In an unfortunate turn of events, our Great Pyrenees – Yang – closed a chapter in her life and is no longer welcome in our household. She had growled at Amy a couple of times when she attempted to take trash Yang had dug out of the trash can. I made it clear that Amy was to disuade the dog from this behaviour, and be very forceful. She hadn’t done it to me until last night. Last night, I noticed she had something she shouldn’t and began my aggressive approach. Yang preempted me with an attack and grazed my leg where she left a very slight abrasion. I won’t tell you what commenced after that, but it’s safe to assume that Animal Rescue would not be happy. Regardless of my efforts, she was unphased by my return assault. She continued to exert quite an effort to show me who was top dog. I actually wrestled with this quite a bit today, because I realize she didn’t actually bite me at the beginning when she had the opportunity. A part of me wants to train her out of this behaviour, but another part of me fears for the safety of my family, who would not be as able as I in dealing with this large animal. With Balthazar, I cannot afford this chance and uncertainty. Amy and I can survive an attack; if it were only us I might try to go the discipline route.
The thought I put into this dilemna throughout the day led me to understand that I didn’t want her put down, nor do I want to relinquish her into unprepared hands. I talked to my mom about this and she’s going to take her back to the farm. On the farm, there are far fewer restrictions for which to tempt her into an aggressive stance. There’s also Yang’s mother who is quite willing to put Yang in her place on a daily basis until there’s an understanding. I think this will work out very well for her, and we’ll be able to visit her as often as we like. Balthazar will also get to continue visiting Yang which, while it may sound to the contrary, is important to me.
For those of you considering or already owning a Great Pyrenees, I’d like to remind you of something you should already know. The Great Pyrenees breed is instinctually prone to guard and kill. While generally fiercely devoted to its family or flock, they are still potentially aggressive animals and require dedication to their training. Like any large breed dog, you just need to watch for signs of trouble and react with conviction.