Great Pyrenees that killed 8 coyotes to protect sheep nominated for Farm Dog of the Year

WASHINGTON (TND) — A Great Pyrenees who almost lost his life one year ago while protecting sheep from 11 coyotes has been nominated for the People's Choice Pup in theFarm Dog of the Yearcompetition.

Casper, named for the friendly ghost, made headlines in November 2022 when he killed eight coyotes that were threatening his pregnant partner and the sheep on his Georgia farm, his owner, John Wierwille, told the Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB).

Wierwille said Casper took out three coyotes that made it inside the pen and then leaped a 4-foot hog wire fence to go after the rest of the pack.

"He just charged them. Maybe in ten seconds he had the first three dead methodically. Just one, two, three,” Wierwille told GFB. "Casper saw me, and I think he thought ‘The boss is here, I can go after them.’ He leaped the fence in one bound and went after the rest of the pack chasing them through neighbors’ yards and carports. It went on for about 30 minutes. The next morning, we found coyotes along the railroad tracks that Casper killed. In all he killed eight of the eleven coyotes."

Casper went missing for two days and returned with infected wounds that Wierwille didn't think he would survive.

After multiple surgeries, 15 days with an emergency vet and help from Lifeline Animal Project in Atlanta, Casper made it through.

His injuries left him with a bald spot on his back, a scar on one ear and a docked tail but that doesn't stop him from expressing his happiness.

"Now he just wags his whole body starting with his shoulders down to his haunches," Wierwille said. “It’s a remarkable site to see."

Casper was back on the job by June 1 getting hamburgers as a reward for chasing away coyotes.

The People's Choice Pup winner of the American Farm Bureau Federation's (AFBF) Farm Dog of the Year competition "celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers in producing nutritious food for families and their pets across America," according to AFBF's website.

Casper is up against four other dogs for a $1,000 cash prize from Purina. Vote by clicking here.

Wierwille added that any prizes received will be donated to Lifeline Animal Project.

The winner will be announced in January at the American Farm Bureau Convention. Voting ends Dec. 20.