great pyrenees puppy

Want a Great Pyrenees puppy? Here’s what you need to know.

September 24, 2018 16 Comments

Do you want a Great Pyrenees puppy? Adding a Great Pyrenees puppy to your home is much different than any other breed, so here's what you need to know.

Do you want a Great Pyrenees puppy? Adding a Great Pyrenees puppy to your home is much different than adding any other breed of puppy. It can be difficult, but if you’re prepared, you will be setting yourself up for an amazing life with your pyr.

We polled thousands of Great Pyrenees lovers for their best tips about adding a Great Pyrenees puppy to your home.

Food and treats

“Find out what their high-value treats are for when you really need them to cooperate, but recognize that not all pyrs are food motivated.” – Emily R.

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Breeding Great Pyrenees: Does Job Matter?

August 13, 2018 16 Comments

Pet, show dog, or livestock guardian - does breeding matter? Here are tips for choosing a breeder and considerations for breeding Great Pyrenees.

Adopt don’t shop.

I’m sure everyone has heard this phrase encouraging people to rescue rather than purchase dogs from breeders or pet stores. I’m going to say something controversial–I don’t agree with it.

Do I think there is a rescue dog out there for the majority of people? Yes.

Do I think there are far too many people breeding? Yes.

Do I push adoption over the purchasing of dogs? Yes.

If I’m saying yes to all of these questions, then why can’t I get behind “adopt don’t shop”? To me, the answer is simple: Without people responsibly breeding Great Pyrenees, the breed I love and am extremely passionate about would cease to exist.

What’s Next for Kiska?

June 19, 2018 8 Comments

A foster failure turned service dog. Here's what Kiska the Great Pyrenees will be learning over the next year or two.

I’ve gone back and forth for quite some time debating if I was going to make this public, but I’ve come to know many of you so well that I want you to be involved in our lives. Some of you may have guessed what I’m going to say.

As many of you know, Kiska came to us as a foster. I had told myself over and over that I would not have two female pyrs at the same time. However, I was okay with a short term female foster, especially if it was a puppy.

5 Tips for Healthy Joints in Giant Breed Puppies with NuVet

January 11, 2018 11 Comments

5 Tips for Healthy Joints in Giant Breed Puppies with NuVet

Caring for a Great Pyrenees, or any other giant breed, can be tough if you’re not adequately prepared. These gentle giants have special needs to ensure their bones grow properly and they have healthy joints. Here are my 5 tips for healthy joints in giant breed puppies.

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Kiska: Great Pyrenees 5 Months

January 8, 2018 9 Comments

Our little Great Pyrenees puppy is 5 months! I can’t believe it. Time is flying – they grow far too fast. I did delete a few questions that I’ve been answering every month (like potty training questions) because they are no longer relevant.

I wonder if I’ll be able to pick her up next month… 😉

Kiska: Great Pyrenees 12 Weeks

November 4, 2017 4 Comments

12 weeks. 12 weeks! How is that possible?! Little one is almost 3 months old in and full on puppy terror mode. She especially likes being naughty after already told no – “you didn’t want me to grab this? Okay, I’ll drop it and grab it again!”

She’s lucky she’s cute 😉

Kiska has made a lot of training progress this past week and I can’t wait to see how she continues to grow.

Weight: 21.8 pounds

Height at withers: 16.5 inches

Length (shoulders to base of tail): 18 inches

Favorite treat: Orijen Regional Freeze-Dried Treats

Favorite chew: Thin, curled bully sticks

Favorite thing to chew: Cords! Especially to my heated blanket…

Favorite toy: Toys that “crinkle” (still the favorite after all these weeks)

Waking up at night?: Usually one time, many nights not at all

Accidents in the house?: None! She’s been great at running out if the door is open or asking to go out.

Skills learned: Learning “lap” for deep pressure therapy and building on “place”.

New experiences: Actually tussled and played with Atka!

Naughty habit: Putting her paws up on the coffee table and stealing the dish towels from the kitchen.

Victories: Playing well with Atka and learning when Mauja isn’t interested in playing – she finds something else to do rather than pester her.

What we’re working on: Come and under

12 Week Photos

Keeping Up With Kiska

Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop 2017 | Kiss

October 20, 2017 95 Comments

This year, I decided to reach a little big and try and teach a trick to our new Great Pyrenees foster puppy, Kiska. Since she was picking up on things so quickly, I figured, let’s try and use her for this year’s Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop!

Let’s get a kiss from ‘Kis’ka’ 😉

The easiest way for me to teach ‘kiss’ has always been to start with touch. If your dog already knows touch, feel free to skip ahead. If not, it’s super easy.

Touch

In my opinion, ‘touch’ is one of the most versatile tricks you can teach your dog. It can be used for multiple tricks, such as turning off a light, pushing open a door, etc. It’s also a great distraction exercise in a stressful situation. When Mauja is feeling stressed, we play games with touch to keep her mind occupied.

Present your dog your hand. Dogs are naturally curious animals, so typically, they will reach their snoot out to touch your hand. When he does, click and treat.
Put your hand out of sight for a second or two and then show your hand again. When the snoot touches your hand, click and treat again.
Continue practicing with both hands, at multiple angles, and from varying distances.

Note: Touch can also be taught with a target stick rather than your hand.

Kiss

Once you feel your dog is responding positively to touch, it’s time to move on to kiss.

Move your hand (or target stick) close to your lips for your dog to touch with her snout.
Move your hand closer and closer to your lips (or cheek if you prefer the kiss there), continuing to ask for touch.
Ask your dog becomes more comfortable with the position, place your hand right next to your lips to lure your dog to ‘kiss’ your lips (or ‘touch’ your lips).
Continue to practice asking for ‘kiss’ while gradually removing your hand as a lure.

Now that you’ve learned the trick, how about we discuss the treat?

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win! Don’t forget to visit all of the other amazing bloggers participating in the giveaway hop. Each blogger has their own entry form so you can increase your chances of winning! Find them here or below:

Spencer the Goldendoodle

A Dog Walks Into a Bar

Chi Pets

Dog Mom Days

Wag ‘n Woof Pets

Tenacious Little Terrier

Talent Hounds

Fetch for Me, Human

2017 Trick or Treat Giveaway – It’s Dog or Nothing The Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop is sponsored by CleverPet, The Honest Kitchen, Planet Dog, and Health Extension. The opinions and ideas in this post are my own and are uninfluenced by any other person or business. The individual sponsors are responsible for their giveaway prizes including shipping.

Kiska: Great Pyrenees 10 Weeks

October 19, 2017 2 Comments

How is Kiska 10 weeks already? I feel like we just picked her up, yet that we’ve had her for months at the same time. Time sure does fly.

Weight: 18.6 pounds (That’s 5 pounds from last week! Actually getting good nutrition makes a huge difference)

Height at withers: 14.5 inches

Length (shoulders to base of tail): 17 inches

Favorite treat: Merrick Power Bites Turducken Recipe

Favorite chew: Thin, curled bully sticks

Favorite thing to chew: Walls and anything wooden – patios, tanbark, etc.

Favorite toy: Toys that “crinkle”

Waking up at night?: Usually one time, many nights not at all

Accidents in the house?: Only with an environment change until she knows how to ask to go out.

Skills learned: Down, leave it, place, stand

New experiences: Made more new dog and people friends, went to Target, learned how to wear a harness.

Naughty habit: Chewing the corners of walls (Mauja always did this as a puppy!)

Victories: Becoming better at walking on a leash, starting to run to the door when she needs out.

What we’re working on: Housebreaking, leave it and place from a distance, come

10 Week Photos

KEEPING UP WITH KISKA

Miss a Kiska update? We’ll link them below each week!

Introducing Kiska

8 Weeks

9 Weeks

Kiska: Great Pyrenees 9 Weeks

October 11, 2017 3 Comments

Little one is officially 9 weeks old today – time is going by so quickly! I can already notice how much she has grown. She used to easily fit on my lap, but she’s definitely starting to outgrow it!