My love for dogs began in childhood, and they have been a constant part of my life ever since. That passion deepened a few years ago when I opened a dog daycare and boarding facility, where I discovered how fulfilling it is to care for and advocate for dogs beyond my own.

My journey as a livestock guardian dog owner truly began with Yogi. He was a rescue from Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana and my soul dog. Yogi is the reason I fell in love with this breed and this work. He crossed the Rainbow Bridge a few months ago and is deeply missed by everyone on the ranch. He taught his two younger siblings how to work, how to protect against predators, and how to be the best dogs they could be. Thanks to him—and somehow a bit of luck—they even have a recall.

That path eventually led me into rescue work, and taking over Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. There is nothing more meaningful than watching a dog arrive unsure or shut down and then helping them learn to trust, feel safe, and truly open up. Seeing them gain confidence and head off to their forever homes makes every challenge worth it.

Great Pyrenees are gentle giants who are often misunderstood. When they finally settle in, you can see it in their eyes—they feel safe, they can rest, and they know they are cared for. Being part of that moment and honoring dogs like Yogi through this work is an honor I never take for granted.

My late husband and I have always had rescue dogs, but when we found Callie, our first Great Pyrenees, I knew the breed was for us. Callie had a soul and a great big heart, even though she had a tough life as a puppy mill mother.

When relocating to Montana, I was so happy to learn about Great Pyrenees Rescue Montana, and so impressed with the wonderful work that they were doing. I have served on the Board of the Michigan Humane Society and was very involved with the Michigan Animal Rescue League. So, I was honored to join the GPRM Board, and I feel like I can bring my experience from those other boards and rescues to GPRM.

I share my home with my GPRM rescue Chloe, Bruno, my mini dachshund, and Tux the cat.

Peggy has been involved with Great Pyrenees Rescue, Montana (GPRM), for nearly two decades. In 2025, she was appointed to the Board of Directors. Her passion for rescuing dogs began early—at five years old, she secretly carried a puppy out of the local animal shelter, tucking him under her coat and telling her mom she’d wait in the car. The puppy stayed quiet until they got home, where Peggy’s plan was discovered. After some pleading, her mom returned to the shelter to officially adopt Rascal, leading to Peggy’s lifelong devotion to dogs.

While Peggy loves all breeds, the Great Pyrenees captured her heart in 2007. It started with an ad for a Golden/Border Collie cross from Companion Golden Retriever Rescue in Utah. It wasn’t long before she realized that Chazz was a Golden Pyr. After researching the breed, she connected with GPRM. Her first foster, aptly named Puppy, instilled her belief that she could make a real difference in the lives of dogs who are discarded and unwanted through no fault of their own. Over the years, Peggy has fostered around 16 Pyrenees, and in 2020, Chewy became her “foster furever” pup.

In addition to GPRM work, Peggy also joins a community of dedicated volunteers who transport dogs from difficult situations to new beginnings.

As the saying goes, "You can't change a dog's past, but you can rewrite their future."

I have always been a dog lover and had several mixed breeds growing up. I was first introduced to Great Pyrenees after meeting my now husband, Chris. Shortly after we met, I had wanted to get a puppy as I never had one before. Chris had told me we could get a puppy in 6 years (as we had just started dating). Once I learned he had always wanted a Pyrenees, I began my search. Needless to say, we found Toby and took him home two months later - much sooner than the 6-year timeline I was originally told.

After having Toby, we both completely fell in love with the Great Pyrenees breed. So much so that we took in our second Pyr, Bella, two years later. As my love for these gentle giants grew, I became passionate about helping these often misunderstood dogs. We fostered two dogs for GPRM several years ago, Moses and Edur. Moses was pulled from a shelter after being surrendered for "destroying everything in the house". He was set to be euthanized in the shelter he was surrendered to for being "aggressive," which is when GPRM stepped in. Once we took Moses home, I could see that he was not destructive or aggressive, but just an incredibly sweet boy who had been in stressful circumstances and needed to be loved.

I'm so honored to work behind the scenes with GPRM and help with back office work, as well as serving as the Foster Coordinator. Supporting the mission of our rescue and playing a part in saving these incredible dogs is so fulfilling and such a privilege.