One of my sources here in Eastern Washington is actually down in the SE part of Washington along the Snake River area. Sheep people , I know, don't exactly like this kind of info, but......Wolves have been re-introduced down there and there are even signs posted about to inform passers through. There's a gal down there who runs 600 plus sheep on open range, probably BLM land , and I wouldn't have any idea how that increases this time of year. She keeps around 10 - 12 Great Pyrenees working with the sheep at all times, I know for sure, because my brother ran across them all while out hunting. He said a couple came up to the car window to see him and others stayed laying down right in with the herd , and others were up moving about. The gal keeps one Dog intact and one Bitch or two intact, and all the others all neutered or spayed. Until she did that the Dogs fought too viciously when the Bitches came into season. Now there is little problem in the order of things. She onl! y breeds on occasion , I understand, for self and other sheep people. I Don't how she feeds them.......gotta find that out just for curiosity sake. They range as far as needed, but stay mostly right in the flock. The way I understand it best from people out there where the Pyrs are actually working is that like Police they (Pyrs) only use "reasonable force to effect an arrest" (well , set aside overly done cops). One of our Pyrs over in the Okanagan Mountains west of here killed a lone coyote who didn't get the message/warning/whatever when it kept coming back to the ranchers goats and huge flock of exotic chickens. Other encounters of Pyrs with predators only ends with the invader being roughed up and pinned to the ground........."say Uncle!" I'm sure they amaze their owners constantly with different tactics. I need to check just how many , if any , of her sheep/lambs have ever been lost due to predators. Matter of fact I'll check soon. This has all been very interestin! g for us because up until 3 years ago our emphasis was more on the sho quality dogs working.......so ...they're Pyrs they ought to be anyway. Family pets and predator protection all in one. All this from someone who only has two BB's..........but at least every puppy who leaves here has been introduced to them and our Appaloosa horsie......Bruce Z
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