Origin:
Believed to be Central Asia or
Siberia, though most development has occurred in
France
Height: 25-27 inches at
the shoulder
Weight: 85-100 pounds
Exercise Needs: Moderate
Grooming Needs: Moderate
Life Expectancy: 9-11
years
Good With Kids: Yes
Trainability: Easy
Common Misspellings: Great Peeraneese, Great
Peeranise, Great Pyreneese, Great Pyrenice
Alternate Names:
The Great Pyrenees is a beautiful and
elegant-looking giant. Known as a very
affectionate and gentle dog, he is a proud and
noble animal who possesses the perfect mixture
of traits to make a wonderful family addition.
The Great Pyrenees puppy is much more than a
bundle of white fluff. He is a dog that can
trace his mysterious origins clear back beyond
the Bronze Age. The fossilized remains of this
magnificent breed have been found in Europe, as
far back as 1000 B.C., though it is believed he
much older than that. In fact, some theories
claim that he originally came from frozen
Siberia or perhaps from Central Asia, migrating
into Europe with the ancient people.
Regardless of where his origins lay, it is known
that the Great Pyrenees developed into the
magnificent animal he is today, while maturing
along the slopes of the Pyrenees Mountains and
the vast pastures of France. Having a dog that
was able to fend of the various wild animals
that would prey upon the flocks was essential,
and so the Great Pyrenees was bred for this
purpose. Choosing animals that showed an
incredible degree of devotion, intelligence,
loyalty and courage, the shepherds bred this dog
to watch over their flocks and their families; a
job which the Great Pyrenees took to heart and
performed with loving abandon.
The first pair of Great Pyrenees ever to be
brought into the United States were given as a
gift, from General Lafayette, to a good friend
by the name of J.S. Skinner. This was in 1824,
but the breed would not be recognized by the
American Kennel Club until 1933. Today, they
remain a favorite of the working class.
The Great Pyrenees is like the giant white
cloud of the canine world; a medium-boned and
yet powerfully built dog, he is muscular and
strong without seeming bulky and should always
appear well-balanced. Their eyes are
intelligent, dark brown and almond-shaped, while
the ears of the Great Pyrenees seem rather
small, overall and should lay close against the
head.
The coat of the Great Pyrenees can often be
deceiving, as it tends to make the dog seem much
larger than he is, particularly in males.
Sporting a large ruff around the neck and
shoulders, it often makes the dog appear very
heavy in the front, and the long feathered legs
adds to an appearance of excess length. The
Great Pyrenees’ tail is a great plumed sight to
behold and, when he’s happy, is sure to wag and
show you just how happy he really is. Great
Pyrenees’ most common color is white, though
they can also have markings of tan, red-brown,
badger or grey.
Great Pyrenees are known for being very
devoted and affectionate dogs. Rarely
aggressive, they are wonderful with both
children and animals. Raised for the purpose of
tending flocks, as well as providing a companion
animal, they are very close-knit and grow very
attached to the human members of their family.
This can, however, lead to protectiveness in
regards to property or people, so it is best to
always be cautious.
The Great Pyrenees does not require an
excessive amount of energy, though they do enjoy
getting out for a couple of lengthy walks per
day or enjoying a swim on hot days. Dog parks
are another favorite for many Great Pyrenees
puppies, where they are allowed a chance to
mingle and socialize with other dogs. For the
most comfort, it’s suggested that you at least
have a fenced in yard for your dog to exercise
in.
The Great Pyrenees is not as high maintenance
as some breeds, but he does require that his
coat be combed out at least once or twice a
week, in order to remove any tangles that could
potentially mat up. This should be done slowly
and with great patience, so as to be sure not to
pull or scratch his skin. Special attention
should also be paid to the dog’s ears, checking
for any sign of dirt or debris, as well as
ensuring there is no odor, which can signal an
infection.
The Great Pyrenees only needs to be bathed once
a month or as needed in order to keep him clean
and smelling great. Toenails can sometimes prove
daunting, but accustoming your Great Pyrenees to
it as a puppy will help make the job easier.
The Great Pyrenees can sometimes have a bit
of a stubborn streak particularly during their
juvenile, or teenage periods. However, once you
move past that, he’s a very engaging dog that is
usually very eager to learn. Starting them in
basic obedience at a young age will help to keep
them in control when they start hitting those
rebellious and clumsy teenage years, as well as
when they start to pick up a substantial amount
of weight. In addition to obedience, the Great
Pyrenees can also be taught to compete in
obstacle events which many of them delight in.
It's often said that, whatever his human is
doing, that's what the Great Pyrenees loves to
do the most.
Like any breed of dog, the Great Pyrenees is
subject to a variety of health concerns. Your
best bet is, when deciding to choose a new Great
Pyrenees puppy, check around with several
breeders and ask about the various health issues
that can affect these beautiful little dogs. A
reputable breeder should be well-versed in the
health concerns and should be able to give you
more details, as well as showing you the sire
and dam of your potential puppy. Some of the
health problems that can affect Great Pyrenees
Dogs include:
- Bloat
- Canine lymphoma
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
- Entropion
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
- Osteosarcoma
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The Great Pyrenees is a wonderful dog for
either a single person or a family. Good with
children and animals alike, they are known to
make great companions and are very loving
individuals. However, like with any dog, there
are a few drawbacks: The size of the Great
Pyrenees can be very intimidating, nor are they
appropriate animals for apartment-living.
Additionally, they do require weekly brushing
and, while they only shed once a year, it can be
a lot of free-floating white hair.
If you don’t mind a few stray white hairs and
you’ve got lots of room to move around, then why
not talk to some breeders of quality Great
Pyrenees puppies? You’re sure to find one that
will steal your heart!
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Great Pyrenees dog breed. We've compiled a list of
Great Pyrenees information sites to assist you in quickly locating
quality information about the Great Pyrenees dog breed, while
avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of a Great Pyrenees information site that offers unique,
quality information and photos of the Great Pyrenees breed, please
contact us with the URL and a brief description so that our editors
can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Great Pyrenees are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at
Great Pyrenees pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what
these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you
decide if you really want to become a Great Pyrenees owner. The
following sites below offer pictures of Great Pyrenees dogs, Great
Pyrenees puppy photos, funny Great Pyrenees photos and more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Great Pyrenees is the right
breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a
responsible Great Pyrenees breeder from which to buy a healthy,
well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good
breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first
Great Pyrenees puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To
buy a puppy from a responsible Great Pyrenees breeder, you may need
to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting time
will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet
store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great
deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will likely end
up falling in love with a puppy with health and behavioral problems
that will likely need special care, plenty of veterinary visits,
regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do your homework and
find a responsible, caring Great Pyrenees breeder who home-raises
their puppies with love, screens their breeding dogs for health
problems, offers a health guarantee and post sale support, and who
genuinely loves the Great Pyrenees breed and is in it for the love
of the breed, rather than profit, and you can be fairly well assured
of getting a healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family
companion that will provide you and your family with many years of
joy, laughter and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Great Pyrenees
puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now
online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy
mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of
these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Great Pyrenees clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Great Pyrenees dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Great Pyrenees breeder, or help you find a Great
Pyrenees dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving,
forever home. We've compiled the following list of Great Pyrenees
clubs and Great Pyrenees rescues web sites for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Great Pyrenees puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your Great
Pyrenees. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few
days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide
on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A
serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange
love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Great Pyrenees puppy over
the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what
type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet
names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information
resources, while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set
up with the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this
popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Great Pyrenees puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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