Great Pyrenees
The Pyrenean mountain dog has guarded flocks in the mountains between France and Spain for centuries, working alone or in pairs against wolves and bears.
It is a livestock guardian, not a herder, and the difference explains almost everything about it.
It is a very large, heavily coated white dog with a weather-resistant double coat and, characteristically, double dewclaws on the hind legs. Guardians are bred to assess a situation and act on their own judgement, so the breed is calm, independent and largely unmoved by obedience commands it does not see the point of. They are also nocturnal barkers by design.
- Origin
- Pyrenees, France and Spain
- Size
- 39–73 kg, 64–81 cm at the shoulder
- Lifespan
- 10–12 years
- Coat
- Thick weather-resistant double coat, white
- Temperament
- Calm, independent, watchful, decides for itself
- Exercise
- About an hour daily; not a running partner
Related: Great Dane
3 great pyrenees photos, newest first
Living with a great pyrenees
The coat needs brushing a couple of times a week and does not need clipping — it insulates against heat as well as cold. Expect substantial shedding.
Two things surprise new owners. They bark at night, because a guardian's job is to announce; and recall is unreliable, because they were bred to patrol a territory and will expand it. Serious fencing is the practical answer to both.
Hip and elbow dysplasia occur and should be scored. The breed is at risk of bloat and of patellar luxation, and drug sensitivity has been reported.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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