08/12/2020
Please read - such great information and insight!
If you are thinking about adopting ANY dog, please do your research. EVERY DAY, we receive requests from people wanting us to take their older puppy or adult dog, and most of the time, their reasons for giving up the dog make it clear that they didn't do their homework and weren't well prepared for the realities of owning a dog of one of the livestock guardian breeds. Virtually all LGD breed dogs have an independent nature because they have been bred for CENTURIES (some even say millennia) to work without the constant supervision of their human shepherd. In the best situations, an LGD works in partnership with the human, but the dog must be able to assess a situation and respond appropriately even when the human isn't around.
Dogs of LGD breeds tend to be incredibly smart. Some may be content to be couch potatoes. Others need a job. Some may be fairly easy to train. Others need serious motivation to follow your commands. They are big. They shed. They bark. They can be very protective of their home and family. The point is, there's a LOT you need to know before you decide to adopt one simply because the puppy is an adorable fluff-ball, or the adult is gorgeous.
Every breed has history and characteristics that you need to know before you choose that breed. If you do your research before adopting, you will be a better pet parent, and you will have greater chances of succeeding in the relationship with your new family member.
Most pure breeds (not designer dogs like Doodles) are recognized by the AKC, which means there's a breed standard and a parent breed club. There are also usually breed-specific rescues. These are great places to start your research. There are many other sources of information available on the internet, or if you prefer old school style, in your local library. Since one of the breeds we take in most often is Great Pyrenees, I'm attaching a link to a page on the website of the National Pyr Rescue. They have LOADS of information that is helpful even for folks who already have a Pyr. Or two or three.
https://www.nationalpyr.org/breed-basics
