The Pyrenean Mountain Dog

Appearance

The size, beautiful coat and wonderful eyes, which carry a ‘far off’ look as if they are dreaming of the mountains, are trademarks of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, as are their ‘double dew claws’ on the hind legs. They are intelligent, independent thinking, sometimes wilful and definitely not the dog for all, or even most. But for those who love them, there can be no other dog.

History

The Pyrenean Mountain Dog was used by shepherds in the French Pyrenees Mountains to guard flocks of sheep and goats from wolves and bears. In addition to the breeds traditional duties there is also record of the breed being used to guard castles in Lourdes, Foix and Carcasonne. The young Dauphin, son of Louis XIV, made friends with a gorgeous young male Pyrenean on a visit to the region in 1675, and the breed became popular with the French court.
Pyreneans are still used as livestock guardians guarding sheep, goats and even flocks of free range chickens in various places around the world. In the right home they also excel as a family pet and guardian and it is in this role that they are most commonly seen in Australia. Pyreneans can be great family dogs but like any dog, young children need to be supervised. They have an excellent reputation as a protector of small creatures, both animal and human. Young dogs, however, may be boisterous and can easily knock over young children in their exuberance

Temperament

The Pyrenean is placid dog, confident and protective of its family. Owners describe them as affectionate, mischievous, majestic and loveable. Occasionally Pyreneans can become problem barkers if bored.
With the right family who is willing to adjust to their needs, they will be perfectly happy in the suburbs. They can sometimes be escape artists however, so they need good fences and gates to keep them home. Pyreneans were bred to bark to alert predators that they were on duty. This can sometimes be an issue with neighbours, so keeping the dog inside at night is a must. They also love to dig large holes to lie in and keep cool. A Pyrenean may not be a good choice if you are particular about your garden.

Care / Grooming

Their lovely white coat is relatively easy to care for but they do need brushing about once a weeks to stop mats from developing. Nails must also be trimmed regularly to keep them short, in particular the double dewclaws on the hind legs. Lots of brushing is needed to help remove the undercoat when they ‘blow’ their coat, which usually occurs once or twice a year. They do shed all year round though so owners need to get used to the sight of white hair on everything!
Pyreneans are not the easiest breed to train as they are not overly people focussed dogs and can be quite wilful, especially when younger. As they have been bred to work independently, they are not interested in doing things just because you want them to. Pyreneans are well known for not coming when called. While some owners may have success with formal obedience training, it is accepted that even the most highly trained and obedience titled Pyrenean can not be trusted off the lead outside of a fully fenced area.

Health

For a large breed they are quite healthy and have few major genetic problems. Like many large breeds however, hip dysplasia can be an issue so it is recommended that puppies come from parents who have been hip x-rayed.

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