Today we welcomed Zeus into the Apple Hill Farm family. We plan on him being a foster as we rehabilitate him, but if you've met any of us, you know that may not end up being the case! Of course, we can't keep all the wonderful dogs for ourselves, and Zeus certainly is wonderful. Zeus is a Great Pyrenees that has previously been used as a cattle guardian, and that's about all we know about him. We're unsure of his age, but hopefully as his condition improves we can at least guess it. He currently weighs 75 pounds, and our best guess is that he should be around 130. He's actually about 2 inches taller than Knox, who is between 110 and 120.
Great Pyrenees dogs have been bred since the 1600's as a livestock guardian dog.Their quiet and steadfast nature makes them excellent watch-keepers over any livestock, from goats to horses and everything in between. They are excellent with all baby animals and always laid back. However, many people assume that since they have been bred to be in the field 24/7, that they are able to forage for themselves. I feel this may have been what Zeus's original owners believed. As with any domesticated dog, these majestic guardians are not able to hunt and feed themselves, and certainly not within the confines of your pasture. They must still be fed and watered, have their coats and nails maintained, and have human counterparts. This was not what Zeus's history seems to be.
As far as we can tell, Zeus was originally a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD) for cattle. The original owners sold the herd, sold the farm (or possibly rented it out) and left Zeus behind when they moved. The next tenant fed Zeus while living there, but probably did little else to maintain his health. We're unsure how much time passed before the next tenant came along. Fortunately for Zeus, they were a volunteer at Horse Helpers of the High Country. They immediately saw he was in dire need of help and rounded up the team. Despite the fact that Horse Helpers has never rescued a dog, Amy (the director) was ready and willing. After a stay in the emergency vet that included cutting all of his hair off, IV's, and a thorough check up and blood panels, Zeus came to us at Apple Hill Farm.
We were forewarned that Zeus was not a pretty sight and that he was barely mobile. We had a stall and bed ready for him, sure that he would not be leaving the stall any time soon. As soon as Amy and her daughter got Zeus out of the car, he was up and walking, much to their delighted surprise. It didn't take him long to settle into his stall for a nap after he had lunch and was outfitted with a coat we use for our baby alpacas to keep him warm. We also set up a space heater to keep the stall warm. His second walk around the barn was amazing- he even took a few trotting steps. This is most likely the most he's moved in days, even weeks. He was eager to explore, but we took him back to the stall where he immediately settled down for another nap. Each walk and each meal seem to bring more and more life into him.
Most of the time, you look at Zeus and see a shell of a dog. But there are those moments where he suddenly looks right into your soul. Or his nose twitches at a scent on the wind.Or his ears perk at some far away sound. And you know he's in there, somewhere. Inside this shell of a dog is an amazing creature waiting to be brought back out. You can already feel the love inside of him. And we are promising to find him, deep in there, and bring him back out. And to never let Zeus disappear again.
Here are some pictures of his first day on the farm. Be warned, they are not easy to look at.
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