The Pyrenean Mountain dog is a great unknown to many, despite the fact that it is one of the oldest breeds on the planet. It receives other names, such as Patou or Great Pyreness. It is native to the French and Spanish mountains, where it was used as a working dog.
It is a large, robust and strong dog, but with a sweet look and loyal behavior. It works as a good guardian and company, ideal if you are looking for an attentive and affectionate dog. Do you want to know more about his care and personality? Discover what we have for you!
Index of contents
- 1 What is the Pyrenean Mountain breed like?
- 2 Pyrenean Mountain breed character
- 3 What care does a Pyrenean Mountain need?
- 3.1 Coat care and feeding
- 4 How is your health?
- 5 History of the Pyrenean Mountain breed
What is the Pyrenean Mountain breed like?
The FCI standard states that the Pyrenees Mountain is a large-sized molosser dog. It has a balanced body with an elegant appearance, combined with the strength and dexterity of its movements.
The expression on his face is contemplative and pleasant, accompanied by almond-shaped eyes with black irises. The ears are medium in size, V-shaped and fall on the sides of the head.
Both the nose and lips are black, while the jaw is preferable if developed with a scissor bite. The neck of the race is powerful and the tail is thick and long, often reaching the ankles.
As for the coat, it is double, dense, hard and long. It becomes more abundant around the neck, chest and shoulders, especially in males. The coat is shorter on the face, but it lengthens on the abdomen and the back of the legs.
The coat is pure white, or white with some reddish, tawny or gray areas. The spots usually appear on the face, tail and some small areas of the body.
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Height of between 68 and 81 cm in males and between 63 and 73 cm in females |
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Weight of about 45 kg in males and 38 kg in females |
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Long, dense, pure white or spotted hair |
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Calm and intelligent character |
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Strong health |
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Estimated life expectancy between 10 and 12 years |
Pyrenean Mountain breed character
The personality of the Pyrenees Mountain is calm and friendly. He is gentle with his family and loves to participate in home activities. He shows unlimited loyalty, although he may seem reserved in showing affection.
Beneath his calm face, he retains the sense of vigilance he developed over centuries of protecting the herds. Thanks to this, It is an excellent watchdog, it stands out for its bravery and its ability to make decisions. This same independence, however, makes it possible to be disobedient and even a little dominant and territorial, therefore it requires good training and socialization from puppy.
What care does a Pyrenean Mountain need?
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog requires a lot of physical activity, you should only adopt it if you can give it this. Walking is a moderate exercise that you need to do on a daily basis; In addition to this, it requires games and challenges that put your intelligence into practice.
It is a dog for active owners and with time to take him out for a walk and play every day. It is advisable to socialize it well as a puppy and teach it the basic commands (answer the call, sit still, etc.).
As the Pyrenees Mountain grows, we suggest not focusing on repetitive workouts, as they easily bore you. You are facing an intelligent dog, used for centuries to make the best decisions for livestock and act without human surveillance.
Coat care and feeding
Despite its long cloak, caring for the fur of the Pyrenees Mountain is not complicated. Once or twice a week you should brush it with a pin comb to remove dead hair. Also, you can apply some method to keep clean and white, but it usually keeps well easily. It is common for the coat to shed during the spring.
As in other breeds, the frequency of bathing depends on physical activity, once or twice a month is sufficient. We must monitor their diet, as they tend to be gluttonous and eat even when full. What can cause overweight.
Puppies grow quickly and can suffer from bone or joint problems if you do not provide supplements such as chondroprotectors.
How is your health?
This breed of dog tends to have strong and healthy health, however, like most large breeds, it is prone to some of these diseases:
- Hip dysplasia
- Patellar dislocation
- Elbow dysplasia
History of the Pyrenean Mountain breed
Numerous excavations reveal the existence of the Great Pyrenees or Pyrenean Mountain as a working dog during the Bronze Age, between 1800 and 1000 BC. At that time, presumably he was working as a sheepdog and village guard. There is
a theory that it came to Europe from Asia or Siberia, following the migrations of nomadic tribes.
Currently, it is considered a dog from the Pyrenees that surround France and Spain. From the 17th century it became the mascot of the French nobility and came to the United States in 1824. Throughout history, his job has been to protect livestock from attack by wolves and other predators.
If you want to know more about this impressive dog breed, request information from people who already have one in their family or see more images, you can visit their Facebook page:
- Group of friends of the Pyrenees Mountain
Are you ready to adopt a dog of this fabulous breed? You will not be disappointed.