The Great Pyrenees is a huge, muscular, double-coated dog. The exterior coat is long, coarse, and straight or slightly wavy, while the undercoat is fine, velvety, and thick. Coat colors include solid white, white with pale yellow spots, and tan or gray. The ears are trapezoidal and flop down. The tail is long and plumed, extending at least to the dog’s hocks. It would be best if you liked more
About the Great Pyrenees
The Great Pyrenees is a huge, muscular, double-coated dog. The exterior coat is long, coarse, and straight or slightly wavy, while the undercoat is fine, velvety, and thick. Coat colors include solid white, white with pale yellow spots, and tan or gray. The ears are trapezoidal and flop down. The tail is long and plumed, extending at least to the dog’s hocks. More here
Great Pyrenees personality
The Great Pyrenees is a quiet, well-mannered, serious dog who is devoted to his family, which includes well-behaved children. They will go to great lengths to protect their family and territory.
The Great Pyrenees were trained to be left alone and protect sheep in mountain valleys, thus they are naturally independent. Because of its independence, this type can be more difficult to teach than other kinds. The same protective roots have also given the Pyr a strong desire to bark.
Great Pyrenees are considered adults at one year of age, however, they can take up to two years to mature.
What to expect
The Great Pyrenees can be an excellent companion if you live in a suburban or rural location and enjoy a relatively quiet life. These dogs like a peaceful time at home and a consistent, organized routine.
Socialization is extremely necessary for this breed due to its guarding nature. Exposure to as many different people, places, and circumstances as possible, particularly while the Pyr is a puppy, can help temper any overprotectiveness. Patience is required throughout training because Pyrs are independent and often resistant. Even so, don’t expect the Pyr to win any obedience championships.
Grooming needs are moderate. Regular brushing will keep the double coat in good condition, but be prepared for a significant annual shed. The exterior coat does not mat, making maintenance very simple.
History of the Great Pyrenees
Fossil remains of dogs similar to the Great Pyrenees have been discovered in Bronze Age sediments dating back to 1800–1000 B.C. For hundreds of years, such dogs worked with peasant shepherds in the Pyrenees Mountains, which separated Spain from France.
With the arrival of the Middle Ages, the beauty, grace, and character of the towering white Pyrenees were no longer hidden. According to the Great Pyrenees Club of America, a 12th-century base-relief sculpture of a Pyr adorns the North Gate of Carcassone, France. French literature from 200 years later depicts the Great Dogs of the Mountains as canine helpers to the human guards of the Chateau de Lourdes.
Dauphin Louis XIV chose the Great Pyrenees as France’s Royal Dog in 1675. The designation for the Pyrenees was similar to Disney’s “101 Dalmatians,” resulting in increased demand for the breed. Eventually, the demand was not limited to French royalty in the nineteenth century; England’s Queen Victoria had a Great Pyrenees.
Until very recently, the Great Pyrenees were employed to pull tiny carts and distribute milk in Belgium and northern France. They have also served as sled dogs, pack dogs, and family companions. Even today, the Great Pyrenees is regarded as an excellent livestock-guarding dog.
Grooming
Regular brushing will keep the long double coat in good shape, but special care is required when the dog sheds its dense undercoat. The outer coat does not mat unless a burr, foxtail, or other exterior object becomes stuck to it. This can be a problem for outdoor working dogs. Some owners choose to shave their coats in the summer to prevent this from happening, but be careful of sunburn. Bathe or use dry shampoo only as necessary. The great Pyrenees shed all year, but only strongly once per year.
Origin
The Great Pyrenees originated in Central Asia or Siberia. The breed is descended from the Hungarian Kuvasz and the Maremmano-Abruzzese. The Pyrenees is also a relative of the St. Bernard, which helped shape its evolution. It has a long history of guarding livestock.
The dogs found their way to Europe; the Great Pyrenees remained in the high mountain regions until the Middle Ages when the breed became popular among the French nobility as a guard dog. By the late seventeenth century, every French aristocrat wished to own one.
The Great Pyrenees, equipped with a spiky collar and thick coat, protected weak flocks from predators such as wolves and bears. The Great Pyrenees has proven to be a very adaptable breed, serving as an avalanche rescue dog, a cart-puller, a sled dog, a pack dog on ski trips, a flock guardian, a dog of war, and a companion and protector of family and property. In 1933, the American Kennel Club officially recognized.
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