This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
If a butterfly lands on a flower 2 miles away in the woods, and nobody is there to see it, will a Great Pyrenees still bark at it? Probably, yes. 😅
Here at Willow Ridge Acres, we have six Great Pyrenees so we know how you feel whenever your Great Pyrenees starts barking at what looks like nothing. Let’s get right into figuring out why Great Pyrenees bark so much!
What Were Great Pyrenees Bred To Do?
Researching what the Great Pyrenees was bred for will help us to figure out why they bark so much.
Great Pyrenees were bred to guard livestock against predators. Thus their breed designation as a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD). The Great Pyrenees has a defense system like no other. They will bark to set off an alarm if they smell, see, or hear an oncoming predator.
Their massive size and booming bark will usually scare the predator away, but if necessary the Great Pyrenees will go after it. But only if necessary!
Some other breeds of guard dogs will go after anything even if it isn't necessary, this is what makes the Great Pyrenees so special as a guard dog. Consider your Great Pyrenees a low-liability guard dog. All bark, and mostly no bite.
If there are multiple Great Pyrenees protecting the same livestock, it has been our experience that at least one of them will stay close to the livestock and guard, while the other Great Pyrenees will continue protecting further away from the livestock where the perceived threat is located. Then eventually once the predator is gone, all of the Great Pyrenees will circle back to their livestock and stay close until the next predator is seen, heard, or smelt.
This same defense system that Great Pyrenees use has protected livestock for thousands of years.
Why Are Great Pyrenees More Active At Night?
You may have noticed that your Great Pyrenees is more active at night, compared to daytime. This can lead to a lot of night barking.
This is because predators are more likely to hunt for prey at night. At night livestock can’t see as well and they will often rest, putting the livestock in a vulnerable position for predators. Great Pyrenees are more active at night because they know that they need to protect their livestock and family from the active predators lurking around at night.
So you may notice your Great Pyrenees will bark more as the sun goes down.
Why Does My Great Pyrenees Bark More At Night?
This is simply because your beloved protector is warning any predators that may be lurking around at night that they shouldn’t even try to invade your property because it is patrolled by your Great Pyrenees.
It isn’t impossible to stop your Great Pyrenees from barking all night (This may be frustrating if your Great Pyrenees lives inside) but it is very difficult. This barking is engraved into their instincts.
You may feel tempted to utilize a bark collar or shock collar to discourage the barking. Please don’t. Barking is deeply engrained in the instincts of your Great Pyrenees, the bark collar will simply become a torture device. Or you will find it isn’t effective at all. At one point, Mack, our big male Great Pyrenees, kept testing our fence and attempting to climb or jump the fence. We decided to try a remote-operated shock collar to give him a quick “zap” when he tried to test the fence. We found that Mack’s fur around his neck is so thick that he barely even reacted to the shock collar even when set to its strongest setting.
The bottom line is the Great Pyrenees as a breed barks. And they can bark a lot. Learn to love the sound as it is the sound of protection. 🥰
Thank you so much for reading our blog! We hope that you found this information helpful.
If you want to learn more about this awesome breed then check out The Great Pyrenees Complete Owners Manual on Amazon!