Pyrenean Mountain Dog
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pyrenean Mountain Dog | ||
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| Alternative names | ||
| Great Pyrenees Chien des Pyrénées Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées Montañés del Pirineo |
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| Country of origin | ||
| France | ||
| Classification and breed standards | ||
| FCI: | Group 2 Section 2 #137 | Stds |
| AKC: | Working | Stds |
| ANKC: | Group 6 (Utility) | Stds |
| CKC: | Group 3 - Working Dogs | Stds |
| KC (UK): | Pastoral | Stds |
| NZKC: | Utility | Stds |
| UKC: | Guardian Dogs | Stds |
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog, known as the Great Pyrenees in the United States, is a large, majestic breed of dog that was used traditionally for protecting livestock (especially sheep) in pasture.
It is a very old breed, and has been used for millennia by the Basque people, who inhabit parts of the region in and around the Pyrenees Mountains of southern France. More recently, it served as the official dog of the royal French court (whose prominence began circa the Middle Ages, and lasted until the middle of the nineteenth century). During World War II the dogs were used to haul artillery over the Pyreneean Mountain range to and from Spain and France.
Males weigh in at about 100-160 pounds (45-59 kilograms), while females are approximately 85-115 pounds (39-52 kilograms). Their fur is often white with shades of grey or tan around the face, ears and sometimes on the body; these dogs are called "blaireau". Only one in four will have a pure white coat.
The Great Pyrenees is readily identifiable by a double dewclaw on each of its hind legs. These are considered breed standard, more than two dewclaws is not a fault just undesirable and should not be removed by veterinarians.
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[edit] Temperament
Loyal and protective of its territory, the Great Pyrenees makes for a great family dog. However, there are several reasons owning a dog of this breed may be inconducive, including the following:
- A fenced yard is a must with this breed. Unfenced, they will roam. A typical area for a Pyr to consider his domain is anywhere from 5 to 15 square miles.
- Owners can expect copious amounts of white fur — down hair and coat — in their homes and on their dark clothing. Seasonal "blowing of coat" — in which the Pyr sheds vast amount of undercoat — occur at least twice a year. Weekly grooming is a must to avoid mats, and nails — particularly the dewclaws — must be regularly trimmed. Actual bathing is seldom needed because the undercoat sheds out when dirty so all that is needed is a quick weekly brushing.
- Neighbours may be annoyed and complain about the deep, booming bark — if the dog is left outside continuously or left inside without a companion too long. These dogs also have a tendency to bark when they sense a predator nearby. A predator to a Pyr can range from another dog to coyotes, bears, foxes, weasels, mountain lions, etc.
- They cannot be trusted off-leash, as their guardian dog nature will cause them to investigate anything and everything they find interesting, and to not trust their owners to make the final decisions. Great Pyrenees were bred to guard without instruction from humans and will decide for you what is in your best interest.
- A mature Great Pyrenees may be somewhat standoffish and wary of strangers. They are extremely protective of their family members - human or animal - and will never trust or like anyone who they think is a potential danger or threat to their family. Some will show discomfort by pushing against the stranger,or by nudging the owner. That said, they do warm up to friendly and kind people, especially children and women, fairly quickly.
- Interested owners should be wary of comparing the temperament of Golden Retrievers with this breed of dog. Prospective owners are advised to familiarize themselves with characteristics of Livestock guardian dogs (LGD) — which are known for their independent nature. While the Pyr will defend its owner to the death, it will see no reason to slavishly obey commands. They can be trained, but they will quickly become bored with repetition of commands. They do respond well to positive reinforcement.
- Best suited for those living on property with a large yard, as it enjoys walks and attention — especially from children and other animals.
- Obedience training and socialization at a young age are a must, as this breed grows large and strong very quickly and is best suited for someone capable of handling a large dog. Bad habits, such as jumping, pulling on lead and table surfing should be nipped in the bud - any bad puppy habits will be ten times worse when the dog weighs 100 pounds!
- Pyrs readily take to crate training, which should be started during puppyhood, but if they will be mostly outside it is unnecessary.
- The Pyr is an excellent guardian — large enough to be a deterrent to smaller predators, such as coyotes and foxes, and a match for larger wildlife, such as cougars and bears, in fact a single male Pyr is supposed to be able to hold off a bear long enough to allow a shepherd to move the herd away.
Great Pyrenees guarding sheep
[edit] Miscellaneous
- In the U.S., this breed is known as Great Pyrenees. In the UK, they are called Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.
- They are related to several other large white European Livestock guardian dogs (LGD), including the Italian Maremma Sheepdog, Kuvasz (Hungary), Anatolian Shepherd (Turkey) and Polish Tatra or Polski Owczarek Podhalański, among others.
- In the anime/manga Azumanga Daioh, Chiyo Mihama's pet Tadakichi-san (Mr. Tadakichi) is a Great Pyrenees.
- In the anime/manga Full Metal Alchemist, Shou and Nina Tucker's dog Alexander is most likely a Great Pyrenees.
- In the novel, Belle et Sébastien, Belle is a Great Pyrenees.
- The 2004 film Finding Neverland used a Great Pyrenees to represent J.M. Barrie's Landseer Newfoundland.
- The Spanish designer Javier Mariscal was inspired by this dog breed for the design of the 1992 Summer Olympics mascot "Cobi".
[edit] See also:
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
- Great Pyrenees Library : interesting and useful articles on breeding, behavior, livestock guardians, Great Pyrenees rescue and medical information
- GreatPyr.com : Great Pyrenees Information & Resources. Photo Gallery, Forums, Breed Information and Much More!
- Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue, Inc: Visit this site to learn about adoption events, fostering and volunteering opportunities, and available dogs in the State of Texas.
- Great Pyrenees Connection: Great Pyrenees breed information, photographs, history of the breed in France and the Netherlands, links to international Great Pyrenees breeders and Great Pyrenees clubs
- Great Pyrenees Rescue of Northern California: Information on the Breed and on Males and Females available for adoption in Northern California and Northern Nevada
- Great Pyrenees Dogs: Good info about this breed as a family pet.
- SPIN-Saving Pyrs In Need : Based in North Texas , SPIN is a non profit group that rescues Great Pyrenees and fosters them until we find them new homes.
- Great Pyrenees Club of America
- The Pyrenean Mountain Dog Movie: A movie about the characteristics of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, showing the essential elements of the standard and featuring some of the best examples of the breed, filmed in the Pyrenees autumn 2005.
