[PyrNet-L] The `Guarding' instinct and `Common Sense'

[Pbpyr@aol.com]

I posted yesterday with a rather curt post about the `biting' Pyr and my
opinion which was to euthanize the dog.

Let me elaborate a little here.  I have had Pyrs for 12 years...I know not as
long as alot of other `List' members but I'm obviously in love with the breed
but that is based on my experience with my dogs and others that I have come
into contact with in the area and at shows.  My understanding of the Pyr's
temperament is to `guard' not to attack. 

I will briefly describe a few incidents with my Pyrs:

1)  Gate closed, dogs loose and a tree doctor has an appointment for 6:00 but
decides to arrive early.  He jumps the fence and our male (now 12 years old)
sees him and quickly approaches him barking and obviously disturbed at the
`intruder'.  At the same time, I see him and also approach, telling our
dog...`it's ok'....dog gets their first, puts his rather large mouth around
the guy's arm and `holds'...guy stops, doesn't move, pales rather noticeably.
I arrive at the scene...I tell him (the dog) it's ok, he lets go, sits down
and wags his tail.  Nothing on the guy's arm but slobber.   I `think' this was
appropriate behavior for a male `guard' dog.   He wasn't upset, he wasn't
aggressively pursuing the guy...he was just telling him in no uncertain
terms....you ain't coming any further, pal.

2)  A year later, same dog, gate closed, dogs loose, doorbell rings....two 12
year old kids are standing at our front door to visit my `daughter';  they
stopped by and had not been at our house before.   I looked around, didn't see
the dogs, and said in rather unpleasant terms...there are dogs loose, you
didn't call to say you were coming, you could have been bitten...etc.
etc....the one little boy says...`You mean him?...there stands Mihyito, next
to the kid getting petted and just as pleased as punch that he has someone to
play with in the `dark'.   I credit the dogs with `common sense'...the
children were not a `threat' and they recognized that.  

3) A few years later...gate closed (we thought locked), dogs loose, Dominoes
pizza man arrives..a rather burly man never at our house before.  We were
going to meet him at the gate but it wasn't locked (my husband's fault), so up
the driveway, we see 3 Pyrs wagging their tails happily following the
`food'...pizza!   Again, they recognized..same male in the crew that this was
not a `threat'...in fact, this could be a party <g>.

I guess what I'm trying to relate here is that I've never had a dog here that
I didn't feel I could `trust' to do the `right' thing in the appropriate
circumstances.   There is no doubt in my mind that these dogs are intelligent
enough and bred properly to be just a `joy' to live with and yes, they would
`protect' us if the need arose and we gave them the `go ahead' but that sadly
was not the case with the Pyr who so `viciously' attacked a small child.  If
the dog is incapable of `thinking' before he `acts' then that is a dangerous
animal, regardless of the breed.   I've always thought that one of the most
endearing qualities about the Pyr with his size and power is `common sense'.
If that is lacking, well enough said.

Nancy
pbpyr@aol.com