Casper single-handedly defended his owner’s flock of sheep from marauding coyotes, killing eight of them. Photograph: John Wierville/Facebook

If anyone deserves the title of very good boy, it’s Casper, a 20-month-old Great Pyrenees from Decatur, Georgia, who single-handedly killed eight coyotes while trying to save his owner’s sheep.

Last week, a pack of 11 coyotes attacked farmer John Wierwiller’s herd, according to a report by local television station WAGA-TV. Casper was furiously defending the sheep, and part of his skin and part of his tail were torn off in the fight, Wierwiller said.

The heroic sheepdog killed eight coyotes and chased off the remaining three, but did not immediately return home, so Wierwiller put out a call for help in finding Casper on social media, CBS News reported. Two days later, Casper was back alone in the house he was willing to risk his life for.

The heroic sheepdog killed eight of the coyotes and chased the three remaining off the field of battle, but he didn’t immediately come home, so Wierwiller put out a call for help in finding Casper on social media, CBS News reported. Two days later, Casper returned on his own to the household for which he was willing to put his life on the line.

Wierwiller wrote on Facebook that he took Casper to emergency veterinarians in critical condition. The vets closed an open neck wound, and were hopeful that treatment would limit the potential for infection.

Casper has been “a little tentative about everything” since his brush with death, Wierwiller wrote, but the vets have said that with a little bit of luck Casper may not even require any skin grafts.

“It really is a remarkable bit of news and we are celebrating,” Wierwiller said.

More than $15,000 had so far been raised for Casper’s hospital bills through a GoFundMe campaign as word of his bravery has spread.