I’ve always had a love of the giant breeds. In my opinion, the bigger the dog the better! I certainly love all dogs and I can’t help wondering what it would be like to actually be able to pick up my dog. Not a chance now! I have a special spot in my heart for Great Pyrenees. Currently, we own two. Mauja is our female and Atka is our male. Since the Great Pyrenees is not the most common breed, let’s talk a little about them.
The Great Pyrenees is a wonderful, majestic breed. Their look is stunning as adults and as puppies… oh, come on! Cutest things ever! Ever seen Santa Paws? Yeah, those are Great Pyrenees.
As beautiful as they are on the outside, they also have the sweetest temperament. They are infinitely loyal and will protect you at all costs. After all, they are a guardian breed. They were bred to guard livestock from coyotes and other predators. The Great Pyrenees is happiest when it has a flock to guard, whether it is animal or human.
They are a fantastic breed, but along with any other breed, they do have their faults.
1. They bark. Oh my gosh, do they ever shut up?! A person walking, a leaf falling, a bunny farting. EVERYTHING will trigger a response from a pyr. However, they are doing their job! The best way to handle their barking is to go see what has them concerned. Once you tell them everything is okay, they’ll go back to patrolling their property (aka sleeping).
2. They dig. I don’t think I will ever need to hire a landscaper to remove trees from my yard. Money saver! There are several ways to curb their digging, which I will cover in the future.
3. They shed. They have a gorgeous double coat that they will “blow” two times a year. Be prepared for weekly brushing and frequent vacuuming. However, they RARELY need to be bathed! The pyr has an awesome self-cleaning coat. So your pyr rolled in the mud? No worries. Once the mud dries it will simply flake off the coat. Whatever remains can be brushed out. Easy peasy!
This breed really can thrive in all environments. They are extremely lazy indoors and love to nap on your couch. Give them an hour-long brisk walk once or twice a day and they should be happy! It’s no secret that I love the Great Pyrenees; I have two of them!
This special breed deserves a special owner. Could that be you? Rescues constantly have wonderful pyrs needing homes 🙂
We may look as though we’re sleeping, but it’s a cunning disguise!
My bipeds laugh because I’ll sleep through all kinds of ‘normal’ noise, but the slightest unusual sound and I’m awake and on my paws ready to investigate.
I have a Greta pyrenees, named kai, such a sweetheart