Living in Northern Nevada, many of you probably already know a great deal about livestock guardian dogs, and some of you may have owned a few. Nevertheless, I thought I’d enlighten a few more people about these remarkable animals.
Here in the Great Basin, Great Pyrenees are the most popular and common livestock guardian dogs. Their numbers here grew as basque sheep herders immigrated here early in the twentieth century, bringing along their favorite tool. Today, Great Pyrenees guard not only flocks of sheep, but cattle, goats and even chickens. They are also cherished family pets.
The Great White Dogs of the mountains are a truly ancient breed. Evidence of these dogs go back as far as 11,000 years and they are so old that fossilized remains have been found. All livestock guardians descend from mastiffs probably originating in Asia Minor.
Great Pyrenees are gentle giants, loving and protective of their families. Females usually grow to over 100 pounds and males to 140 pounds or more. They are nocturnal by nature which allows them to guard their herds from nocturnal predators like coyotes and wolves. They have thick coats and undercoats which insulate them in both cold and warm temperatures. They are intelligent, independent thinkers who mature quickly. Great Pyrenees are the “old souls” of the dog world.
They bark incessantly throughout the night, warning off predators; they shed like crazy and if you have a Pyrenees , just get used to white hair on everything. Pyrenees also wander. They are keen to protect their “neighborhood” whether that is farm and ranch land or residential areas.
If you see a Pyrenees eating a dead livestock animal, know that they didn’t kill it, but their instinct is to clean up dead livestock so as not to attract predators.
Great Pyrenees aren’t for every family or livestock producer. Because of their enormous size, their lifespan is shorter than most breeds. They also require regular grooming and cost a fortune to feed. Unless you have great fences, they are likely to escape your yard for regular “walk abouts”.
With all that said, you will never experience a kinder, gentler, more dedicated dog than a Great Pyrenees. We lost our GP Lilly in January and while she can’t be replaced, we’ll certainly have another Great Pyrenees on our ranch and in our lives again because they are truly remarkable dogs who serve our herd and family well.
Kris Stewart is a rancher from Paradise Valley, Nevada.