I want to get a Great Pyrenees dog......tips?

Question

I want to get a Great Pyrenees puppy so that i can train him i live in town but have a big back yard.........Im just wondering if anyone who owns on of these dogs can tell me some of the ups and downs of this breed i have had several other dogs ,border collie, heeler.......but never a dog this large and i have lived on a farm until now so i need a dog with a little less energy to burn now that im living in the city

Answer 1

Well, lets start off with the obvious: They are big dogs.

They aren't extremely active, they were bred to stay and watch sheep. Watching doesn't take very much exercise. BUT, they do need your average daily walks, and maybe a once a week romp in the park.

They are barkers, the natural protective instinct in them makes them bark. They look at family members as part of the "herd" they have to protect, and if something happens that they don't like, expect to hear about it.

Borders and Heelers are opposites of the G.P. Borders were meant to herd, they are high energy, high strung dogs. G.P.'s aren't.

They also give a new meaning to the term "shed". They blow their undercoat twice a year, but its not steady shedding, its FOUHM! All at once, in every corner, pillow, blanket, couch, bed, sheet, electronic, etc it can get on. They also drool, but not to an extent that would make them difficult to handle. All you need is a doggy bib, and you're fine.

G.P.'s do love to get dirty. They are mostly white (aside from badger markings or stray spotting), so even the smallest of dust can make them brown. frequent bathing is a must, not only does their big woolen fur hold in dirt and dust, but its a magnet for smells. Good and bad.

If you're looking for a dog with low energy, but is on the "larger" side, may I suggest a Greyhound? They are the BEST for smaller homes and apartments, they are tall, but they aren't very huge. They aren't high-strung, and they don't require as much exercise as you'd think. They prefer lounging on couches and sleeping for 23 hours of the day. All they need is the daily walk, and about ten minutes of exercise a day, and they're happy. And best of all, if you go through a rescue, you will get a dog that's already housebroken, crate trained, and doesn't bark (as much).  

Answer 2

Drool. Drool. Drool. Drool and dirt and full mane of fur = big nasty drool ball. We used to put my friend's dog in a wire kennel and spray the dog off with the hose because he'd lay down on the ground and stand up and be covered in muddy drool. They still need walks and exercise beyond being left alone in the backyard.

Answer 3

You will get all the information that you need here: http://puppylounge.com/index.php?option=... and the following link shows where all the puppies of this of breed are available for sale/adoption: http://puppylounge.com/index.php?option=...

Answer 4

A dog this size should not live in the town  It needs plenty of space in which to run around.   Perhaps you could get a smaller dog to keep you company because Pyrenean puppies grow and grow and grow and they need to be regularly groomed to keep their beautiful coats in tip top condition.

A neighour of mine has a Gt. Pyrenean and the dog has his own Chalet outdoors in 3 acres of land.   They are beautiful dogs but need a strong person to handle them plus they eat a huge amount of food per day.

I would advise you to think very carefully and weigh up the pros and cons before you embark on such a venture.

Answer 5

I dont own one but you should rescue because I have seen SO MANY on petfinder.com

Answer 6

BIG dogs. They'll eat you out of house and home. They DROOL. Not as bad, say, as a mastiff, but bad enough. LOTS o' hair. Better get a Furminator, or similar, and learn how to use it. Strong dogs, too, and can be rather hard-headed - Be sure of your training skills.

My step mother has owned two Pyrs over the years, and both of then developed spinal problems in their elder years, where they progressively lost control of their hind legs, until they could no longer stand on their own, much less walk. They tend to have relatively short life-spans, ten or eleven years is OLD for a Pyr, few will live to see twelve, and almost none will live past that.

On the other hand, they're big, warm, snugly beasts, too. Lots of dog to love on. They're protective and fearless, and will take the entire family as their special charge, defending them to the bitter end. They *can* do quite nicely in an apartment, so long as you're ready and able to walk them - Inside, they're relatively low-activity.

I like them a lot, though I personally wouldn't make them my first choice.

Answer 7

very expensive

very big

very nice

very loyal

very expensive

(the great pyrenees dog)

make shure the breed fits your life style  

it needs exercise

do researchesbefore you buy it

Answer 8

you can not train them to be free on the leash or it will chase  any thing  

Answer 9

A 1 acre yard, well fenced is a very good amount of space.  Since you're in a city, keeping the dog inside at night is your best option.  

You should join a pyr group now, so I'll list one below that's excellent.  The more questions you ask of a good Yahoo pyr group, the better you'll be able to tell if a pyr is the right fit for your life.

Google great pyrenees breed traits to find websites that may tell you more about the breed over and above what we tell you here.  Also, asking in a Yahoo Pyr group helps you learn.  You don't have to already have a pyr to join the group.

If the dog's outside after dark, good lighting of the area he's in helps prevent excessive barking.  Pyrs do bark.  They use pre-emptive barking to ward off intruders so they hopefully don't have to fight.  You need to let the dog know you heard the bark, and appreciate the warning.  You need to learn how to teach the dog good bark, bad bark.  A good bark is at the intruder the dog hears and smells but you don't see.  A bad bark example is if the dog barks every time it sees another dog or cat.

Pyrs can be droolers.  This can be dealt with

Pyrs are barkers.  This can be handled so the dog doesn't bark excessively.

Pyrs are large.  If you learn to be a good Alpha Pack Leader, the dog will be compliant, even when it doesn't agree with what you wish to do.

Pyrs can be energetic, but also can lie quietly for long periods of time.  They also make excellent service dogs as a result.

Pyrs are working dogs.  If they don't have livestock to guard, they will guard the family, from you to the baby, to all the children, to grandma, to the family cat or rabbit.  They are wonderful, gentle giants, and very loving.

Pyrs are calm, unlike the herding dogs like the BC or heeler who have to have a lot of nervous energy for their jobs.  

Pyrs dig, but if you give them a "puppy garden" that's ok to dig in, they'll leave the rest of the yard alone.  

Amazingly, this farm dog does well in the city if handled right as they can lie calmly for longer periods of time.

Pyrs are called "disapyr" - you must fence them well, or keep them on leash so they don't wander.  Not all do, but you never know which kind of pyr you'll get...

Pyrs are headstrong.  They were bred to be independent thinkers and make decisions independent of the shepherd, so when you call them, they think about it and decide if it's in their best interest to do as you command (request).  This makes them more challenging to train in many cases.  They can be trained but often take more time and effort to train.

Pyrs "blow coat" twice a year and shed regularly.  They should be groomed on a regular basis.  It is a matter of getting a rake and combing them out at least once a week to keep the fur from matting.

Pyrs are "self-cleaning" dogs.  If they play in the mud, they can lie down and when they get up a while later, they are white again, and they walk away from a pile of dust they have shed.

I'm sure I've left some things out at this point, but I've covered a lot of the basics.  So... now google and visit websites as I mentioned above.  And join the pyr group and ask a bunch of questions.  -!-

Answer 10

I like the look of a great pyrenees. They are so cute.