Great Pyrenees?

[Iilo]

If you're looking for breeders, I would be careful with the back of Dog Fancy. It has a lot of glorified BYBs.

[The_Duck]

Though I've never owned a Great Pyrenees, I have a touch of expeirence with them. Some friends of the family have bred/shown them since the very earliest I remember these people. As a matter-of-fact, my sister and I dogsat for them last summer when they took one of their young females, Emma, to a show. We had 6 puppies and and 7 adults (2 were boarding) to look after, along with their 7 horses. The dogs were all quite well behaved and beautiful, loving animals. Kisses were never in short supply and they loved to be petted. It was a total blast to spend time with the breed and I would love to do so again. Maybe some day I'll aquire a pup from them. Certainly not in the near future, but sometime...


A couple pictures of the pups we dogsat:





(The orange cat is Peanut Butter and the black one is Jelly. They're brothers and were good friends with the pupperoos.)

[Suki Wingy]

All I really know is that in 1999 we had one named Jada in our training class who seemed rather docile, and that there are 2 I see often going for walks around my neighborhood that seem to be very in tune to their owner.

[MajesticCollies]

Iilo vbmenu_register("postmenu_1594301", true);
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If you're looking for breeders, I would be careful with the back of Dog Fancy. It has a lot of glorified BYBs.

Yes you are right about that!!!!

[black and brindle]

We had one, we loved him mightily. He died at age 8, of osteosarcome (cancer). That's one of the big problems with the giants, they have relatively short lifespans (8-10 year average). He was a companion dog only - gorgeous, friendly. He did drool and shed like mad. But the main reason we wouldn't get another one in addition to the short lifespan - is that he was just like the breed books say "obedient when within arms reach of owner." They run whenever they get a chance, in order to set up a nice big safety perimeter around their "flock", they know what needs to be done better than you do and they intend to do it whether you want them to or not. They were bred as flock guardians, NOT as herders. This means they were bred to be independent thinkers ("where is that wolf/ coyote and how can I kill it") and not to be obedient to commands like herders. Ours was a wonderful dog. We all still miss him - even our vet still talks about him altho he passed on over 5 years ago. But he'll be our last Pyr.

[animal_rescue]

I got this off a dog forum I am on a lot. Also I'm adding pics of my friend's pyr, Kiah.

"About the Great Pyrenees

The Great Pyrenees, also known as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, lived for a long time in Andorra before being discovered in the early 20th century. When found they were strong, assertive sheep guard dogs in the mountains. Today the Great Pyrenees is mainly used as a guard of both its family and flock. It has also been know to be used as an avalanche rescue dog, as a cart-puller, a sled dog, and as a pack dog on ski team.
The Great Pyrenees Temperment and Intelligence

The Great Pyrenees is known for its confident and gentle nature. They are patient, courageous and very intelligent dogs. Being somewhat reserved, these noble animals will go into defensive mode if territory is invaded. They will lovingly and loyally guard their flock with extreme poise and attention.
Great Pyrenees Characteristics

The Great Pyrenees has small, triangular ears that stop when they meet the small, dark amber eyes on the face. The facial fur is thin and smooth with an upper lip covers the bottom one. Each front leg has a dew claw and is punctuated with a spherical, well padded paw with arched toes. The hind legs were created with a double dew claw and have very similar paws to those in the front. Both the shoulder and thighs are made of tough muscles that help this powerful dog to move about easily.

The Pyrenees has a strikingly beautiful white coat which may or may not contain shades of gray, badger, reddish brown, or tan on the head, ears or tail. The coat is resistant in all types of weather because it is made of two layers, an elongated, flat, thick outer coat and an impenetrable, wooly undercoat. Though the coat is more plentiful around the neck, it appears to produce a mane in males. The coat does tend to layer the length of the back of the front and hind legs.
Great Pyrenees Health Concerns

The Great Pyrenees, like most giant breed dogs, is prone to elbow and hip dysplasia. They may also be prone to skin conditions in hot weather.
Choosing a Great Pyrenees

The Great Pyrenees is not made for apartment living and needs open space and exercise to thrive. They can be very active as puppies and tend to wander off if not watched carefully. They are great family dogs although they do drool and slobber and some bark a lot. As a general rule, the best climate for these dogs is in the cooler climates."

My friend that owns Kiah also lives in Iowa do you want breeder information from her? She would know of some!

[LilacDragon]

I can assure you that responsible breeders are very, very glad that their breed is not so popular.