Re: [pyrnet] new pyr owner

["Ann K. Wetherilt" <wetheri@emmanuel.edu>]

Welcome to pyrdom, Jeannie. Bonnie sounds quite boisterous but a real
love. First, I'd suggest trying to attend an obedience class with her. One
thing she needs to learn is that you are "alpha" of the pack, not her.
Good luck with stopping the pawing for attention. We have had mixed
success with our pyrs. One of our current dogs, Ivy Rose, continues to paw
for attention despite all our efforts. We have managed to dissuade others,
and our new girl, Tori, a 14-month old female, just comes and rests her
head in our laps, on our legs, wherever--so sweet and gentle! We can take
no credit for that--we've only had her a week.
In terms of walking her off-leash--odds are that she will never be totally
reliable. Pyrs are notoriously independent and will claim large tracts of
territory as theirs. I use giant flexi-leashes with them unless we're in a
totally fenced in area. At the very least, I'd do some very serious
obedience training with her before risking her off-leash anywhere. These
dogs can also surprise you with how fast they can move for their size.
Hope others will offer suggestions too. This is a great list for
assistance with pyr problems, and for sharing all our wonderful
experiences with these amazing beasts.
Ann, Peg, Ivy Rose and Tori