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1. The Great Py is working with the animals. However, he is only a selectively obendient dog. Before this website all the research I did said that's fine, because he needs to be independent to do his job. Is that true? To establish myself as the pack leader how do I socially isolate him and still have him doing his job with the animals?

I think I'd work more toward getting a sit or down on him and asking for those before dishing out any sort of attention - ie, he comes over to you for petting and he needs to sit before you pet him. You can also have him to sit and wait to be released when you feed him. These are a bit more subtle ways of asserting your position, but IMO it should work fine for a guardian dog.

I wouldn't want to socially isolate him from the other animals because for an effective guardian you want him to be socially attached and protective of them.

Another quick question:
The weather is sub-zero for the next several days. What do I do with the dogs? The Aggro Mastiff is not potty trained and I am using my daughters 8X10 playhouse as a crate, but she has to much room and is having accidents even when taken out multiple times to potty. The GSD and the Mastiff cannot be in the house together. I cannot put the GSD in the crate with the Mastiff in the house because she will bust out and I don't want the aggro Mastiff to try to attack the GSD in the crate. I also have children in the house. I have tried putting them in seperate rooms with the door shut, but the GSD opens the doors. Is there a safe way to handle this? The Mastiff does not fit in the crate I have....any ideas...I don't want to mess up, but I also want to make sure no one freezes.

 Quote: Jessica MacArthu

I have tried putting them in seperate rooms with the door shut, but the GSD opens the doors. Is there a safe way to handle this?

What kind of door knobs do you have??

The playhouse is outdoors?

The GSD is loose in the house, the Mastiff is in a playhouse -- outdoors or indoors? Warm or no?

Is there a room that the crate could be in, with the GSD in the crate, that's far from another room with the Mastiff in it?

Separate rooms with doors shut, uncrated, with children in the house (or even without) is a recipe for disaster, but we don't know the setup of your house and so on.

The door knobs are round in the house and the ones that go outside are handle pull down kind...sorry I don't know a technical name for them.

The playhouse is outside. It is not insulated, but tucked in a south facing slope so it is decent. However, the Mastiff is having potty accidents and that is not cool since that's where my daughter plays.

When I put them in seperate rooms I block the doors on our side with chairs and laundry baskets so they don't get opened.

I am concerned about having a recipe for disaster already, as my 3 year old is strong willed. I want to make absolutely certian these two dogs do not come in contact until they have the appropriate training and equipment. How do other people handle dogs and children? I will look that up too.

I will try the crate with GSD in one room and the Mastiff in another for tonight. Unless someone else has a better plan?

Jessica,
You sound like you're doing the best you possibly can with all your animals - I'm in awe reading about all the task juggling and responsibilities you manage every day - and HUGE kudos to you for graciously asking for detailed advice from this extremely knowledgeable board... but I have to play devil's advocate for a moment and ask:

Why did you take on this new dog (which you admit is too large for you to safely handle on your own with a flat collar, and dangerously dog aggressive to your other female) while you already have leadership issues with your Pyr, and a GSD with what sound like very complicated to manage separation issues? You have a farm to run, young children to take care of, a husband who can't be around very often, and a day job on top of it all... have you considered finding a responsible person to rehome the Mastiff with and just concentrating on improving your relationship/training with your 2 current dogs?

I hate to be a naysayer, and you genuinely sound like you WANT to make this all work out, and are willing to put in the time... I just want to make sure you don't overextend yourself, which could have it's own consequences for any or all of the critters in your care.

But assuming you stay the course - you're in the absolute best place to learn!

~Natalya

Natalya,
You're not a naysayer. I completly concur. I have asked myself this question numerous times since we got her. The lady we got her from was going to send her to the humane society, because the Mastiff, Bella, was given to her by her father's ranch hand who had to leave permanently because of a fanily emergency. I have seriously considered rehoming her, but given all the information I now know about her I'm not sure I could find a suitable home. We live in a place where people dump dogs all the time and it's hard enough to find a home for dogs that have good temperaments.

Bella is solid with the children. After listening to the podcast again on introducing dogs to homes with dogs, I'm concluding she must have been attacked, because her best method seems to be attack before being attacked. My husband really wants to keep her and I'm willing to work, but if I can get her to a more reasonable point it would be easier to rehome her.

She's a very loving dog and bouncing will joy to spend time with us. It's just the interaction between the two is not good. She does ignore the GSD now when we walk by her (GSD on tie-out and Bella on leash) - however, we don't walk close to her. I think she was stirred up from moving from place to place and then I tried to introduce them across the fence to quickly. I din't give her time to settle in.

The interaction with the Great Pyr, is more limited since he's a working guardian. I just wanted to make sure I established myself as a pack leader for any canine on the property so I don't encounter trouble.

Just as a funny...I told my three year old I needed to be leader of the pack so no one would get hurt and she told me later that day that she was the leader of the pack for her pretend dogs!

I appreciate everyone's feedback.

Can you lock the doors so the GSD cannot get out and maybe put a hook and eye lock near the top of the door so the kids can't open it??

Or even better go get those door knob things for baby proofing!!

They fit over your current door knob and you just squeeze two tabs on either side to open the door, but it is something that you need opposable thumbs to be able to do...

Make sure the kids know that they are not to go into the rooms or let the dogs out.

If I were you I would look at building outdoor kennels and getting the steel crates and maybe even reinforcing the crate door. If it's a money thing, ask around at construction companies if they have any chain link left over from a job, could you buy it at a reduced price. I have even heard on our local radio "trader time" someone selling seventeen 100ft rolls of chain link for like $1200. Then you could put up two outdoor kennels.

I have gotten nice old doghouses that are insulated enough for out -49 celsius weather for $50 and one heck of a steal for $5 but I had to pick it up. It was well worth the 30 minute drive.

Good thoughts. The inside doors don't have locks, but I can get those baby proof things until I look into getting something more permanent figured out.

Thanks for the ideas!

 Quote: Jessica MacArthu

Natalya,
I have seriously considered rehoming her, but given all the information I now know about her I'm not sure I could find a suitable home. We live in a place where people dump dogs all the time and it's hard enough to find a home for dogs that have good temperaments.

Bella is solid with the children.
She's a very loving dog and bouncing will joy to spend time with us. It's just the interaction between the two is not good.

I totally hear you on all that... and if it were me, my soft heart would surely put me in the same situation. One more thing, then I'll shut up about rehoming ... Have you considered a mastiff rescue group? If she's mostly mastiff, that venue could be explored also - rescues are often much more forgiving about behavioral issues (if it's something that can realistically be worked on) than shelters, and they'll foster indefinitely. Location of the dog shouldn't hinder their ability to help...

Best of luck Jessica,
~Natalya