I’m always trying to figure out what I can do to keep Mauja and Atka happy. While the fluffies are our whole world, I continually feel there is more I could do for them. After much thought, I came up with 10 tips for a happy Great Pyrenees.
Buy an expensive dog bed
Then watch the dog bed sit in the corner collecting dust while your Great Pyrenees prefers to lay on the cool, hard floor. Or completely take over your couch. One of the two.
Set up play dates
You want to keep your Pyrenees exercised and socialized. After 5 minutes of play, realize Pyrenees has settled into guard dog duty in the shade instead.
Schedule a spa day
High-end shampoo and conditioner, paw massages, and a thorough brushing to keep the coat functioning well. Catch Pyrenees rolling in the mud as soon as you get home.
Related: Grooming a Double Coated Dog
Feed premium-quality food
Spend your day preparing healthy meals or purchase top of the line food for your Pyrenees. Cry when your Pyrenees snubs your high-quality, healthy meal.
Put out a baby pool
Search high and low for a Pyrenees-sized pool to keep him cool in the summer. Watch Pyrenees use it as a giant water bowl instead.
Prepare a Kong with favorite snacks
Notice Pyrenees get bored of the Kong after 5 minutes, before becoming even close to finishing it. This is true for most all treat-dispensing toys.
Buy presents for each holiday or celebration
Throw your hands up in despair as Pyrenees completely ignores the new toys.
Related: 2016 Great Pyrenees Holiday Gift Guide
Encourage sleeping and cuddling on the bed
Remember Pyrenees is massive and you have to sleep on the floor instead.
Allow guarding and barking
Both are necessary to satisfy instinctual needs and keep yourself safe. Learn that Pyrenees thinks the leaves blowing outside are threats (or any of these other 101+ reasons).
Offer all the kisses and snuggles in the world
Live your happiest lives together <3
How do you keep your Great Pyrenees happy?
Those sound like 10 tips for any pup! 🙂 Great list!
BOL! Oh my, these fit with my GSD Magic, too! And with the cats…. Not that they’re as big as a Pyr, they only think they are.
I have surrendered the couch lol
Great list! I love the one about buying the expensive dog bed. 🙂
A twin mattress works well as a Great Pyr dog bed and it is easy to change sheets. However when I am shopping, my Pyr pulls out tiny dog beds, pillow size for her, and seems to think they are great. Great for what?
Great to have and GREAT to love. We have to put our big boy down a few months ago
.We had him for 11 years. I MISS him every day. He had a growth that was cutting off his air.
My husband won’t let me get another one. I think that is part of the reason for
My depresion.
please, for better for worse….. would you not accept something that would fulfill your husband ‘s heart….true love is sharing happiness
I had to put down my beautiful big girl about 2 years ago and still suffer her loss. I have a new beauty who is helping me deal with my grief. I discovered that there was a space in my heart for her. I’m sorry you haven’t been able to get a new best friend. I hope your heart heals with time.
My Kuna passed away a year and a half ago. She died in my arms, at home. She was 9. She was diagnosed with hemagiosarcoma . A very fast cancer that took her aeay from me way too soon. I miss her very much! I think about her each day and reflect back on our special walks down to the river and her riding in the back of my truck. Memories forever!
We have 8 , 5 have a job and the other 3 are 10 weeks old. 2 of our guys are nearing retirement with another soon after. I am not sure what we will have them do after they train the new guys. Maybe hang around with me, that could be fun for me. We do not cuddle our guys but they do get all of the attention needed, probably more needed. How can you not want to let them have a great retirement?
My wirehair pointer died in my arms at home on Memorial Day from heart disease. He was 11 and my best friend. A week ago I adopted a 5 year old pyr/poodle cross. He actually slightly fills the void left by my wirehair. I have two other dogs that weren’t doing it, I’m in love with Pyrenees now
we bought ours a big dog bed and he took it out his house ripped it up and buried it?
Mine would if I let her get it out of the crate. Last night she rolled the bed so it took up half of the floor space where she stretched out on the plastic floor!
I bought one that looks like a cot but it’s a cooling bed. very inexpensive!
Linda, Can you share where you got it? I’ve been looking for one, but they seem too small…
It’s True. I have a 4yr old male 152lb, not an ounce of fat Pyr. I bought a xxxl 6″ thick $140 dog bed. He laid in it when I told him to like the good boy that he is. When I walked away, he got up, went to the end of the hall, coolest spot in the house and laid on the cold, hard tile. The dog bed sat unused for a yr before being sold on Craigslist for $50. He lays where it used to be once in a while. The only insulated place he lays is on the couch with his head in me. He’s probably too hot but I guess I’m worth it. I don’t care where on the 40 acres I am, just look for the area with the most shade, where I can still be seen, and you will find him. Want to talk to me? You HAVE to leave room for him to be between us, sitting on my foot
So, can anyone help me out with this, My Finn a 7 month pyranese started loving his walks. Its been very warm for this month so I started taking him by 6 30 am. He used to go with a collar, but got strong enough and would try to slip out of it. As big as he is I got him a harness and he started walking with it. It was great, So after 2 weeks, he decided to lay down in the road, and will not get up. I have to lift him up and practically drag by the harness handle. He is heavy. What to do with that? I have not taken him now in 2 weeks because he refuses to walk.
Take treats with you , hold them in front of his nose he will walk instead of dragging!!!
Completely fits our Pyr to a T. ? Love the snuggles.
All those things are too true. I have found my pyr loves walks, car rides, belly rubs, and treats.
That’s about the extent of his favorite things except me, I’m his favorite person. Thankfully !
Very sweet tip list. I love it. <3
My 2 Pyrenéerer liks always 2 be outdoors and slips on ther Backs with all feets in the air
Ha! Yes… my pyr does the same thing. Hes only about 8 months old @Tommy
I to love the one about the dog bed, my husband came home with a hug and costly dog bed for Chance. Put it down and left the room was gone about an hour and went back to see how he was enjoying it, and we found it all over the house. Still have it stuffed back in one bundle and it out in the in a store room, can’t bring myself to through it out cost to much and maybe someday I may make a new bed out of it.
Lol! This is great, but I must say I don’t think it’s just a Pyreness thing.
My Pyrenees (6 months) has her own miniature horse! They play and hang out together. They have their own barn and when the new bedding is put in they both try to roll around in it at the same time. So Kona is now Tinks guardian.
I could not cope with a Pyrenean I know it, they are like me far too high maintenance!!! I love a comfortable bed, and a spa day and I am SO over toys in five minutes.
These are really sensible and focused notes. Sometimes we need to have the obvious pointed out to us to bring us back to the here and now, so thank you for this.
My ex hubby is from PAU in France. Pretty much where a lot of these dogs, live and work. They are an impressive bunch to watch!
Great tips / to do list for any pet – thanks for this list
BOL, this is so funny! I like all of the things we buy and then “watch them not using them”
Like Cockers (my favorite breed), Great Pyrs get a lot of false info online. I am happy you are getting the word out about the do’s and dont’s. Way to go in keeping folks educated.
This is funny, I don’t have Great Pyrs, but I can relate to some of those.
These had me giggling while I was reading them. Especially the dog bed one, cause I see that one every day with our crew!
Hysterical! Many of these sound familiar, but retty sure Ruby is not part Great Pyrenees since she only weighs 15 pounds. LOL
Excellent job on educating about this beautiful breed – first tip was to buy an expensive bed, and that made me laugh because it is so true!
Beautiful dogs and great tips! These would make for happy Huskies, too!
Huskies are a beautiful breed, I love how they talk and sing. I love all of GOD’S creations because HE created them for us.
Ah yes, we caught Mr. N ignoring the pillow in favor of sleeping with his head on a hairbrush! How is that comfortable?
This is awesome and made me giggle…and cry a little because, even though I don’t have Great Pyrenees, I can SO relate! 😉 Especially, the baby pool that Simon and Zora (labs for crying out loud) ignore and Piper (pit bull) is afraid of!
This is too funny. They sound like being owned by two pampered Persians.
That is such an awesome list for any pup. Simply love the picture of the 2 of them together they look so happy
Thank you for sharing! Great Pyrenees is such a beautiful dog breeds, I think I’m in love with their full white coat~
Buy a $2000.00 living room set as your Pyrs new chew toy!!!! It is now in my mud room for them to sleep on (talk about expensive dog beds!!!) and it isn’t even paid off yet!! Have actually owned it for less than a year!! Found my next couch already….. $350.00 LOL!!! I did buy several actual dog beds…. and yes, they did sleep on them…. until they found out they made GREAT chew toys and it looked like I had green snow in my house for MONTHS!!!! Live and learn!
I have to big males, Moby and Samson. Moby is a great dog but horrible Pyr. No barking, no craziness…. Samson on the other hand, does is all. He barks,digs, looks at me like I’m crazy when I call him in, sits out in the rain… horrible dog but wonderful Pyr. Neither do beds, or kongs. Sammy will chase a thrown baby. While Berners are my favorite breed I’ll always have atleast one of these guys. Then are wonderful dogs
I gave my Pyr two ginger kittens. Best plaything ever! They sleep with him and make him play. He abandoned his expensive bed for a foam futon, which iis now his. He fits your profile perfectly.
This is such a great post. And by the way, you have beautiful fur babies!
Thank you for sharing! 🙂 Julie
Ike thinks the purpose of any stuffed item (bed, toy,pillows) is to figure out the fastest way to get inside and distribute the stuffing. The more dog proof it is, the bigger the challenge and more exciting it is to destroy. I t also think he looks at the price tag- if its cheap forget it.
You so hit the mark, but my 120 pd pyre mix loves beds WITH PILLOW !!! I found used baby mattress at yard sale , he sleeps on that in tv room. Then has extra cushy bed in his crate he likes to sleep upsidedown on . And spends part of night in my bed. he just makes tbe bed rounds all night. Lol. . .we rescued him at 4 months. We spent SO MUCH on dog toys. . .his favorite is an empty gallion water jug. . . Ictry to rencourage him to dig because he so loves it. Does happy spins inbetween bouts of digging. I just fill them back in later. Marlow just turned 4.
LoL – great list, so true. My boy is now 3 and actually does have a favorite toy, a bright orange squeeky squirrel. Then he loves empty water bottles. He also loves our long walks together, as do I. One annoying habit he has that I can’t seem to break is his obsession with his food in the dish. He just keeps trying to either bury it or scoop it out with his nose. But, what can I do? He’s my best friend in the world! Lots of love for my boy!
I can relate but with my two cats Coco and Cotton. I haven’t thrown out the two beds I bought over 2 years ago, which they have yet to sleep on. I think about them at nights when I try to turn and find my legs hindered by cats on my blanket. And all the toys are abandoned in favor of candy or anything stolen from my purse, my emery boards, or just digging my clothes out of my drawer and unto the floor if I ever forget to close it.
Oh yeah and I can leave no usb cord unmonitored. To top it off they are totally unrepentant and give me so much attitude after the fact, I can’t help but crack up as I wonder, who really owns who?
This is our Pyr exactly, great list lol
You hit the nail on the head!!! This describes our pyrenese to a tee!!!!!
We rescue our from a guy who after 2 yrs realize he could not care for him in the ways he needed. Was kept in a crate and never aloud to roam the house. So now he hasn’t been socialized he thinks every body who tries to enter the house (besides us) is evil. And goes nuts. I’m afraid he will bite someone. Other from that he’s exstreamly active, and Lovable. Any suggestion? We’ve only had him 7 months now and seems like his overly aggressive behavior towards others coming in the house is getting worse. If out side meeting people he’s fine but still won’t let them in the house. Help. I love him and don’t want my dog have to be locked in another room every time someone comes over. I would like him to be able to socialize
Work on the following exercise for only 10 minutes at a time. Have his favorite treat on hand for when he obeys your command.
Start with making your dog sit 3 or more feet from the door, tell him to stay/wait. Open the door and if he moves, close the door and make him sit/stay again. Open the door again. Repeat this exercise until he doesn’t move when the door is opened. Only give treats when the stay/wait command is given.The next step is to ring the doorbell while he is sitting. If he moves or barks start again until he doesn’t move or bark at the doorbell.
Once he stays sitting when the doorbell rings, ask someone he knows to ring/knock at the door. As long as he stays sitting you can open the door and allow the person to enter. Make sure you give the person at the door the treat or favorite toy for them to give the dog on entering. This will make the dog relate good things with people coming to the house. Keep treats or toys with you to give the person entering the house until your dog no longer relates strangers entering the house as bad.
This could take a week or more depending on how insecure your dog is. He is unsocialized and probably fearful. Good Luck
I have an 8 month old pyr and hes the first one I’ve ever had. My vet said they can switch it on and off. So outside their territory they’re great but anyone who enters their territory they’re not having it. So I honestly think it’s just the breed.
That’s a great list! I have tried some of it and gonna try others as well. I think it’s very important to keep them happy as it has a positive impact on dog health.
My Pyr is a service dog and travels with me extensively. When we are not home in Utah with her big back yard, I not only take her for long walks, we found a way to chase squirrels together attached by a leash. She takes 2 quick steps and pauses and repeats until we reach the tree the squirrel is treed in. She then stands on her hind legs trying to climb the tree to get the squirrel that she just knows she could catch, if I would only let her off leash to try. I have photos with her trying to climb to the squirrel and the squirrel facing down the tree to scold her, but I couldn’t drop and drag them here. We do not seem to have any squirrels in Northern Utah, so it is a treat when we can “chase” them in Texas, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, or elsewhere.
We have a fluffy friend and I have run the gamut on food for him. Holistic, core wellness, blue, you name it. He seemed to like the Science Diet for giant breed puppy but I am not sure its a good quality food. Any recommendations for a brand you or your readers use? Favorites? We also have a 12 year old Weimaraner and she is finicky and will only eat any food for a couple of weeks and then wants a change. Trying to find one food that will keep them healthy, and keep me cleaning up solid mess…
I can relate to most of these.
Bella & Boone (both GP) are also very happy digging next to the steps to stay cool. During the warmer months, they prefer indoors but when it’s above 75, I have to drag them inside.
Their kiddie pool is defiantly used more as an over-sized water bowl.
They are the pickiest eaters I’ve ever seen.
They bark at a shift in the wind.
Nocturnal roaming in the house now has me sleeping with ear muffs on.
Considering buying a Rumba to help with the fur on the floor.
Currently changing T-shirt’s at least three times a day due to the drool I inherit when they want to cuddle.
Stuffed animals belonging to the grandkids are fair game if left out.
I wouldn’t change them for the world!!
Great tips for anyone. personally we have face issue in spending time with them to do these.But i always trying to stay with my pups.Thanks for great tips.
Oh my gosh, so funny! All of this is so true. Just makes ya love your fluffy friend all the more!
This is great, but I must say I don’t think it’s just a Pyreness thing.
All of these are true for our Pyrs….except the swimming pool. lol. We have the opposite problem. Inside water is fine, but outside, any type of bucket or pool regardless of the size is fair game for a splash. Nala dives in with both feet even into a small bucket of water. Hilarious.
It would be best to get these cuteness their own 5-in-1, All terrain stroller . It’s great for travel, comfy and cozy for the fur friends. My Fido got his own from Petique pets and it’s worth the splurge. Awesome I must say!
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I have a 9 week old Pyr and she LOVES water so far. She jumps into the bath tub every chance she gets. ? We usually hear her hope in it once or twice during the night. And her water bowl is almost always tipped over. We’ve been really lucky with the no barking but not so lucky with the potty training
I have a wonderful GO with 5 months old, my first time to have GP, I can relate all your types to my puppy, he is wonderful friend , I wonder how he will act when he is grown? Let us wait and see, it is exciting time for us both
Nice video, I will definitely use while dog walking
I have a gentle nine month old German Shepard female and looking to get her a playmate ..considering a pyr or golden retriever. I tried an adult rescue pyr but he had major food aggressive and also bit my husband so we had to return him unfortunately. Now I’m weary to get a pyr puppy.. this second dog will be an inside family pet. Any recommendations on which breed would work best with a playful gs? I think the pyrs are extremely beautiful. Thanks
Wow! Even though these tips require such effort and resources, I think I wouldn’t mind it at all since I am enjoying the company of my dogs. You did also give me tips not just for a specific breed of dog but these are very applicable to any breed I think. Great.
Hahaha, all that and I also have to drive him around to different neighborhood since he gets bored of routine route.
Hello,
Quick question. Do you have any suggestions for toys my pyrs might like? Emma, our female loves to chew! She has chewed the outside of our house, my furniture, my veggie steamer, spatulas, and she and her brother, Bubba love to chew my kitchen towels.
I buy them kings, nylabones, soft toys… and they ignore them. They love no hides and bully sticks but they are devoured in fifteen minutes and then it’s time to return to chewing up mommy’s things.
So in an effort to preserve my home I was hoping you might have some suggestions for a few pyr approved DOG toys Miss Emma might destroy instead?
Thank you for any advice you might be able to offer.
Walk every morning, w/ afternoon or evening trips to socialize with people. A late night treat, cuddles & TV before bedtime. This is all my pyrs (and I) need to be happy.
We adopted Sammie from a shelter when she was just one month old ( Dec-2017 ) and it was LOVE at first sight. It felt like she chose us as much as we chose her. She was such a tiny little puppy and we had no way of knowing she would grow to be this beautiful big wolf. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_feBTFkTd0Y
Super good list, straight on the spot, i bought a very special foam bed, day one she only looked at the the bed and went out side throw her self on the grass (of course the most muddy and wet place) and refused to move (fill a really big plastic trashbag with water and then try to lift it). 2nd day she smuggled the bed outside and killed it.
Ours always liked the raised frame beds but the the plastic frame always broke or the fabric would tear through. I found the Kuranda All Aluminum Dog Bed and it is well worth the money. She sleeps on it every night but she will move to the hardwood floor when she gets warm.
Great list. I love one that is feed premium quality food and I think it is the most important thing to keep good heath for our dogs.
Take Care Of Dogs
Love every of your post! always so informative and useful with vast treasure of knowledge for dog lovers! Thank you so much!
We also tried all dog foods for our Great Pyr and he had ear infections even on “grain free” dog food. He did seem pretty good on Tender and True from amazon or chewy. BUT the best dog food is homemade with ground turkey or ground chicken or fish as protein, sweet potatoes and vegetables steamed with adding flaxseed and a supplement from Just food for dogs. His coat is much softer and he is not as itchy as he was. He was on apoquel and zyrtec and since making homemade food he has not had to be on apoquel at all.
I have a Great Pyrenees puppy I don’t want. Where can I sell it?
If you haven’t already done something with your Pyr please give it to a Pyrenees rescue-there are specific groups who know how to take care of pryenees rather than a general kill shelter.
Give them “the job” you think they want to do, only to find out they REALLY want to guard the entire planet by boofing at the world and mauling the poor UPS driver with drool at the same time! Or to truly keep them happy give them a real job with real live critters they can protect, and they will with their lives should the need ever arise. Hell hath no fury like a GPR in full blown “here I come to save the day” mode. And we nor our llamas would have it any other way.
Mauja and Atka are two lucky dogs! You list of activities is similar to the list I have for my daughters! 🙂
We have a 2 year old and he is afraid to go outside. He will potty fast and be back at the door. We have to trick him to get his harness on to go for a walk. Even if we are sitting outside he stays at the door wanting back in the house. We could stay outside for hours and he’d stay inside. Anyone ever see this with their Pyr ?
@Lisa it depends on my pyr mood. Hes inside/outside. Whatever he wants to do. But there’s definitely times he wants no part of going outside. And sometimes he does. I guess it depends on how he feels. Ours doesn’t have a job. I think the ones that work are more apt to like it outside. This is my first one so I’m definitely no expert. I just know what mine does.
Hello,
Your comments are really great the only thing I want to add for people who may want a pyr is that they need a fenced in yard. Pyreness left alone in a yard for longer periods have a tendency to disappear! Do your homework before getting this breed.