The Great Pyrenees is a big, heavily covered, and incredibly strong working dog that was created to keep wolves and other predators away from sheep on icy mountaintops. Today’s pyrs are calm friends and watchful protectors of the home and family. Pyrs, enormous, incredibly muscular mountain dogs that are sometimes described as “majestic,” can reach heights of 32 inches at the shoulder and weigh more than 100 pounds. When faced with a threat, these staunch guardians can instantly spring into action and move with grace and speed. They typically display a Zen-like calm. The luxurious weatherproof coat is either entirely white or white with stunning hues of gray, tan, reddish-brown, or badger.
Great Pyrenees
smart / patient / calm
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
27-32 inches (male)
25-29 inches (female)
Weight
100 pounds & up (male)
85 pounds & up (female)
Life Expectancy
10-12 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Great Pyrenees
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
Breeders of ethical Pyrs have excelled in their dedication to health-related issues. The Great Pyrenees Club of America has emphasized the importance of testing all dogs for a number of ailments that might afflict the breed, including elbow and hip dysplasia, eye problems, luxating patellas, neurological and immune-mediated illnesses, as well as eye and hip dysplasia. The breed is prone to various malignancies as well as bloat, a potentially fatal illness in which the stomach abruptly expands and occasionally twists. Every Pyr owner has to educate themselves on the symptoms of bloat and what to do if it occurs.
Grooming
Despite having a lot of furs, Pyrs don't need much care because their coat resists tangles and grime. They have two coats: a soft undercoat and a lengthy outer coat. One owner claims that they will enthusiastically shed their undercoat, causing a blizzard. They shed in the spring, right after whelping, in celebration of specific Druid holidays, and right after you enter them in a show, she chuckles.At least once a week, give your hair a good brushing with a pin brush or slicker brush to help cut down on the amount of shed hair that ends up all over your home. Regular nail trimming is advised for Pyrs because discomfort can result from having nails that are too long. Brushing the teeth frequently with toothpaste made for this purpose
Exercise
Pyrs are not a breed that is very active. The breed was created to defend livestock, and it has been employed since the dawn of time to keep flocks safe from wolves, bears, and human adversaries. They tend to save their energy for defending their flock while not working and will patrol their region. Walking with their owner is a good example of a moderate workout that will keep them happy and healthy. By taking part in canine sports like obedience competitions and cart-pulling, the breed also exercises its mind and body.
Training
Pyrs were designed to have independent thought, and to work unassisted while keeping an eye on and guarding their flock. Despite their intelligence, they won't respond well to routine obedience instruction. They fail to comprehend the relevance of all their sitting, heeling, and remaining. They'll let you know they're bored by responding very slowly to any task you consider vital. However, to assist the Pyr get off to a good start in being a well-adjusted, well-mannered companion, early socialization and puppy training programs are advised.
Nutrition
Great Pyrenees appear to consume quite little for a dog their size, according to some owners. One fan of the breed said, "Of course, if another dog wants what's in their bowl, they will snarf down the food like they hadn't eaten in months." It is a good idea to feed your dog high-quality dry food that is low in protein and designed specifically for large breeds. The breed is prone to gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), a condition in which the stomach swells and twists. Although the exact reasons for bloat are unknown, experts concur that eating several small meals throughout the day and avoiding strenuous exercise right before meals may help lower the likelihood of it happening.
History
In the Pyrenees Mountains, which serve as a natural border between France and Spain, the Great Pyrenees breed was developed centuries ago to work with herding dogs and peasant shepherds. The dog’s duty was to keep an eye on the herd and scare off predators like wolves, bears, and cattle rustlers. When forced to spend days on end at the top of a frigid mountain staring at sheep, the breed’s natural patience came in handy. When defending the flock, their bravery was legendary.
The Great Pyrenees was chosen as the Royal Dog of France in the 17th century at the court of King Louis XIV after serving as effective chateau defenders.
