Nature vs. Nurture

 A few weeks ago, I was at a public event that was 100% people who have and/or raise animals, and I was talking about my livestock guard dog-in-training.

He's half Turkish Boz, a quarter Anatolian Sheperd, and a quarter Spanish Mastiff. He's going to be enormous.

At just five months old, Andre (the Giant) weighs over 70 pounds and with all four feet on the ground, I can pet his shoulders without bending over. With two feet on the ground, he's taller than I am.

I brought him home at 8 weeks old and he went straight into the barn. Because he's a livestock guard dog. 

The older dog in the barn is Hercules, a hog dog mix used for chasing and running down the feral hogs that are like giant rats with tusks running in huge packs through the forests and wetlands of East Texas. Hercules' job is to keep the hogs, coyotes and bobcats off of our place, and Andre will be his backup muscle. 

Andre already outweighs Hercules by at least 20 pounds, but Andre's brain is still the brain of a 5 month old puppy. 

Hilarity ensues.

Wait. Is the definition of "hilarity" "massive destruction of everything in his path including but not limited to shredding human flesh and tipping people over while engaging in puppy play?"

No?

Let me pause here to state that I believe 100% that Andre will be an amazing dog in about a year (if we both live that long). He tries very hard to be a good dog, but even with daily reminders on my part and engaging all of his gnat-like concentration on his part, he is still about 2/3 Very Sweet Boy and 1/3 Satan's Favorite Son.

Anyway. Back to the conversation I was having.

I said I couldn't for the life of me understand why people would expect puppies like this to settle right into being an inside couch potato with a small yard and maybe a daily walkie because even with the entire forest to run 24/7 Andre is still a whirling tornado of good-natured teeth and muscle and a woman next to me said, "Well, if you get them young..."

No.

No.

Hell to the no.

This is why so many large breed puppies end up homeless between 4 months to 18 months. 

Especially working, herding, and hunting breeds or crosses who have been bred for specific *jobs* that require a high-energy, powerful, and take-charge personality. Once the floofy cuddly puppy settles into their new home and routine, if you do not give them a demanding job to do, *they will find one on their own*.

It may include, but will not be limited to digging up the entire yard, tearing out all the linoleum, unstuffing every mattress, eating every sock, and destroying every window blind. It's not their fault. All the obedience training in the world will not take away their need to be busy. 

If you decide a Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Sheperd, Border Collie, Beagle, or lord forbid a BELGIAN MALANOIS is a good choice for apartment living, because you will get it young and teach it to be a snuggle sloth, you *and* your puppy will be in for a world of sadness.

And crate "training" any of the above breeds or crosses (leaving the pup/dog locked in a cage while you are gone or at night) so no destruction can occur doesn't make a good dog. It makes a neurotic unfulfilled dog that will get worse, not better, with time. 

Just. Don't.

Experienced livestock guard dog owners know that even while 100% immersed in livestock guard duties from birth, a pup cannot be trusted to be completely trustworthy till they are 2 years old. 

Dogs have been humans' best friends and workmates for thousands of years. It's our job to make sure we don't ask them to do anything that's impossible for them to do.

Because they'll die trying. 

Just look at the euthanasia records at the shelters.

Andre at four months old. I'm sitting in a chair and he's flat-footed on the ground.😬