Training LGDs

A week ago we picked up our new LGD. An 8 week old Great pyreneese named Sullivan.

Now what to do with him? How to train him? He's to guard the goats, but I'd really like him to look out for the birds too. Basically I"d like him to keep coyotes away completely, but still tolerate all the people that tend to come and go around here.

What I've read tells me he needs to bond with what he's to protect, so his #1 job is the goats. So I am suppose to put him in with them and leave him there and I'm fine with that. So is he until he realizes he needs some people love and escapes from the pasture. We kennel him in the goat pasture at night .

Should I stress out about the fact that he doesn't stay with them 100% of the time right now? My thoughts were to keep him there full time for a few weeks, then start bringing him out when we are doing chicken chores.

I don't know. I want to do this right because I don't really need another "pet" dog. And because I was the driving force behind getting him while hubby dragged his feet and I need to be right

What the right way to go about this.

My SIL used to have a big sheep dairy and kept multiple LGDs with the flock. She was very strict and would ignor the dogs completely so they were forced to bond with sheep. The dogs were NOT pets and sometimes quite scary but once the first one was old enough she never lost another sheep to predators. She bought a new pup every few years and integrated them into the flock so there was always an old experienced one and a young one coming on.

I made the mistake of feeling sorry for my lonely pup so he never really bonded with my sheep but does protect me and all my ranch in a global sense. He is hugely territorial. But he would always rather be with me than with the stock. Fortunately he is kenneled with the stock at night and I am almost always with the stock (and dog) in the day.

Problems with coyotes and bears and cougars have evaporated but foxes still get my chickens and lambs.

Good luck with your dog, I know lots of people on this site have different experiences with LGDs.