This pure white and majestic looking herding dog is still found working in Europe today, and is also called ‘Great Pyrenees’.
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog originates from the Pyrenees Mountains that separate France and Spain. Their exact roots are widely debated and exactly what breeds contributed to their DNA is not known, but the Anatolian Sheepdog of Turkey is a likely candidate bearing similar appearances to that of this dog. Louis XIV of France named the breed the ‘Royal Dog of France’, though farmers still used them as working farm dogs. It is reputed that these dogs were also used to smuggle contraband over the border between France and Spain as their sure-footedness enabled them to use the high passes and cols that were impassable for humans, thereby avoiding detection by custom officials.
By the early 20th century, the breed was quite rare, but a group of enthusiasts help save them from near extinction. This breed still works in France today, guarding flocks of sheep and herds of cattle from predators and other thieves!
Average height to withers: Males between 27-32 inches, with females smaller at between 25-29 inches.
Average weight: Males 50-60kg, with females up to 50kg.
The stand out feature of this dog is its stunning, pure white coat. The coat is also weather resistant and double. It consists of a long, flat and dense outer coat covering fine, woolly undercoat. At the neck and shoulders, it forms a ruff or mane, which is more defined in males. This is thought to have developed to fend off predators that may attack their neck while guarding their flock. This contrasts to the shorter hair on the face and ears. The plumy tail is as feathered as it is one the legs and belly. For the main part, the coat is a pure white colour, but subtle rusts and lemon colours are also found. This contrasts with the black nose and eye rims. The ears are erect, fairly small and rounded at the tips. Overall, this dog should look well balanced and free flowing when it walks and runs.
A gentle giant, this dog is loyal, patient, affectionate and confident. It also has a stubborn streak a mile wide – you have been warned! Some breeders simply put this down to its fiercely independent nature and ‘selective hearing’. The Pyrenean Mountain Dog could be seen as a slow learner, but it is more the case that it simply does what it wants. Despite this tendency to be a little disobedient, it almost never shows signs of aggression and is actually a placid and docile dog breed. The owner of this dog will need patience when it comes to training, and a positive reward based method of training works best on it. They are best suited to experienced dog owners, but can happily live with families with children and other pets, so long as early socialisation takes place. They can, on occasion, show dominance towards other dogs of the same sex.
Particularly noted for its robust health, this breed does not have any real health issues. However, like most pale skinned and white furred animals, they are prone to deafness. On average, this breed will live around 9-15 years.
Not requiring too much exercise, the biggest time investment in this dog is the upkeep of the profuse and pale coat. It must be groomed at least twice a week, if not daily to keep the coat in good, gleaming health. As quite a messy eater and drinker, this can create more work for the owner! Visits to professional groomers are beneficial, but over bathing is not recommended.
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