Great Pyrenees
Breed Information

Well, the breed standard. You can read about that on many websites.
Then it says something about the size of the ears and what color the coat and the nose should have. But actually that doesn't really interest us very much.
Of course it should be a real pyr. Such a lovely big white ball of wool.

But where we really fall for is the temperament of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog: sweet, headstrong, brave, stubborn, a love for children, and much more beautiful things.
And yes, you really have to earn the love of a pyr. You won't get that for free. For a pyr really still applies: who is doing well, meets well.
For all clarity! If you want a dog that is listening to your every command you should not take Great Pyrenees!

And yes, there are still many dog guides and websites where you can read that the Pyrenean Mountain Dog does not bark that much. Rip that book and block that site!

And they are also very intelligent, they remember everything. We seriously believe that we really saw Lot think. For example, to a make to plan to get unnoticed to the cheese. Or to consider whether she would listen to us or perphaps still go her own way. We really saw her weigh the pros and cons. That is why they often do not listen immediately and not always. They must first decide whether they want to obey.

And they are stubborn as well. You can not enforce your leadership. That works often even counterproductive. How we louder we yelled the more deaf Lot became. But you should most definitely be the leader, raising your dog by being consistent and persevering but at the same time with love and tenderness. If you are the leader in a calm and natural manner, they accept you like that. But if you only play to be the leader, and not even consistent, then they flawlessly notice that and than the Pyr takes the lead.

A lot had been written about that wonderful temperament. Sometimes seriously, but more often very ful of humor. And you need humor as pyr-owner. Otherwise you will go mad!
Here we share some quotations that we found at several websites.

www.zanimalcrossing.com:

HOW BIG, REALLY, IS A GREAT PYRENEES?

Your dining room table is 27" from the floor, kitchen counters 36". The average female Pyrenees can walk under your dining room table only if she ducks her head; the average male need to either scrunch himself smaller or lift your table a few inches higher. In either case, the front of the counter is not the place to store meat thawing for dinner. The top of the refrigerator is out of the reach of most Pyrenees

HOW MUCH DO THEY WEIGH?

On the scale at the feed store, 80 to 120 pounds. While trying to give one a pill or cut its nails: as much as a Moray eel. On the first day of obedience class: as much as a young elephant. The day you teach the "down" exercise in obedience class: as much as a Sumo wrestler. When walking through a litter of pups, kittens, chicks or lambs: about as much as two feathers.

HOW MUCH DO THEY EAT?

As much as they want - never mind what the back of the dog-food bag says. The average Great Pyrenees can survive quite nicely and maintain weight and normal activity on as much dog food as will fit into a two-pound coffee can. Most, however, have convinced their owners that plain dog food is completely unpalatable and will starve unless supplemented with ground round, chicken breast, sirloin tips or cheese omelets. If he discovers you have a weakness for cookies you may find your leg battered black and blue by Pyrenees-paw-pats, repeated until you share the cookies - Oreos are much preferred to Milk Bones.

WHAT ABOUT BARKING?

What about it? If begun early, you can train yourself to come every time your Pyr barks and give it some attention. Give him enough attention for barking, and your neighbors will also begin to give you some attention. Mutual reinforcement always works. What do Pyrenees bark at? Only things they can see and hear - that includes low flying satellites and butterflies. Most Pyrenees eavesdrop on a family argument four houses away, yet become selectively deaf upon hearing words like "stop that", "come here" and "be quiet". Pyrenees owners exchange information on stopping barking the way our grandmothers exchanges recipes for pickles - no two were ever alike.

I'VE HEARD THEY LIKE TO DIG

How do you think the Pyrenees mountains were really constructed? One Pyrenees, out of consideration for her owner's failing eyesight, enlarged the cup of his putting green to bunker-sized. Landscape companies report their greatest repeat business comes from Pyrenees owners. Some Pyrenees owners, however, simply resign themselves to living with a yard that looks like a gunnery range.

www.gpcgc.org:

In addition to their original age-old position in the scheme of pastoral life as protector of the shepherd and his flock, the Great Pyrenees has been used for centuries as a guard and watchdog. These animals appear so regal and calm that their very strong protective responses may come as a surprise. Pyrs are not “attack” dogs, but can be very intimidating to the surprised visitor… Firmly entrenched territorial instincts are the source of their protective behavior. It is an owner’s obligation to maintain a Great Pyrenees so that his guarding instincts can be exercised in a responsible way. The Great Pyrenees is a loyal guard dog that demonstrates a possessive attitude towards family, property, and livestock. The Great Pyrenees requires an owner who can be a strong, positive leader who consistently requires civilized behavior. Thus, it is necessary to SOCIALIZE the Great Pyrenees dog. Only a well-socialized and loved dog can become a good, useful watchdog.

Pyrs are very independent, self-confident, “what, me worry?” types. They would rather see what’s on the other side of that hill than worry about getting lost. If you don’t keep a Great Pyrenees on a leash or in a properly fenced yard or kennel, sooner or later they will exercise their powerful instinct to establish and patrol a large territory and will run off, we promise you that. So you have 200 acres? The size of your acreage is not a natural barrier or deterrent. And they certainly do not look both ways when crossing streets either! No matter how expert your dog-training skills, you will not be able to “teach” a Pyr not to patrol a large territory, any more than a Retriever can be trained not to retrieve, or a Border Collie not to herd. Great Pyrenees are a guard dog by instinct, not by training! The world is a Pyr's to guard; thus, they should be kept on lead or in a securely fenced area at all times, not only for their safety and protection, but so that the dog does not become a liability.

Great Pyrenees are very intelligent. This is often interpreted as severe stubbornness. Pyrs are accustom to working on their own, as they were bred to be left alone with the sheep up in the mountain valleys. Thus, unlike many other breeds, they do not always strive to please their owners. Things you consider important may not be the same things your Pyrenees considers important! Obedience training is a must, as is extreme patience. And don’t let some instructor tell you they can’t be trained; Great Pyrenees can do it, but they need to be convinced that it is in their own best interests to do what you ask. “Because I said so” doesn’t cut it. If you want a dog that will follow your every command, or if you want a “competition” obedience dog, or if you want a great off-lead companion, the Pyrenees is probably not for you.

Great Pyrenees like to see just how much they can get away with, and then try to take it a few steps further. Often an adult dog is a better choice for some people, since puppies of any breed can push you to your limits, and a Great Pyrenees puppy will take it even further!

Because of their natural instinct toward protection, Great Pyrenees can develop an excessive barking problem. Your neighbors might find this behavior distasteful. The continuous bark quite a few Pyrenean love to do is what can make them nearly impossible to keep as pets in urban or semi Rural areas.

Great Pyrenees shed non-stop year-round, making a weekly brushing a ritual. You will probably never again wear black. There are white hairs in Pyr homes and on Pyr people. And you will need a new high-powered vacuum cleaner...dog hair everywhere!

Caring for a Great Pyrenees is a labor of love. Great Pyrenees REQUIRE affection, kindness and human companionship. A lonesome Pyr is a bored dog, and a bored dog can become destructive. Left outside unsupervised for long periods of time, a lonely Pyr will dig under the fence, unravel the fence, jump or climb over the fence, undo any childproof locks, open the gate, and surely bark endlessly.

Great Pyrenees are extreme introverts and suffer inwardly from any unkind words or act, and yet no dog can be more sensitive or sympathetic to human moods. Pyrs comfort their owners in times of sadness, with gentle understanding, and are always on hand when support is needed. One might ask no more reliable or sympathetic companion than the Great Pyrenees, and surely no more beautiful dog may be found.

When a Pyrenees focuses on the affairs of their family, their powers of deduction are uncanny. Let something out of the ordinary happen, such as packing a suitcase, and a Pyr becomes all eyes and ears. A Pyrenees reads your dress and mannerisms as you read the evening paper — and for much the same reason: to find out what’s going to happen next. The difference is, the Pyrenees is usually right, and you aren’t!

Great Pyrenees generally get along well with other dogs and household pets. A Pyrenees would much prefer to ignore the harassment of a smaller dog and will usually fight only as a last resort. However, two mature Pyrenees of the same sex often do not get along well together as housepets

Certainly no other breed is more ideally suited for the role of child's companion and protector than is the Great Pyrenees. They regard their family's children as their own (or their "flock") and exhibit a truly built-in sense of responsibility in watching over them. Although Great Pyrenees are protective of their families, the breed does not recognize children as their "masters." In the company of well-behaved children, the Pyrenees seems sublimely happy, whether enjoying a romp, a tussle, a game of tag, pulling some kind of conveyance, or merely doing nothing but listening to their chatter. A loving home, especially one with small children, is "Pyrenees heaven!" As always, the relationship between children and dogs must be carefully supervised and monitored by adults.

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