Great Pyrenees

The Great Pyrenees has been around for centuries.

They are likely descents of guardian dogs that were in Asia Minor around 10,000 b.c. Around the year 3,000 b.c, nomadic shepherds went to the Pyrenees mountains and brought their guarding dogs with them. This was likely the beginning of the Great Pyrenees breed.

Great Pyrenees are very large white dogs. Since they were bred to watch over flocks of sheep, they can be quite protective of their family members. When strangers aren’t around, these dogs can be very affectionate and playful with the people they love. They have a calm and patient temperament and can make great family dogs. Because of their large size, it is important to make sure these dogs have plenty of space to run and play.

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Owning a Great Pyrenees: 3 Pros and Cons

Size and Weight

This is a large breed of dog. Males are a little larger than females in this breed. Great Pyrenees are typically between 27 and 32 inches tall and weigh between 100 and 120 pounds or more. Females generally stand between 25 and 29 inches tall and weigh between 85 and 100 pounds or more. Three-month-old puppies weigh between 29 and 40 pounds. When they are six months old, puppies will typically weigh between 54 and 74 pounds. These dogs will be fully grown when they are 19 months old.

Common Health Issues

Before you bring home one of these dogs, there are a few common health issues that impact this breed you should be aware of. While not all of them will experience these issues, knowing about them can help you prepare to provide the best level of care for your dog.

As a large dog breed, Great Pyrenees can suffer from Gastric Torsion, more commonly known as bloat. The stomach of a dog suffering from bloat becomes distended and then twists. This prevents the dog from being able to get rid of the excess air in its stomach by burping or vomiting. Bloat can be life-threatening, and you should rush your dog to the vet right away if they exhibit any signs of it. Feeding smaller meals throughout the day and limiting your dog’s exercise after eating can help prevent bloat.

Another potential health issue for these dogs is hip dysplasia. This is a genetic condition where a dog’s thighbone doesn’t fit properly into the joint at the hip. It causes the two bones to rub against one another which can be quite painful and can cause a dog to limp. Since this is an inherited condition, you should check on the health history of the parents before buying a Great Pyrenees from a breeder.

These dogs can also suffer from Addison’s Disease. Also called hypoadrenocorticism, this condition occurs when a dog’s adrenal gland isn’t able to make enough adrenal hormones. Adrenal hormones control the level of potassium and salt in the body. Signs of this condition may include loss of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, or, in some cases, heart arrhythmia. Vets can treat Addison’s disease with corticosteroids or fludrocortisone acetate.

To recap, here are some of the more common health concerns that could impact these dogs:
Bloat (Gastric Torsion)
Hip dysplasia
Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s Disease)

Temperament and Behavior

The Great Pyrenees has a very affectionate and patient personality. They are also very calm and intelligent. These traits make the Great Pyrenees a great family dog. They can exhibit playful behaviors, making them a good companion for a child. These dogs will do best with young children when they are socialized from an early age and have opportunities to interact with children.

Because they were bred to be mountain dogs to watch over sheep, Great Pyrenees do bark quite a bit. They will bark loudly to alert their owners if a stranger is nearby. Great Pyrenees can also be destructive if left alone; it is important to crate train your dog.

How to Take Care of a Great Pyrenees

As you prepare to take care of your Great Pyrenees, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind. These dogs have unique health concerns, training needs, nutritional needs, temperament, and more, making caring for this dog breed different from caring for other breeds.

The Best Dog Food for Great Pyrenees

When choosing food for your dog, always select high-quality options from trusted manufacturers. Since Great Pyrenees are susceptible to bloat, you will want to avoid feeding them a large meal and then having them exercise a lot. Rather, choose to feed your dog multiple smaller meals each day and give your dog some time to digest before giving them exercise. This will help reduce the chance of them suffering from bloat.

Compared to other large breeds of dogs, this breed typically eats less food. However, they need to get enough omega-3 and omega-6, so be sure to look for foods that are high in these healthy fats.

Puppies have smaller stomachs than their adult counterparts. It will be important to feed them even more frequently throughout the day. Each meal should be relatively small. As the puppies get older, you can slowly reduce the number of times you feed them and increase the amount of food they receive with each meal.

With all their dietary needs in mind, the A-Z Animals choice for the best dog food for Great Pyrenees is Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food.

With salmon as the main ingredient, this food is enriched with tons of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for the joints, skin, and coat. The probiotics ease digestion while natural glucosamine and EPA offer even more protection for the joints to help avoid hip dysplasia.

Try out Purina Pro Plan High Protein Salmon Dog Food, available on Chewy or Amazon.

Best for High Energy Breeds

Purina Pro Plan Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food

• Purina Pro Plan 30/20 Sport High Energy, High Protein Dog Food
• Salmon and Rice recipe contains probiotics for digestive and immune health
• Glucosamine and EPA provide joint health and mobility
• Omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin A for healthy skin and coat

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Maintenance and Grooming

Great Pyrenees have long and thick white fur. They will shed a lot of fur from their undercoat during the spring. Brushing your dog with a slicker brush or a pin brush once a week, or even more frequently, can help limit the amount of hair that they’ll shed.

In addition to regular brushing, it will also be important to brush your dog’s teeth a few times a week to reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar. Trim the nails regularly to keep them from getting too long. If their nails become too long, it can become painful for them to walk.

Training

Great Pyrenees can be a little challenging to train. They were bred to be very independent and don’t always immediately follow commands. Great Pyrenees will do best with experienced dog owners who know how to train a dog. You can also consider signing your dog up for an obedience training class.

Positive reinforcement training methods work best for Great Pyrenees. If Great Pyrenees don’t get proper training, they can become uncontrollable. A 100+ pound dog that does not know how to behave can be a real problem.

Exercise

A Great Pyrenees is not an overly active dog, but it will still need moderate exercise. They were bred to be mountain dogs to protect livestock. While they will patrol the area they are protecting, they do not exert a great deal of energy, unless there is a threat they need to fend off. Daily walks to time to run around in a fenced-in backyard can meet the exercise requirements for this breed. Great Pyrenees also do well participating in obedience trials or cart-pulling activities.

Puppies

If you are thinking of bringing a Great Pyrenees puppy home, you should first confirm that your home and lifestyle will be conducive to this dog breed’s needs. Great Pyrenees will grow to be very large dogs, so they will need a large space where they’ll be able to run around. They do well in farms, ranches, or homes with large fenced-in yards.

Shortly after bringing your puppy home, you should begin to crate train him or her. Crate training can help Great Pyrenees find a quiet place to rest and will also help with your potty-training efforts. Great Pyrenees can be destructive if left to roam around alone, so you’ll want to get them used to going in their crate.

Great Pyrenees And Children

Great Pyrenees are an excellent dog breed for a family with young children. These dogs are affectionate, patient, and playful. Especially when they are exposed to children from a young age, a Great Pyrenees can make an excellent companion and playmate for a child.

As with other dog breeds, it is always important to closely supervise children when they are around a Great Pyrenees. This will avoid accidental injury. Toddlers and babies should be very closely supervised due to the large size of the Great Pyrenees.

The Great Pyrenees may act like a guardian for a child. They can quickly become quite protective of their owners. You will want to make sure your dog is properly trained and socialized to prevent them from acting too aggressively toward strangers.

While your puppy may be quite small depending on how early you adopt him, be ready for him to grow quickly. Adult dogs can reach 120 pounds. Your puppy will also need plenty of exercise, so be sure to take him for walks, play with him, or let him out in a fenced-in yard to play.

Similar Breeds

Three dog breeds that are similar to these dogs are Samoyeds, Irish Wolfhounds, and Bernese Mountain Dogs.

• Samoyed: Samoyeds have a dense white coat like Great Pyrenees. Both dogs also shed quite a lot. They are also both known to be very territorial. Samoyeds were bred to be sled dogs, while Great Pyrenees were bred to be herding dogs. Samoyeds are also significantly smaller than the Great Pyrenees. The average weight of a male Samoyed is about 55 pounds, while male Great Pyrenees weigh 100 pounds or more.
• Irish Wolfhound: Irish Wolfhounds and Great Pyrenees are both very large dogs. While an Irish wolfhound is larger than a Great Pyrenees, both weigh over 100 pounds. A big difference between these two breeds is that Great Pyrenees have a much higher tendency to bark than Irish Wolfhounds.
• Bernese Mountain Dog: Bernese Mountain Dogs are another very large dog breed. They can be nearly as large as a Great Pyrenees with an average weight of just under 100 pounds. Great Pyrenees are all white, while Bernese Mountain Dogs are black, white, and rust-colored. Both dogs are territorial and can make a great watchdog.

History of the Great Pyrenees

This majestic breed has ancestors whose fossils have been dated more than 3,800 years old! This ancient relative of the Pyrenees was native to Asia, but gradually with the expansion of the Roman Empire made its way to the region from which it would acquire its name: the Pyrenees Mountains, which border France and Spain.

During the reign of the French monarch King Louis XIV, the Pyrenees was appointed as the Royal Dog of France after proving themselves to be welcome additions to the ranks of the Royal Guard. Hereafter, the breed became exceedingly popular in the kingdom and surrounding territories throughout the 1800s.

As time went on, the popularity of the Pyrenees in its namesake region steadily declined to the point of near extinction in the early 1900s. One French aristocrat by the name of Bernard Senac-Lagrange was determined to change this, collecting the most respectable examples of the dog from the French mountainside and officially registering the Pyrenees as a recognized breed, as well as taking further conservational efforts which led to the Pyrenees once again experiencing a resurgence in interest.

In the 1930s the first Pyrenees made their way to the shores of North America, where they soon earned their title of “Great.” The breed was accepted into the American Kennel Club in 1935 under its newly christened name, where it quickly became a major competitor in dog shows and pageants. 

Famous Examples

Over the years, there have been some famous Great Pyrenees. Here are a few:

• Muffin was Elvis Presley’s Great Pyrenees.
• A Great Pyrenees dog was in the movie Santa Buddies from the Air Buddies series.
• A Great Pyrenees was featured in the TV show Belle et Sébastien in the 1960s.

Types of Colors

The Great Pyrenees’ distinguished white coat can come in 5 different variations:

• Solid White– This is the most popular and recognizable color for the breed.
• Tan– This variation features subtle cream-colored patches intermingled with the standard white fur.
• Badger– These Pyrenees usually have two distinct blotches of brown on both sides of their head, and sometimes large spots on the end of their tails.
• Gray– Gray Great Pyrenees look similar to the badger type, but with a gray pattern instead of brown that manifests less consistently in its distribution.
• Reddish Brown– This type has a rust-colored pattern that resembles the gray and badger Pyrenees.

Popular Names for the Great Pyrenees

Below are a few popular names for Great Pyrenees if you’re looking for the perfect name for your new companion.

• Charlie
• Samson
• Trapper
• Oliver
• Marley
• Belle
• Sandy
• Sable
• Lola
• Chloe

1. American Kennel Club, Available here: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/great-pyrenees/
2. Petfinder, Available here: https://www.petfinder.com/dog-breeds/great-pyrenees/
3. Dog Breed Info, Available here: https://www.dogbreedinfo.com/greatpyrenees.htm
4. Love To Know, Available here: https://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Great_Pyrenees_Puppies