Great Pyrenees eating lambs

[morgan in ar]

I've had this happen twice now. I come outside in the morning to find the guard dog eating a newborn lamb. The first time was one twin eaten, and the other twin living. The second time, she was eating two in the yard, and the triplet survived. I don't know if she killed them, or if they were already dead. It was very cold. She has been mildly protective of the sheep in the past. What do you think?

 

[LAA]

Worm her with a lead pill.

 

[Bret4207]

Get the dog out of there now. We have 5 Pyrs, I've never seen that kind of behavior. What kind of history does the dog have? Is it out of working breeding or show stock?

 

[Billy Shafer]

Get rid of the dog. I have a customer that has five of them. They are more than mildly protective.Nothing can get close to his sheep.That dog is not normal.

 

[MN Scott]

I think he's developed a taste for lamb. As the others have said you can either tie or pen him up or choot him. His gaurd dog days are over.

 

[morgan in ar]

That's kind of what I was thinking. Even if the lambs were dead, that's a pretty fine line for a dog to walk. I've had the worst luck with farm dogs. I have also had a blue heeler that got car sick, and a border collie that was scared of sheep!

 

[Dachshund]

A GP will OFTEN eat dead lambs. It's in their nature to get rid of dead lambs, kids, chickens, etc. Most likely, they were dead when the dog found them. I'd take him if you get rid of him.....

 

[Brian G. NY]

I hesitate to say this.....my Dad told me that years ago whenever a farmer found that his dog had killed a chicken, he would beat him with the dead chicken.
Seemed to work for chickens, might work for sheep?

 

[Wheatfarmer]

I am not joking, but she might have a brain tumor. We have had Livestock dogs for years. We have Anatolian Shepherds.

 

[L.Fure]

(quoted from post at 15:07:52 02/19/15) A GP will OFTEN eat dead lambs. It's in their nature to get rid of dead lambs, kids, chickens, etc. Most likely, they were dead when the dog found them. I'd take him if you get rid of him.....

That's what I was thinking. It might be a natural inclination to keep the dead cleaned up so they don't attract any predators. Like mother animals eating after birth for the same reason. Keep an eye on him to see if he's killing the lambs or not before you do anything.

 

[Determined]

We have had many different Pyrenees over the years and not one of them has ever shown any aggression toward domestic stock.
We had one sit and guard a dead cow for days keeping away coyotes etc.
We have two of them right now, when doing night checks on the cows during calving season they are reguarly in the pens with the cows and calves.
They have been known to clean up afterbirth if the cows don't and it was my belief that they do that to get rid of anything that might draw in preadators.
Anything is possible but I would have to see one take down a domestic animal to believe it.
Most of ours were raised here from pups, but one was bought out of the city and natural instinct kicked in and he knew and did his job as good as the ones we raised.

 

[Dean Olson]

You have to train them. Start them as puppies and never alone with the livestock till your sure they're ok.

My Pyrenese "Brie" was playing too rough with the lambs,chickens etc and injuring them. You have to catch them in the act and put a stop to it. I'm not seeing any injured youngsters so I think I'm past that now.

I never see any after birth since I've had her so she must be eating it.

Another bad behavior was to clean the lambs up and "protect" the newborn from momma. Not good. Again I caught her in the act and put a stop to it.

She has a taste for eggs and I believe once they have a taste your not going to break them of it. In my case I modified the hen house so she can't get in. I free range. I never se any eggs on the ground anymore.

If your dog is eating lambs it's time to get rid of her. Even if they were still born it won't be long till she's killing them.

Dogs are descendants of wolves that man has tried to breed the predator instinct out of. Apparently your dog has some predator left in her.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Morgan, I have one that's half Lab, Oofus. He adopts every old tractor, trailer, or piece of machinery that I drag in here. Strangers best not touch them. He takes up residence under the latest until the next thing arrives. gm

 

[Mike (WA)]

We had a dog that killed a chicken when I was a kid- dad tied the dead chicken around dog's neck, and let him carry it around until it dropped off, if you get my drift. Dog never bothered the chickens again.

 

[BushogPapa]

I figure a great Pyrenees is over-rated..

Now, a Kuvasz is a VERY attentive and loyal Dog..

Mine was so durned Smart, he would not even cross the road..he went to the culvert to go under..!

They are like the big dog watching the sheep from a hill, guarding against the dangers and always 3 steps ahead of their next move...they even RUN silently..like a Ghost..

Not quite as large as a Great White (up to 130lb) but MUCH more athletic..always White..

Both breeds really NEED to be raised from puppies WITH the goats or sheep and even the family they will live with.

Ron.

 

[Dave H (MI)]

Actually eating or just licking? Reason I ask is that KC, our pyrenees who sadly passed a few years back, was so gentle that I actually caught him with fledgling birds. He would carry them off, lay down, drop them on his front legs and lick them. Twice we had rabbits get out of their cages and he caught them and did this with them. Problem is, the rabbit did not understand the situation and generally would expire in the process. Dog would keep licking and sometimes the skin came off in places. Never saw him actually eat the carcass though and he would gladly hand it over when you arrived. Not protective or guilty in any way.

 

[Mikein Ky]

I have had several and all were good except I found the last one 3 different times eating a newborn calf. I don't know if they were born dead or not. I wouldn't think I would lose 3 in a row. I got rid of her.

 

[2x4]

Ours ate her pups. First 2 times she had pups we didn't see what happened. Third time we saw her kill the pups (several hours old) & eat them. Quick trip to the vet fixed that. Never bothered the cats or chickens tho. Great dog otherwise; still got her.