoons each week. Dakota heads straight for the house when shots are fired.

All we had to do to get him to come home was go get the .410, fire off a shot and he'd be at the door in less than a minute.

We met several trainers, listened to them, looked for info online for the last three years...tried the shock collar. Dakota was the alpha.

One day, back in March, we met a trainer who works with labs. He gave me several subtle techniques, showed me how to get my dog to obey, and I went straight home and tried these techniques. I was stunned at how effective it is.

I had no idea that Dakota wanted some rules to obey and that I wasn't speaking his language. Now, at four years of age, he's obedient, responds to all my commands and does exactly what I ask him to do. He wants to please me.

I started with him on a leash. He already knew how to sit, lay down and heel. But, what he wouldn't do was "come" or "here". Before, his natural instincts were to bolt, chase, and terrorize the neighborhood. One day, about nine months ago while I was away, a sheriff's deputy pulled in the driveway and honked his horn. Debbie went outside and immediately had a sinking feeling. She figured there was a wreck or something. He said, "Ma'am, do you have a big white dog?"

"Yessir, I do."

"You need to keep him on your property, ma'am. Your neighbors are complaining about him and animal control can't catch him, or we'd already have him locked up."

"Yessir, I will."

At that point, when he went out, it was on a leash and on a cable-run. Period, end of story.

After the dog trainer gave me the tips, I started doing what he said. Here's what he told me. "Put him on a leash every day and go for a walk. Make him heel...you walk a step ahead. If he tries to get ahead of you, give the leash a gentle tug and then a quiet command of 'no' and he'll soon understand that you want him to walk beside you. After he's confident and you're not yelling at him or continuing to voice the 'heel' command, he'll calm down and do what you ask."

He was absolutely right. Dakota and I went for several walks a day, on a leash. Then, after a few days, I could drop the leash, ask him to heel and he'd do it. Then, I ask him to "sit" and "stay" and he'd do it. Then, I'd back up a few feet, tell him "here" and he'd walk to me and I'd give him some love. Today, he looks me in the eye and I can tell he wants to please me. I've actually let him out of the house to run, but he responds to my commands now...he never did before, if he was out. He'd look at me, I'd tell him, "HERE!", he'd look at me, look away, look at me, look away and then bolt. It would make me mad...

I think a series of things have happened that have changed his attitude. Being kept on the cable run, time on the leash, his age, loud noises...and me spending time learning how to become his master have played the roles for him to become the dog he is now.

I'm no longer complacent with him, angry at him...none of that. He and I work well together and have a mutual respect. I love that dadgum Great Pyrenees, Dakota from Minnesota.

Some additional tidbits about this dog: We shear him twice yearly at $50 per visit. He eats 4 red solo cups of Victor Rice Meal and Beef dog food every day. Any grain-based foods upset his stomach and pukes it out...vet says to stay away from food with GMO corn in it. He can act vicious to people who are obviously fearful. He's torn shirts, jackets and made people pee in their pants. But, he's gentle with those who understand what he is. He'd be much better in a field, protecting sheep or goats. He's a protector, at all costs. God help anyone who tries to mess with Debbie or I or anyone of us in his close circle.