[pyrnet] Re: pyrnet-l-digest.20020925

[Rhonda Collins <rhonda@castlepublishing.com>]

At 12:04 AM 09/26/2002 -0400, you wrote:

> Our questions are:
>
> 1. Do you think she reacted properly?
> 2. If you think it was a bad decision, do you think her immaturity played
> a role in this decision?
> 3. Do you think she should be retained as an LGD?
>
> We have offered a refund or replacement for the Pyr and the man is not
> interested. 

Sounds to me like she did the intelligent thing. In fact, it is SO
intelligent it's scary--ESPECIALLY for such a young dog. I KNOW Pyrs are
smart, but that's a lot of common sense going on there. She was
outnumbered and "outgunned" and knew it, so she retreated and
defended her herd. As for leaving the young goats to the attackers, that
was probably accidental, or perhaps they just panicked and went the other
way and she couldn't make them come. It sounds like everyone else on the
list who has responded has a similar opinion. I have NO experience with
Pyrs as LGD, but if I had a dog guarding MY herd, that's what I would've
wanted him/her to do. Had she stayed and fought, she could've been badly
injured or killed and they probably STILL would've gotten the goats, and
been free to come back. The owner would've been left with a huge vet bill
(or needing to acquire and train yet another dog) and still would've lost
goats. I can't imagine feeling that having a dead LGD and a wounded
predator was a better solution! Nope...I think she did the smartest thing
possible, and may end up being a superlative LGD. The shepherds in the
Great Pyrenees used to leave their dogs for days on end, completely
unattended, counting on them to use their common sense to guard the herd.
Sounds like she HAS common sense and she was guarding her herd...so
what's the problem?

Rhonda <and Newman, who is also smarter than the average
dog>