The Internet has fallen head-over-heels with a dog who takes his job as livestock guardian very seriously-even climbing into the cage to check up on his friends.
Ronces the Great Pyrenees cross was born on the farm her owner, Jesse Hirsh, owns and has grown together with the livestock he cares for.
“Ronces really loved the animals they were charged with protecting,” Hirsh, 50, said. Newsweek.
“Since he was a puppy, he will go out of his way to kiss any goat, pig, duck, or chicken he can. love.”
Hirsh has five dogs on the farm in Ontario, Canada, including Ronces father and several brothers. He described 1-year-old Ronces as “the most precocious by far.”
Ronces has become famous on TikTok after several videos of him going up to the sheepfold at night to check on him and see if he is playing went viral.
One of those videos, shared on Sept. 18 to Hirsh’s @jessehirsh account, shows Ronces checking on the kids in the morning. Security cameras caught him climbing through the stable door and landing among the sheep.
Once there, he sniffs at the inhabitants, tail wagging furiously. And when all is counted, he settles on the straw.
“We have security cameras to monitor our animals, and we noticed a few months ago that they would regularly climb into other stalls to check on their friends. Sometimes they play; other times they just want to sleep with them,” said Hirsh.
TikTok users are in stitches over the video, which has more than 40,000 views, while another clip of Ronces adventure in the sheepfold has millions of hits.
One user joked that the goat responded as if to say: “Oh my gosh, who invited Gary to the party?”
“Awe, they just want to be friends,” another commented, while one joked: “Just counting. Yup all here!”
Hirsh admits the sheep is “a little confused” by Ronces and can be a mixture of being triggered, because he resembles a wolf or other predator, and “partially annoyed, because he can be pesty (like) a little brother who loves him. The older brother is a little too much .”
“But when we all walked in the forest, they clearly appreciated the role they play in security and protection,” he said.
“Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to stop people from giving him the horn on occasion. Strangely, he doesn’t seem to mind. He’s a bit of a daredevil when it comes to putting himself in harm’s way.”
Livestock guard dogs must be independent, reliable, intelligent, and well equipped to defend themselves against threats. According to the American Kennel Club, the Great Pyrenees is noted for its ability.
The AKC writes that Pyrenees were used to guard livestock throughout the Roman Empire and are still used today, noted for their intelligence, patience and calm nature, while being able to guard livestock without human supervision.
Proud owner Hirsh said that before the Ronces and family members were on the ranch, “we would often be visited by bears, coyotes, foxes, and other predators.”
“However, since Ronces and his family have become part of our family, we don’t have any problems. They even scare the birds of prey that might target our birds,” he said.
As for the big love on TikTok for Ronces, Hirsh called it “fun.”
“These dogs make us very happy to be able to share that joy is a blessing. Dogs are social and emotional animals, that’s why they are so happy, because they can live with many friends and (have) room to run around.
“Share this love on TikTok and get an overwhelming response.”
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