Great Pyrenees' Gentle Attention to Newborn Goats Makes Her the Most Loving Mama

Most people these days think of their dogs as couch potatoes, furry household pets that are up for a jog or a nice frolic around the dog park. But, traditionally, the vast majority of dogs are working animals, created and raised for specific purposes still evident in the name of their breeds: German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, Shorthaired Pointer. These are dogs that were raised to do something, and are very good at what it is they do.

And many dogs, even without the name shepherd in their breed title, are known for watching over flocks, whether that’s as a herding dog or as a hunter, protecting flocks from predators. These types of dogs can make good choices for families, because they are gentle with the people in their group, and ferocious to any threats from outside.

In this video, a livestock farmer is shocked to see that her Great Pyrenees dog, Bristol, has actually met the new arrivals on the farm before she has.

Related: Great Pyrenees 'Adopts' Baby Goat and It's Giving People the Feels

“It used to make me nervous,” the farmer writes in the caption of the video of Bristol nuzzling a pair of newborn sheep, “but she’s proven herself.”

Apparently, these baby goats were born overnight and Bristol was out and about to see them take their first, tiny baby goat steps.

Is a Great Pyrenees Right For You?

As the name implies, Great Pyrenees Dogs, or “Pyrs” are great indeed, enormous white dogs bred to protect sheep from wolves on snowy mountaintops. In their role as livestock guardians, they were prized for loyalty, gentleness, and protectiveness. So it’s little wonder that this dog immediately knows that newborn goats need extra tender loving care.

As with all large dogs, especially strong-willed ones like the Pyr, early trading and socialization is necessary to tame any impulses that would make them get in trouble. Their size makes it extra important that they learn to be calm and gentle.

Great Pyrenees can be a wonderful family dog, as this video shows—even if your family isn’t entirely made up of humans. Like all working dogs, they require regular exercise, and you should be aware that their spring shedding season is referred to by Per fans as a “snowstorm.”

Socializing Your Dog With Farm Animals

It’s funny to think how few modern suburban dogs might be utterly baffled by the sight of farm animals, after untold generations of their ancestors lived and worked alongside them. The first time my couch potato dog saw a horse, it ignited some kind of deeply-held, primal genetic memory.

If you and your dog are city folks, too, it pays to be careful when introducing them to an environment where they may be meeting farm animals for the first time. Keep your dog on a leash at first so you can control them and keep them from chasing after chickens or getting kicked by a cow or horse.

Even Bristol, who lives on a farm, was carefully observed by his owner for a long time before the pup was allowed free rein to visit the barn and make friends with the baby animals.

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