Tips for New Adopters

So you're considering adopting a Great Pyrenees?  Great news!

Certainly if you are an experienced Pyr owner you probably familiar with this term:

ad-dic-tive/ǝ'diktiv/causing or likely to cause someone to become addicted to it.  

I've heard a saying recently, "Pyrs are like potato chips, you can't have just one".  Equally true, although you may have had one or even two Great Pyrenees dogs in your lifetime, chances are the next one will be completely different!   Their dog personalities can range from being goofy and playful to serious and stoic.   What is it about some of us who are completely devoted to this breed while some others folks relinquish their dogs into rescue due to Pyr characteristics they can't or won't embrace?  For me it's a deep understanding of this breed and being accepting of all their unique characteristics, but I would invite other readers to weigh in below in the comments.  It's true that Great Pyrenees as puppies are very difficult to resist...fluffy butted, sweet faces, with wondering eyes that watch their owners intently.

But these angelic beings grow up to be extremely intelligent adult dogs with an essential job to perform-guarding.  As some people get a negative picture in their head from the word "guard" it's utilized in this post as this:

guard/gärd/watch over in order to protect

What should one know prior to adopting a Great Pyrenees?

1.  Great Pyrenees are bred to be GUARDIAN DOGS.

Okay, let's unpack that as there are probably many perspectives about guard dogs depending on what type of dog you are used to- so what does that mean exactly?

I see that the American Kennel Club has changed their website so the first descriptions you see initially of the Great Pyrenees is "majestic,  Zen-like calm, and graceful".  Okay, sure, absolutely!  And typically Pyrs are instinctively guardians, meaning guarding is natural.  They are bonded to a herd (goats, sheep, chickens, cats, little people, big people, various things they see as a herd...). But the guarding...what does that look in behaviors?  Their mere presence is enough to ward off predators due to their barking and displaying very aggressive behavior.  While it's important to know the rescue adopts out dogs as companion dogs only, they still have the characteristics of livestock guarding dogs.

2.  Okay, so they have INSTINCTIVE GUARDING characteristics.  Instinct is nothing you can teach nor can you entirely remove it.  Great Pyrenees are one of the oldest of the livestock guarding breeds and they are bred to be independent thinkers (National Pyr Rescue website).  This means they don't need to consult with you for any decision they make.  I've described "training" a Great Pyrenees as being able to get them to do what I want and make them think it's their decision.  Luckily for me, Whitman would much rather choose to be in the house with a yummy treat versus barking out in the yard.  GPRS does have certified trainers who are experienced in training these dogs and they are an integral part of of this rescue and contributors to this blog.  To read about ideas of how to train your Pyr check here.

Tips for New Adopters

How do I get my Pyrenees to gain weight?

Goofy Chuck

There are a wide range of questions posed by those who adopt Great Pyrenees dogs.  And most certainly some of these same questions have been raised by foster families as no two dogs are alike.
In these posts we will share foster and adoptive parent's unique situations with their dogs and their experiences finding solutions.

This post about Chuck and his amazing foster parents Bethany and Jonathan.

Chuck is our first foster dog, so we didn't know what to expect.  Would he be playful or mellow?  Would he have any health problems?  It didn't take long for us to discover he is just a big, lovable goofball.  And yes-he's BIG.  Right now, he weighs around 100 lbs.  We estimate he'll probably weigh around 110-120 lbs. But it wasn't always that way.  When he first arrived, he was close to 70 lbs.

Tips for New Adopters

 

Newly rescued

 Rescuing a pet is an incredible thing and it would be safe to say that all dog rescues are deeply thankful for those who do.

It's tempting for all of us new adopters to rush our new family member into a lifestyle of opulence to make up for what we think they've lost out on (me included).   But the truth is that it's important to let the dog "be" in his or her new space.  The rescue's director Malise suggests that "all dogs are different and some recover faster than others" but that it's important to "let them be and just exist for a while".  The dogs are most likely coming from stressful situations and then add the pressure of a changing routine from what they've known into the unknown, rescue dogs need a chance to "decompress".  A great article by KD Mathews (2017) from Dog Lifestyle Training can be accessed here.

 Mathews writes that "decompression" gives the dog a chance to "take some time getting back to a balanced state of mind."  A well-known trainer and author, Mathews adds that "although you will want to do what makes you feel good it is more important to do what is best for the dog".   Mathews also suggests reading up on anything that will educate us on the needs of rescue dogs.  Luckily for us adopters, it will just be a matter of time (designated by the dog) before we can commence with the dog spoiling!