The Guardians of the Headings Homestead

Luther

About a month ago, I announced that we had added a new guardian to our farm.  Our addition is Darby, a Great Pyrenees dog.  With our coyote population along the banks of the Little Darby Creek, we had to make a decision to add a guardian dog instead of replacing our working Australian Shepherds.  But, why Great Pyrenees?  What makes this breed of dog so special?

Darby

The Great Pyrenees, also called the Pyrenean Mountain Dog.  It is a large dog that has been used by shepherds for hundreds of years to guard large flocks of sheep, first in the Pyrenees Mountains in the south of Spain and France.  Earliest documented mention of the breed dates to 1405.  By the late 1600s, the breed had become a favorite of the French Aristocracy.


The Great Pyrenees is characteristically protective of smaller animals, such as sheep or goats.  These dogs are also very protective of their masters.  They are usually white but can some grey or tan markings.  Their eyes are always black.  They grow to be over 100 pounds.

Given these statistics, the Great Pyrenees was the best choice for our farm.  We needed a dog that would be gentle with our sheep and children, but wary of strangers.  We have been very happy with our first Great Pyrenees, Luther.  And, we are excited to see how our newest Great Pyrenees fits on our farm!  Our girls love our furry guardians, and I have to admit that my husband and I are very fond of our duo, too!