Pyrenean Shepherd

The Pyrenean Shepherd is basically a native of the French Pyrenees Mountains where he is used as a herding dog. He may not be as big in size as other herding breeds of dogs but he is extremely energetic, agile and very intelligent. Besides rigorous daily exercise, these dogs always need to be involved in activities which will stimulate their minds too.

History and Health :

• History – These dogs originate in the French Pyrenees mountains and were basically used to herd sheep. However, they came to prominence after the First World War when they proved to be very useful as courier dogs and search and rescue dogs. Even today, this breed is not very popular outside its native region.
• Health – The Pyrenean Shepherd is a relatively healthy breed and is not prone to any specific genetic diseases. As the dog gets older, he may develop hip dysplasia or some eye problems which can still be avoided through regular check-ups.

Temperament and Personality :

• Personality – The Pyrenean Shepherd is a very intelligent dog with high activity requirements. He loves to go on long runs or strenuous hikes and particularly loves to be left loose without the leash. Because of his herding tendencies, he is always vigilant and alert for danger and makes a good watchdog. They are very watchful, quick to learn and even love to help in daily chores around the house.
• Activity Requirements – This breed belongs to the herding group of dogs and is therefore basically an outdoor dog. He has very high stamina and needs a lot of exercise daily. The owner needs to spend a lot of time with this dog in order to fulfil all his activity requirements. He hates to be left alone in the house and is happiest when he has a big garden or yard to play in whole day long.
• Trainability – These dogs are easy to train as they are very intelligent and can quickly grasp what they are expected to do. In fact, they are so clever that they can pick up on the way of doing minor household chores and other behavioural traits just from observing other people perform them.
• Behavioural Traits – The Pyrenean Shepherd displays strong herding traits even if it is not being used as a herding dog. Because of this, he is a very protective and is wary of strangers. He is not known to be a friendly dog and can be very aggressive towards other strange dogs. If he is kept in a pack, he will usually be the leader as he tends to be very bossy towards others.

Appearance and Grooming :

• Appearance – The Pyrenean Shepherd is a very lean and athletic looking dog, mostly because it is generally involved in strenuous exercises like herding in the mountains. Its coat can be either smooth-faced which is short or rough-faced which has longer hair which falls down to the eyes. He also has a unique looking triangular muzzle.
• Size and Weight – The Pyrenean Shepherd is a medium sized dog but is smallest among the French Herding group of dogs. The size of the dog also varies depending on whether he has a smooth-face or rough-face coat with the former being slightly smaller. On an average the dog will weigh about 7-14 kgs.
• Coat and Colour – The dog comes with two varieties of coats. The first is the smooth-faced coat which has short, fine hair around the mouth and slightly longer hair on the rest of the body. The second is the rough-faced coat which has really long hair on the face which almost falls to the eyes. The colour of the coat varies from golden hair, blue plush, plush red markings black markings along with brindle, merle and white coat colour.
• Grooming - Both the smooth-faced and rough-faced dogs do not require special grooming apart from an occasional brush down of the coat. While for the smooth-faced, a monthly brush down will suffice, the rough-faced dogs require at least a weekly brush because of the longer hair which can become corded.
• Body Type - This dog has a body which seems built for activity in rough terrains. He has a slightly long body which is very lean and athletic. The chest is well developed but not very protruding while the ribs are strong and rounded which helps the dog endure in the mountains. He is one of the fastest runners among any breed of dogs.

Pyrenean Shepherd Characteristics :

• He is an extremely energetic dog.
• He makes a very good watchdog.
• He is very intelligent and quick to learn things.
• He is very watchful and perceptive of what others want.
• He is good with kids.
• He is not generally friendly towards other animals.
• He is easy to train.
• He is not hypoallergenic.
• He needs a lot of mental stimulation like learning new activities.
• He is apartment friendly.

Tasty Tidbits :

This dog is known to be a one-man dog i.e. he attaches himself to his owner and follows him around everywhere and tries to participate in everything that his owner does.

Images, Pics, Photos and Pictures of Pyrenean Shepherd :

Care :

The Pyrenean Shepherd requires a lot of exercise, mental stimulation as well as attention from the owners. They do not like to be left alone and they need to be properly socialized at a young age to prevent shyness or aggression towards strangers.

Feeding :

A diet of high quality dry kibble is recommended. Canned food is strict no for this dog.

Information And Facts of Pyrenean Shepherd :

1. Full name of this dog breed is Pyrenean Shepherd.
2. Other names include Berger des Pyrénées, Petit Berger, Pyrenees Sheepdog and Pyr Shep.
3. Its origin is in the area of Southern France and Northern Spain.
4. It is a medium sized dog but is the smallest among the French hound group.
5. It belongs to the Herding Dog breed according to UKC and AKC.
6. Average life expectancy is easily around 15-17 years.
7. The height of a male dog is 38-52 cms while that of a female dog is 36-52 cms.
8. The weight of the dog varies according to height but is usually around 7-15 kgs.
9. This dog comes in many colours like Brindle, Black, White, Grey, Blue Merle, Merle and Fawn.
10. The approximate cost of a Pyrenean Shepherd puppy is $500-$800 USD.
11. These dogs have very high stamina and require a lot of exercise daily including runs, jogs as well as dog sports.
12. These dogs need a lot of mental stimulation as well since they love to learn new things.

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