Working Dog Group - Pyrenean Mountain Dog

The Great Pyrenees or the Pyrenean mountain dog is originally from the Pyrenees in Southern region of France and northern region of Spain, although their origin is said to be from Central Asia or Siberia. They are said to be the relatives of the great St. Bernard and traversed their way to Europe, where they stayed until the middle ages where they gained recognition as guard dogs for flocks and cattle. They were eagerly accepted by the French nobility and the many shepherds for guarding their animals. They also had a thick coat of shaggy hair that protected them well from the cold in the Pyrenean region.

These dogs are known to be tall and long. They have coats in selected colors, most of them being pure white, cream, tan and white, ash gray and burnt sienna. These dogs have a shaggy and dense coat that is meant to protect them from all kinds of weather conditions. The males and the females can be differentiated by many factors like height, weight and their mane that surrounds their face, the one in males being more prominent. Their average height is from 27-32 inches, with the maximum being recorded up to 1 meter, the bitches can grow up to 25-29 inches in height. They can weigh up to 100 pounds and the bitches are slightly lighter, weighing up to 855 pounds approximately.

These dogs are very brave and courageous in nature. They are known to have made great sacrifices for the family they are adopted in. They have natural guarding instincts; hence they are known to be cautious of strangers and do not accept them easily into their territory. They are usually calm and serious, but if they are provoked, then they can very aggressive and bite the head off the strangers. It should be taught to be social and accept children from their puppy hood; else they can be very possessive of their masters and bite the children that have newly come into the family.

Though these dogs appear to be docile and calm; in reality, one requires a lot of patience in training them as they are difficult in obedience issues. If taught and guided correctly, then these dogs prove to be great with animals of all kinds, especially the cats. Their natural instinct is to guard; hence they can be very territorial in nature. They are very dedicated workers and tend to learn fast; but are independent in nature and have strong migratory instincts. Due to this, they tend to wander away from their homes.

It is necessary to keep them in leash every time, unless they are taught not to wander. They need a lot of exercise, hence cannot be comfortable in an apartment. They need to be kept in a house that has a large or an average sized yard. They are in the puppy stage till they are two; hence they need to be trained for that duration. They tend to salivate and dribble, hence they should be kept outdoors frequently. They can turn to be destructive and dominating if they are not guided with a firm hand.

The Pyrenean mountain dog can be a great companion, along with being a rescuer, sled dog, pack guardian, cart puller, war dog and a protector of the family.