Great Pyrenees Puppies

Our female great pyr had puppies about a week ago. Unfortunately we lost a few at birth. She gave birth in the barn over night, so I don't know why we lost the pups. However on a positive not there are three happy healthy pups. Two females with traditional great pyr markings, and one dark male. Dark colours are not usual for the breed. However even our female has a tan colour to her. These are dogs come from a long line of working dogs. So I don't know if a different breed of livestock guardian was used generations ago, of if the colour is just a mutation that persists in our line. I have seen other pure bred great pyrs with colour.
The Great Pyrenees is a breed of dog developed to live with and guard sheep. The breed comes from the Pyrenees Mountain area of France. They are large dogs with a very strong bonding instinct. They will bond to lambs, goats, cattle, even children. Once that bond has developed, they will guard their "pack mate" furiously. We are the only sheep farm I know of that has never lost a lamb to cyotes or wolves. I have seen the dogs at work. They are very impressive. That being said they are usually friendly dogs, and in studies they were found the least likely to bite unless provoked. Livestock guardians rely on the fact that most wild animals do not want to fight. A fact we are also very grateful for. We have a female that lives in the house. She is usually very friendly, but does not like strangers around. She seems to be able to sence if we are comfortable or not around the strangers. Having a great pyr around offers a very good sence of security. That being said great pyrs do have a down side. Some tend to bark more then others. They work independantly, which makes them very head strong if proper obediance is not done.
Back to my pups. There eyes just opened today. In a couple weeks I am sure they will be following their mother everywhere, learning how to be a good guardian.

I am includeing a picture of an 8 week old pup from last years litter.