Meet the Great Pyrenees
Are you searching for a totally calm, cool, and collected canine? Look no further, dude. I’ve got you covered! I’m not only a majestic mountain dog, I’m an independent thinker – wise beyond my years. I can be stubborn sometimes which makes training me kinda hard, but if you’re patient, I’ll be your best fur friend.
I’m mellow, so I don’t need much exercise. Living in an apartment isn’t ideal, but I do lay around a lot so we can make it work. I save my energy for the important stuff, like barking at strangers when they get too close…not cool, man. When I’m not in watchdog mode, I like to zen out with the more mature peeps. It’s not that I don’t like kids, I just prefer humans who appreciate a good chill sesh. I get along with other dogs in the house, but if I’m not raised with another Pyr, then I probably won’t get along with another Pyr, so be careful about adding more four-legged family members. Give me lots of love and I’ll be the chillest, most loyal best friend you could ask for!
- Double Coat, Dirt-Resistant, Tangle-Resistant, Weather-Resistant
Did you know that the Great Pyrenees were once the royal dog of France? Renowned for our fierce courage and regal, puffy white fur, we chien de montagne des Pyrénées used to guard beautiful chateaux back in the day. It’s no surprise that, in 1675, the court of King Louis XIV chose us to join his palace guard. I always knew I was made for high society! I mean, have you seen me? I’m furbulous!
History of My Breed
My ancestors hail from the Pyrenees Mountains, the stunning mountain range between France and Spain where we get our name. We were bred to be livestock guardians, protecting flocks of sheep from a range of predators, including wolves and bears – but no tigers or lions, oh my! Sitting on a mountain all day just waiting for scary creatures to come along made us Pyrenean Mountain Dogs really patient. It also earned us a reputation for being bold and courageous – rawr!
Some people believe we can be traced all the way back to Asia Minor in 10,000 B.C., and that we arrived in the Pyrenees when nomadic shepherds brought us with them – good thing we like cold weather! We’ve been around for a long time, even in dog years! The oldest fossils of us guardian dogs remains are from the Bronze Age, around 1800-1000 B.C.
After hearing tales of our bravery, royalty throughout history had us guard their palaces and chateaux. The French nobility named the Pyrenees breed the royal dog of France in the 17th century and kept Queen Victoria of England company in the 19th century. Not too shabby, eh?
Basque fishermen first brought us to North America. They wanted working dogs to accompany them on their long voyages and thought we would like Newfoundland – maybe because it’s so chilly there! Brrr! Eventually, we ended up mating with Newfoundland dogs and starting the Landseer breed. Later, in 1824, we made our first trip to the United States when General Marquis de Lafayette brought two of us over for his friend, J.S. Skinner, a writer.
Our large breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1933 and the Great Pyrenees Club of America was formed. Now, we spend more time with our families instead of out in the field working – but we still watch out for our flock!
Club Recognition:
AKC Classification: Working UKC Classification: Guardian Dog Prevalence: Common
The Great Pyrenees is a very large, muscular, double-coated dog. The outer coat is long, coarse, and either straight or slightly wavy; the undercoat is fine, soft and thick. Coat colors are solid white, white with patches of pale yellow, tan or gray. The nose is black; the eyes are dark brown. The ears are triangular and flop downward. The tail is long and plumed, reaching at least to the dogs hocks.
Male Great Pyrenees average between 27 and 32 inches in height; weights start at 100 pounds (45 kilograms). Females range in height from 25 to 29 inches, with weights starting at 85 pounds (38 kilograms).