They aren't popular because they are difficult dogs. My Uncle has them. He's a cattle farmer. Before he got his Pyrs he lost calves every year to coyotes. Since he got them not one calf has been taken. The coyote numbers are seriously reduced. The Pyrs kill them. Those dogs hang around the farm yard all day and disappear at dusk--that's when they head out to patrol the cattle fields. No one sees them again until dawn. That's what they were bred to do. My Uncle didn't do any training to get them to protect his cattle; it's pure instinct.

Unfortunately, they also "protect" the farm from other critters, including cats, stray dogs, chickens, ect. They have a very strong prey drive. Small things are prey and alot of things are smaller than a Great Pyr!

They need a job and without one they can quickly become very destructive. Like most giant breeds, they drool and need a ton of grooming. My uncle shaves his in the summer. He lives in a high tick area and in full coat he can't find the ticks on his dogs. They are beautiful animals and the ones I have been around are very good with people, even children.