The Great Pyrenees or Pyrenean Mountain Dog is a Mastiff breed that existed
in Asia Minor as early as 1800 B.C., based on fossilized remains and depictions
in Babylonian paintings. The breed came to Spain with Phoenician traders
and eventually became established in the Pyrenees mountains between France
and Spain. During the Middle Ages, they were guard dogs for sheep flocks
and castles of the mobility. In 1675, the future Louis XIV proclaimed them
to be the Royal Dog of France. They are ancestors of the Newfoundland and
Saint Bernard. The breed was introduced to America in 1824, possibly by
General Lafayette. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club
in 1933. Although primarily a house pet today, many are still used to guard
flocks both in their native lands and in the United States.
The Great Pyrenees is an excellent family dog. He is not a heavy eater for
his size but does require a exercise. Too large to be an apartment dweller,
a good-sized yard with plenty of walks is sufficient to keep him trim. He
is intelligent and learns quickly but bores easily with repetitive training.
He loves children and is an excellent guard dog for both the home and the
flock.
The Great Pyrenees' skull is large and wedge shaped with a rounded crown.
The ears are set at eye level, triangular in shape with rounded tips and
folded down the side of the face. The muzzle is broad with a scissors bite.
The eyes are almond shaped, set slightly oblique and dark brown in color.
There is a slight excess of skin called the dewlap on the throat. The neck
is short and muscular. The chest is deep. The back is straight and broad.
It slopes slightly at the rump. The tail hangs to below the hocks and is
well plumed. It is carried low unless the dog is alert which causes it to
curl up over the back. The gait is a rolling, ambling gait. The coat is
double with a heavy, fine white undercoat and a long, thick outercoat of
straighter coarse hair. Coat color is either all white or white with markings
of badger, wolf-gray or varying shades of tan. Average height is between
25 and 32 inches. Average weight is between 90 and 130 pounds.
obpuppy@yahoo.com of Arizona writes:
Amazing gentle giant.
I have two Great Pyrenees we adopted. Both our male and female (unrelated)
were throwaways at the pound. The original owners thought they were so
cute as puppies, but then they grew up. Our male, is a whopping 130 pounds
and Katie is 120. They love attention, but are not constantly "in
your face," as our Boston and Chinese Crested are. They have their
own couches and spend the day either snoozing or running in the backyard.
They are gentle with both our son and our other fuzzy kids and cats. Very
little barking or growling, except at the food bowl. They do require weekly
brushing to remove the undercoats and to keep the lovely white hair flowing.
I love the security I feel when strangers see these giant creatures, not
realizing they would rather love than fight. Our Pyrs are now seven and
five years old. They are getting rather stiff and sore. The only downside
to the Pyrs is their rather short life span. Yes, if other Great Pyrenees
needed a home we would adopt more.
gss@atlassys.com of Lee's Summit, MO writes:
A magnificent giant of unconditional love and companionship.
After ten and a half years my big ol' "polar bear" fell victim
to a heart ailment and my giant friend died at home in my arms this year.
I have owned many different breeds and have truly enjoyed the uniqueness
of each one which includes a Beagle, Border Collie, Toy Poodle, Siberian
Huskies, West Highland White Terrier, Wirehaired Dachshund, German Shepherd
and a Cardigan Welsh Corgi. After extensively researching the Great Pyrenees
breed, I purchased an eleven-week-old pup. My experience with this magnificent
animal is one of my most wonderful memories that will last a lifetime and
it is very possible there will be another. I am definitely again considering
sharing my life with another Pyr. Mine was totally devoted to his human
family and all he required was just a pat on the head, a hug and praise
that he was so worthy of. He couldn't love you enough. It is very true that
the nature of the breed to NEVER be hurried by anything or anyone. There
was definitely no hyperactivity problem ... in fact his couch potato demeanor
fit perfectly in my lifestyle. Always there greeting me at the end of the
day with a long hug and a look in those big brown eyes that told me all
was well with the world, no matter how my day had gone. Just having him
by my side as I watched TV, sitting with me on the deck and sleeping at
the side of my bed was so calming. I never once heard a growl his entire
lifetime. He did have a tendency to patrol the perimeter of my backyard
and tell the world in his wonderfully muffled bark that he was on duty.
But it was never offensive to me or any of my neighbors. I will miss that.
He absolutely loved children, loved riding in the car and visiting the neighborhood
pet stores to strut his regalness. For those who think this big fella has
to have room to run, I say rubbish. With the proper love and attention you
can't find a more loving companion. One does have to realize this will be
a VERY LARGE dog (mine was 132 pounds) with A LOT of white fur, does not
tolerate high temperatures well at all and does require a chin wiping (from
occasional drool, though much more dry-mouthed than a St. Bernard or Newfie)
usually on a daily basis. His magnificent patient personality, gentleness
and genuine love for me was more than enough reward for any of the negative
aspects the breed may have. I am 55-year-old grandmother with a small backyard
in a regular neighborhood and I would definitely recommend this breed if
you are considering a large dog. I do miss my morning ritual as I left for
work saying,."Watch the house now and I will be back tonight!"
And faithfully waiting he would always be at the door when I returned. What
a wonderful ten and a half years it has been.
steveschultz@comcast.net of Murfreesboro, TN writes:
The love of my life.
Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted that "big white dog."
As a child, they amazed me. My huband and I bought a house with over an
acre of yard, all fenced in. I looked for a Pyr everywhere before we moved
so I could have her right away. Well, I found her on petfinder.com and adopted
her. The minute I saw my big baby I cried, she was all I had ever wanted.
She is a VERY large female and so beautiful. I did a lot of research and
was well prepared for her barking and her needs. She's so loving and protective
of our three small children. She needs to be brushed almost everyday and
requires a lot of love and I'm glad to give it! She has squeezed out of
a very small gap in our fence; they need a very large area to roam. Pyrs
are wonderful protecters (not guard dogs) and will bark at anything p;
even the wind, I believe! She will obey, if she wants! If you are interested
in a Pyr please do the research, even visit someone with one. Ours was given
to a shelter because the owners didn't
realize she'd be that large. They need love, devotion and attention. I will
always have a Pyr p; she's all I expected and more.
Name withheld by request of Michigan writes:
My girlfriend.
I too have the pleasure of owning a Great Pyrenees.I have experienced
the personalities of several breeds and my Pyr is the most loving, cuddly,
and gentle dog I have ever known. I have found it to be true that the Pyr
does not ever do anything in a hurry, including listening to my commands.
Oh sure, she will look at me when I call her and if nothing too important
is happening at that moment she will come meandering over to me. She is
also a very finicky eater and at one point (she is nine months now) I had
to try various moist foods and other bribes to get her to eat. I can't begin
to tell you how much love this dog can give. She will sit forever with me
hugging on her. In fact, she actually puts her paws on either side of my
neck as if she were hugging back. She definitely does enjoy her walks and
quite often entertains herself by running circles through our yard squeaking
a stuffed animal or wading in her kiddie pool I fill on hot summer days.
She also loves to play with other dogs and basically has playtime on the
brain! She was housebroken after only three days which really amazed me
and has learned anything I wanted to teach her. I must agree, though, that
she gets bored with repetition! I guess I'd better stop talking about her
now because I could go on forever about how wonderful she is and how much
I love her, but my other two dogs might get jealous!
gsisto@netscape.net of New Jersey writes on 5/6/00:
Mellow, gentle, devoted friend and guardian.
After living with a Great Pyrenees for the last thirteen years, I realize,
despite his deep, intimidating bark, grandiose size, and large fangs, the
Great Pyrenees has a heart which matches his size. This dog loves to be
cuddled , brushed, and being included in the family. Although he can be
territorial and bark at strangers walking past his house or his food, he
never gets past barking. Great Pyrenees will not bite, growl, or behave
viciously unless if severely provoked. He is great with small children even
small animals like cats and turtles. The only drawback of this breed is
that the average life expectancy is around 8 years. If given an exceptionaly
good home, he can last beyond twelve. Also, people with allergies may be
agitated by his thick sheep like hair especially when he sheds his winter
coat.
The Great Pyrenees is not a hyper-active dog. After he has become a full
grown dog and finished teething, forget the rawhide bones and frisbees.
If you like taking long walks, savoring the fresh air outdoors, sprinting
with your dog across the yard, or occaisionaly tracking the backyard wildlife,
then the great Pyrenees is a good dog for you. The Great Pyrenees will not
bring home any dead animals and playing "tug of war" or "fetch"
is insulting. Still, he posesses and independant spirit. When you walk him,
he might stubbornly insist on walking the other way. If his desire to go
for a walk is not placated, he will find away to walk himself - he is industrious
enough to open a sliding door or undo the latch on a cage door.
Before you buy him consider his character: he is mellow, a picky eater,
sensitive to human emotion, and very tolerant of others. He will sit by
a crying child's side or lower his head when he is chastized. He is an uncommon
breed that will cause passing traffic to slow in awe of his lion-like stance
and regal luster, but he needs and returns love and affection.
jjmayfamily@cs.com of Wyoming writes on 3/21/00:
Loving, patient, dedicated giant that rises to every new challenge and
is willing to go to any effort for the people he loves.
Our Pyr came into our lives because we needed a specific animal who
met the criteria for a unique job and training idea tha I had. He needed
to be a giant breed of exceptional strength and endurance with a temperment
of extreem good nature and patience. I needed for him to be protective and
loyal and to be very good with children. We were blessed with the challenge
of a multiply handicapped daughter who could walk but couldn't make decisions
about the safety of where she was going. I believe that a herding breed
would be able to learn to guard and protect her. I was right! Our Pyr rose
to the challenge we placed before him and has become the best friend and
protecter our daughter could ever have. He gently leans against her legs
to direct her away from the boundries we have set and stands strongly and
patiently beside her when she falls and lets her pull herself up using him
as her anchor. Our daughter is 11 and tall. Our Pyr bears her weight without
complaining. He is quiet and patient when in the house and has learned to
be extremely careful to not knock the children down. WE love him dearly
and are thrilled with how well he learned and excelled at the task we set
for him. He is very independant minded and comes at his own pace. This is
not the breed for someone who doesn't want a dog to think for themselves
and make decisions, but for someone who needs a companion instead of a pet
I think the Pyrenees is perfect.
heighton@selkirk.bc.ca of Canada writes on 11/8/99:
The great cuddly white ball of fur is not for everyone.
Six years ago I was given a 7 week old Pyr for my birthday by a friend.
(Surprisingly, she is still a friend.) I have raised and trained quite a
few different breeds of dogs, including Pembroke Welsh Corgis (amazing sense
of humor), Yorkshire Terriers (fearless hippy mice) and German Shepherds
(no comment), Australian Cattle Dogs (love them). As you can tell by my
choices of breeds, they are all relatively quick, intelligent, alert breeds,
eager to be trained and included totally in your life. Then came the Pyr.
She did not care if I wanted her to come when I called. If she had better
things to do, she would acknowlege my calling her by looking over her massive
white shoulder, and calmly continue to do whatever it was she was doing,
and then return at her own speed. She wandered even as a small puppy, causing
me to frantically call all the neighbours to see if she had been spotted.
Finally, frustrated by this enigma, I bought a book, The Complete Pyrenees,
to try to help me understand the nature of this dog I had grown to love
despite her (in my opinion then faults). I read the book and I understood.
The Pyr is NOT a dog to get if you expect instant obedience. They will obey,
but basically on their own timeline. You cannot force a Pyr to do anything.
They will obey you from love or respect or not at all. They also tend to
wander, but it is the protection instinct bred in them for centuries of
selective breeding to circle vast mountain areas to protect the sheep (or
cattle) or humans, with a barrier that not many wild animals or evil humans
will mess with. The Pyr must be free to do what Pyrs were bred to do. In
my opinion, by observing my own Pyr and all the Pyrs that friends purchased
(sadly because they liked mine so much), these dogs should never, ever be
kept in a small fenced yard or tied. It will slowly kill their souls. They
need to guard. Once I got over my own insecurities that Carly did what she
did to spite me, I realized the nobility of the breed, her willingness to
put herself between me and danger has been proven many times. She has driven
off an bears, cougars, and has engaged coyotes in territorial feuds from
which she has always emerged victorious (with the help of my other two dogs
of course.) She has on too many occasions to account, protected my livestock
from feral dogs, and my household from intruders. This is a noble dog, a
dog that deserves huge amounts of respect for just being themselves. They
are sweet natured and gentle (unless challenged by strangers), beautiful,
brave and generous wonderful dogs. They love completely and forever. BUT
THEY ARE NOT FOR EVERYONE. It would be criminal to deny these amazing dogs
the freedom to do what they were bred to do. A leashed pet walking around
a park is not acceptable.
If you are considering one of these dogs, please ensure it will be permitted
to do what it was bred to do. If you have the room and the time they will
enrich your life endlessly. I feel privileged to have met Carly and to have
been allowed to love and be loved by her.