Ava Williams
Shoulder height: 65 – 80 cm
Weight: 45 – 60 kg
Age: 10 – 12 years
Color: white with grey, pale yellow, or orange patches on the head and body
Use: guard dog, protection dog
The Great Pyrenees is a fair-sized, livestock guardian dog that needs plenty of living space and a task that suits its innate protective and guarding instincts. It needs consistent training and is not a dog for beginners.
Origin and history
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog is a livestock guardian dog and comes from the French Pyrenees. Its origin goes back to the Middle Ages. It was used very early on to guard large estates and castles. In the 17th century, he was valued as a companion dog at the court of Louis XIV.
The first detailed description of this dog dates back to 1897. Ten years later, the first breed clubs were founded and in 1923 the “Association of Pyrenean Dog Lovers” had the official standard of the breed at the SCC (Société Centrale Canine de France) enter.
Appearance
The Great Pyrenees is a dog of significant size and majestic bearing. It is strongly built and of solid stature, but at the same time possesses a certain elegance.
The fur is white, with gray or pale yellow markings on the head, ears, and base of the tail. The head is large and V-shaped with small, triangular, and flat-lying floppy ears. The eyes are dark brown and almond-shaped, and the nose is always jet black.
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog has a straight, medium-length, dense coat with plenty of undercoats. The fur is thicker on the neck and tail than on the body. The skin is thick and supple, often with pigment spots all over the body. Both hind legs have double, well-developed wolf claws.
Nature
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog needs a loving and consistent upbringing and only subordinates itself to clear leadership. Puppies need to be shaped and socialized from a very young age. Despite its stately size, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog is quite mobile and agile. However, due to its strong nature and stubbornness, it is hardly suitable for dog sports activities.
The ideal habitat for a Great Pyrenees is a house with a large garden so it can at least begin to exercise its innate ability to be a guard. It is not suitable for a city or apartment dog.
The fur is relatively easy to care for and dirt-repellent. As a rule, the dog should not be bathed either, otherwise, the natural protective function of the coat is lost.