Last Updated on January 28, 2023 by Pets Feed
The great pyrenees dog is also known by the name of pyrenean mountain dog (Pyrenean Mountain – Patou) is a large mountain dog resisted since time immemorial in the French and Spanish Pyrenees. Historically, he was used as herder and protector of herds, but he is now one of the most beloved family dogs.
This dog offers an extremely powerful appearance and is at the same time very balanced and elegant. Its movements are calm, firm and smooth, driven by its powerful hindquarters. The great pyrenees dog is white or white with badger, grayish, yellowish, orange or brown spots on the head, ears and base of the tail.
| Breed name | Great Pyrenees Dog |
| Country of origin | France |
| Weight | 55 – 65 kg |
| Height (at the withers) | 70 – 80 cm |
| Life expectancy | 10 – 12 years |
| Size | Giant |
Great Pyrenees Dog photos
Physical characteristics
The great pyrenees dog is described as being a large dog, imposing and proportionate, although elegant in turn.
These dogs move slowly, with confidence and gently thanks to a powerful sacrum. The great pyrenees dog is entirely white or white with badger, wolf gray, lemon, orange or fire stains. The stains can be on the head, the ears and at the base of the tail. The size of an adult male is 70 – 80 cm, its weight is 55 – 65 kg. The size of adult females is 65 – 75 cm, the weight is 50 – 60 kg.
Distinctive features
- Head: the head is moderately large, in the shape of a corner with soft lines. The muzzle is wide with a progressive narrowing towards the nose. The front line transition line is well developed, but smooth.
- Jaws: wide, strong teeth in full set with a scissor or level bite.
- Ears: the ears are triangular with rounded, medium or small, pendant or half-high ends, located on the same line with the eyes.
- Eyes: Medium -sized eyes, almond, placed slightly obliquely. The color of the iris is amber or dark brown.
- Body: the physical is well balanced, elegant and powerful, of an elongated format. The neck is of medium length, attached high. The back is straight, strong, fairly wide. The chest is oval, not very wide and deep. The ribs are slightly flat. The belly is moderately tense.
- Members: The legs are straight and strong with well developed bones. The legs are oval, compact, united in ball with hard pads. The fingers are short, powerful with strong claws.
- Pelage: the coat is long, thick and dense, of straight or slightly corrugated texture. The sub-point is fine but very dense. The color is a plain snow white, sometimes there are grayish marks, light yellowish and light brown on different parts of the body.
Character and behavior
The great Pyrenees dog is a combination of physical strength, extraordinary spirit and innate protective instinct with a very good “smile” and a penetrating look.
The dog is boundless to the owner and family members. He does not tend to distinguish the “chief” of the pack, he treats all the members of the household with the same affection, willingly contacts, but does not impose himself.
He likes to bark a lot and strong, more often at night, which is a distinctive characteristic of the race. It has a well -developed independence and a certain stubbornness.
He meets foreigners with caution, but does not attack without a good reason. Usually, he warns with a threatening roar or a bass bar, trying to push the visitor outside the owner’s field. If the attempt has no effect, then only it goes to the attack.
With children
The great Pyrenees dog loves children very much and will never offend them, even if small children hurt them by negligence. In addition, if a playful youngest is in danger, he will immediately come to his defense.
With other animals
He shares his territory without problems with cats, dogs and other animals.
Health
The great pyrenees dog is a breed that normally enjoys good health. However, like most purebred dogs, this dog is susceptible to various hereditary diseases, among which we highlight certain skin problems and others such as:
- Hip dysplasia
- Patellar dislocation
- Entropion
- Osteosarcoma
- Gastric distortion
Life expectancy
If we also follow the dog’s vaccination schedule and deworm it regularly internally and externally, we can enjoy a dog with a life expectancy of between 10 and 12 years, approximately.
Care
Great Pyrenees dog care includes the following procedures:
- The coat is combed once or twice a week and daily during the moult.
- Pruning is done twice a year.
- The eyes are examined and cleaned 2-3 times a week.
- The ears are cleaned once a week.
- Nails are trimmed regularly as needed.
- The teeth are brushed once a week.
- A bath once every 3-4 months.
Living conditions
Such a freedom-loving dog needs space, it is not adapted to living in cramped conditions. It is also not recommended for this dog to be kept on a chain or constant sitting in an aviary.
An ideal option for the great Pyrenees dog is a spacious fenced house area with the ability to enter the house. If you decide to settle the dog in a booth, it should be large enough and insulated.
Fun facts
- The Pyrenees mountain dog was bred for grazing flocks of sheep on its own, so this dog loves to make decisions on its own.
- The soft wool of the Pyrenees dog is highly valued as yarn from which knit mittens, scarves, etc. Such things do not prick at all, in contrast to the natural wool of sheep.
- A sculpture of a great Pyrenees dog adorns the northern gate of Carcassonne in France.
- According to the annals of the Pyrenees dog, Charles the Sixth saved from the angry bull.
- In 1675, the great Pyrenees gog was given the status of “Royal Dog of France.”
- Great Pyrenees dogs love water and swim beautifully.
History of the breed
The Great Pyrenees Dog is not only one of the oldest dogs known today, but also the ancestor of many other breeds, such as the Komondor, Hungarian Kuvasz, Maremmano Abruzzese Sheepdog and many other white beauties.
6,000 years ago, these dogs arrived in Europe with nomadic tribes who became the founders of many peoples, but the Great Pyrenees Dog is known to us as a French breed. This is due to the fact that during the Renaissance fluffy handsome men loved the local nobility, and the famous Louis IV even more introduced the fashion for these mountain dogs. Since then, in the French Pyrenees, they began to look for large white puppies in order to give them to counts and dukes.
Initially, the Great Pyrenees Dog was used to protect flocks of sheep from wolves, but in the palaces of the aristocracy they played the role of companions and luxuries, accompanying nobles on the hunt and in life. daily.
The Great French Revolution caused great damage to the breed – in the eyes of fighters for freedom, equality and fraternity, these dogs were the embodiment of what is associated with the old feudal regime. They began to be destroyed with no less cruelty than human aristocrats.
It was possible to restore the number of white dogs only in the 20th century, when avid cynologists revived them practically from scratch.
Today, Great Pyrenees Dogs are popular and loved all over the world, thanks to their bright beauty and complacent character, in our country the breed is only gaining fame.
