Pyrenean Mountain Dog

Coat and looks how to spot one

long, dense double coat

A big, powerful dog that still moves with some elegance, slightly longer than tall. The outer coat is long, flat and supple over a thick woolly undercoat, a little crisper over the shoulders and back and fuller around the neck and on the plumed tail. A signature detail is the pair of well-formed double dewclaws on each hind leg.362

Personality what they are like

A composed, unhurried dog that is hard to rattle. It bonds closely with the people and animals it considers its own and tends to hold back and watch strangers before deciding what to make of them. Centuries of guarding flocks without a shepherd close by have made it self-reliant, so it listens best to patient, fair and consistent handling rather than pressure.3467

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate. Around an hour a day for an adult is plenty, such as steady walks or hikes; it is not a dog that needs constant high-energy play. Puppies should have limited exercise while they are still growing.854

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Brush two to three times a week with a slicker brush, and daily during the heavy spring and autumn moults, to keep the undercoat from matting. Expect white hair year-round. Keep the double hind dewclaws trimmed along with the other nails. Positive, reward-based training with plenty of patience suits this independent breed.458

Home where they are happiest

Needs a large home and a large, securely fenced garden; apartment life is a poor fit. The heavy coat makes it most comfortable in cool climates, so shade and care are needed in hot or humid weather. Can live in town or country.84

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete, balanced diet made for giant breeds. Puppies benefit from a large-breed growth food that keeps growth steady and controlled; adults should be kept lean with portions matched to their activity level.4

Company who they like around

Very attached to its household and happiest living as part of the family, where it can quietly keep an eye on everyone. Early socialisation helps it stay relaxed with visitors. Many live peacefully with other household pets.467

The story where it all began

Large white flock guardians have worked in the Pyrenees for as long as records reach. Their ancestors are thought to have been guardian dogs that came west from Asia Minor, and the breed then developed in relative isolation in the mountains, protecting sheep from wolves and bears and also standing guard at castles. In the 1670s the young Dauphin brought one back from Barèges, and the breed became fashionable at the court of Louis XIV. Once wolves disappeared from the range in the 1800s, numbers fell sharply and the breed came close to vanishing. Bernard Senac-Lagrange tracked down good specimens, founded the Réunion des Amateurs de Chiens Pyrénéens in 1923 and wrote the first standard, which has changed little since. In 1931 Mary Crane imported dogs to the United States, her male Urdos became a foundation sire, and the AKC recognised the breed in 1934. The FCI gave definitive recognition in 1955. Today the breed is back at work guarding flocks in the Alps and Pyrenees as well as living as a family companion.3291

Recognised by the official bits

FCI

Standard No. 137, Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs), Section 2.2 Molossian type, mountain type; definitive acceptance 25 Jan 1955; current standard published 13 Mar 20011

Société Centrale Canine

Breed registered in 1923, when the first standard was drafted by the Réunion des Amateurs de Chiens Pyrénéens2

The Royal Kennel Club

Pastoral Group8

AKC

Working Group, as 'Great Pyrenees'; recognised 1934 (AKC history article); Great Pyrenees Club of America recognised as AKC parent club in 1935 (GPCA)10

UKC

Guardian Dog Group, as 'Great Pyrenees'; recognised 19496

Popularity AKC rank 66 of registered breeds (as 'Great Pyrenees')11