It's Dog or Nothing

All Things Great Pyrenees

great pyrenees

10 Great Pyrenees Puppy Essentials

1 Comment

There’s just something special about Great Pyrenees puppies. They’re adorable little fluffballs that delight everyone around them.

I don’t know about you, but I have never had two identical Great Pyrenees puppies—they all have their own quirks and behaviors. Some are more confident, some are more eager to learn, and some are just downright mischievous (*cough Kiska). But no matter what personality your pyr puppy has, there are a few things every owner should purchase before bringing the puppy home. Ahead, our top 10 Great Pyrenees puppy essentials and recommendations.

1. Nature’s Miracle Advanced Stain and Odor Eliminator

With puppies comes house training, and with house training comes accidents. Thoroughly cleaning potty accidents helps prevent your puppy from going in the same place twice.

2. Giant Breed Dog Crate

Crates are non-negotiable when it comes to puppies. Not only does crate training have numerous benefits, but your puppy is going to need to be crated at some point in his life. Whether at the vet’s after surgery, for travel, or at the groomer, preparing your puppy now will lead to much less stress later in life.

3. Collar and ID tag

Accidents happen, so it’s essential to prepare. Putting your name and phone number on your puppy’s ID tag significantly increases the likelihood of your beloved friend making it back home. Even if your dog is microchipped (and every dog should be), your puppy should still wear an ID tag to make it easier to return home.

If you can’t stand the jingling tags make or need to prevent extra noise, there are tags that fit the dog’s collar. I got Kiska this pet tag holder/silencer to keep her from being disruptive when out working.

4. Food and water bowls

It can be tempting to buy small bowls for your puppy, but they truly grow faster than weeds. If you’re trying to get the most out of your Great Pyrenees puppy essentials spending, I highly recommend getting bowls that will transition into adulthood.

My crew prefers stainless steel bowls with an anti-skid bottom, but there are endless options these days. There’s an option to suit every need, from insulated water bowls to slow feeders to bowls for messy eaters/drinkers.

5. Leash and poop bags

All puppies need a quality leash—and don’t forget the poop bags for when you go out on walks! Earth Rated dog poop bags are strong, thick, and leak-proof. And of course, we can’t forget a bag holder. This dog poop bag holder easily attaches to the leash and even has a built-in flashlight for those late evening/early morning walks.

6. High-value treats

Dog treats are a valuable tool whilte training and socializing your puppy. Try out some homemade dehydrated dog treats if you’re a DIYer (and have a dehydrator). Two floof-approved, store-bought treats in my house are Orijen’s freeze-dried treats and Vital Essential freeze-dried mini nibs.

7. Puzzle toys

Most people understand the importance of physical exercise for dogs, but many forget that mental stimulation is just as important. Basic dog obedience training and trick training are excellent ways for you to bond with your dog while challenging her brain, but sometimes you need to keep your puppy entertained while you get things done.

Snuffle mats are great for dogs and puppies and can provide hours of entertainment. Simply toss in some treats and let your puppy’s nose get to work! These mats can even be used to feed dinner to dogs with a high food drive.

8. Grooming supplies

At the very least, you should start your puppy with a basic brush and nail trimmer. Desensitizing your puppy to these tasks will make your life easier when he gets older (and bigger). 

Check out these posts with our favorite grooming supplies:

9. Puppy/baby gate

Trust me—even with a crate, baby gates are a life-saver for training Great Pyrenees puppies, especially while house-breaking. It won’t take long for your puppy to learn how to scale a gate, so be sure to keep that in mind when you’re purchasing one. We’ve had success with this baby gate, which is difficult to climb and tall enough to last through the house-breaking process.

10. Teething toys

Puppies explore the world with their mouths, meaning they will bite—but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to bite. Set your puppy up for success by offering appropriate teething toys for them to redirect this completely natural behavior. Atka adored his “pacifier” chew toy, and this Nylabone puppy chew has been a hit for everyone.

What are your Great Pyrenees puppy essentials?

13 Great Pyrenees Trying to Beat the Heat

5 Comments

It's summer and it's hot, hot, hot. We're all melting, so take some tips from these Great Pyrenees trying to beat the heat.

It’s summer and it is hot. We’ve been living in the Seattle area for the past three years, so the switch to Virginia weather has been quite the shock for the floofs. Between a/c, baby pools, and frozen treats, we’ve been able to keep everyone fairly cool. Here are some ways other pyrs are beating the summer heat.

Mauja also likes to go into the shower on a hot day (or when she’s trying to hide from fireworks).

“Just dippin’ my paws in the water. Nothing to see here.”

View this post on Instagram

Cooling off my paws ?

A post shared by T U C K & B E A U (@the_rescued_boys) on

I’m sure a day at the beach was more than necessary!

Ahh, what a happy face!

Atka wants to join the party.

“It’s like, really hot outside, guys.”

Related: 11 Great Pyrenees Trying to Keep Cool

Another pyr enjoying the cool, tile floor!

Looking so unamused, but I love the face!

View this post on Instagram

Bye, Monday ??

A post shared by Bane the Great Pyrenees ? (@banethegreatpyr) on

What a view!

Pyr pups in baby pools—not much cuter!

Okay, how many people have taught their pyrs to do this? I’d love to try with Kiska!

View this post on Instagram

#本栖湖 #SUP #greatpyrenees #今年初

A post shared by coma (@coma.coma503) on

Ranch dogs have to keep cool, too!

Waterfall pyr love.

Want to see some more floofs trying to beat the heat? Check out Mauja, Atka, Kiska, and Kaani enjoying some pool time!

Washington to Virginia | Day 2

Leave a Comment

A recap of day two of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

We decided to keep day two fairly short because we were expecting a call from our realtor that evening. (Our house in Washington just went on the market, and he wanted to give us an update.)

*Note: I’m writing these at the end of each day, so I’m pretty tired when I do. I apologize if I rant or things read strangely

The drive itself was smooth—and we had another great experience with Kaani.

Mid-drive, we stopped at a gas station to fuel up and stretch our legs. I beat Nick, Mauja, and Atka there, so Kiska, Kaani, and I went out for a walk.

A recap of day two of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing
Ready for day two!

What normally happens on a walk?

You run into people.

Kaani’s threshold is about 50–100 feet away—depending on the situation. Any closer and he starts to bark, then growl (at about 10 feet), then lunge (between two and five feet)—unless he can get away. He also typically does better when I have his Gentle Leader on.

A woman walking toward us, and I wanted to start testing a new method for fear reactivity that I learned from Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0. We started walking in her direction, and I watched Kaani’s body language very closely. As soon as he started to get too alert (but before barking started), we gently turned and walked the other way.

He made it within 15 feet of the woman without making a sound.

I could have jumped up and down squealing, but that probably would have freaked him out 😉

He got all the treats and praise as we got everyone back in the car and ready for the rest of the trip.

A recap of day two of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing
Miss Independence is not nearly as enthused with the long car ride as Atka 😉

We finished the drive and everyone was amazing again. We had about an hour and a half before we needed to chat with our realtor, so we found a nearby park to go for a walk.

That had its own set of challenges.

Turns out this park in Wyoming is full of prairie dogs—who I’m pretty sure are used to dogs and like to taunt them. This meant we had a lot of training opportunities for everyone!

The biggest struggle today was acclimating Kaani to a Gentle Leader. I had a Freedom Harness for him (which I love), but this was before I knew he had a shoulder injury. We searched for a new harness, and decided on the Hurtta Padded Y-harness.

This harness has been great, but I’m still not 100% confident in the fit for him. The location of his injury makes wearing a harness difficult. So, we switched to a Gentle Leader. We’re still training with him—because he’s definitely not comfortable with it yet.

Kaani’s confidence

I’ve noticed Kaani becoming more confident in the few weeks we’ve had him. The first few times I took him outside, his tail was tucked and he was over-alert to his surroundings.

A recap of day two of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing
Kaani makes a great co-pilot!

Now, he’s definitely more eager to explore, but he has his limits. It only takes a 15 minute walk before he’s ready to hide out in the car (or hotel or wherever his space is at that time).

And that’s what happened tonight.

He was fairly eager to explore the new area where we took them for a walk, but after about ten minutes, he was over it. Once we were walking in the direction of the car, he started dragging me. At one point, he even laid down with his head under the car begging to get in.

A recap of day two of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

He just breaks my heart sometimes.

We loaded everyone back up in the cars and headed to the hotel to relax and waited to chat with our realtor. Everyone was pretty exhausted from the walk and settled in quickly.

After a late night potty walk, we got everyone settled in to bed. At about 1 am, Kaani started yipping in his crate. It’s unlike him to do this in the middle of the night, so we got up and went outside. He did his business and everything seemed fine.

Then about two hours later, he had me up again. Like last time, he did his business and everything seemed fine.

After another two hours, he had me up again. This time, he went outside and just laid down in the grass. At that point, I realized he didn’t need out in the middle of the night. He was hot.

The a/c at our hotel was out, but the evening was very cool, so we put a fan in the window to bring in the cool air. We also had a fan in the room to help everyone stay cool.

I was more coherent the third time I took him out, and I could immediately feel the temperature difference. We were able to put a fan on him and get a few more hours of sleep before we had to hit the road for day three.

Learn about the rest of our trip

Day 1
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

A recap of day two of our move from Washington to Virginia with four Great Pyrenees and a cat! | It's Dog or Nothing

To Shave or Not to Shave? The Double Coat Debate

6 Comments

It's that time of year—should you shave your double-coated dog or not? There's a lot to consider before making that decision.

We’re feeling summer and it’s the time where I start seeing the same question appear in every Great Pyrenees forum.

Is it okay to shave my Great Pyrenees?

I get it. We all want to keep our furry friends as comfortable as possible as the weather warms up, and we often see their coats as the main source of potential discomfort.

But if taken care of properly, your dog’s double coat is all he needs to keep cool and comfortable in the warmer months.

[Read more…] about To Shave or Not to Shave? The Double Coat Debate

How Much Does a Great Pyrenees Cost?

13 Comments

There are so many factors to consider when determining the cost of a Great Pyrenees. Let's break them down.

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how much my Great Pyrenees cost, I’d have enough money to buy 100 acres of land and build the Great Pyrenees rescue of my dreams.

The question is asked all the time. And honestly, it makes me pretty uncomfortable.

Because people are generally only interested in the initial cost of a puppy or rescue dog. They don’t care about the lifelong expenses that are just as—if not more—important.

So, let’s start at the beginning—acquiring the dog.

[Read more…] about How Much Does a Great Pyrenees Cost?

Dr. Marty & Freedom Service Dogs: Why I’m Obsessed

4 Comments

I love the food from Dr. Marty, but the company they sponsor, Freedom Service Dogs, makes me adore the company even more. And there's a very special reason why.

Kiska came to me as a foster.

She was covered in fleas and required more baths than I can remember to remove them all. And there were so many around her eyes. Removing them was a seemingly endless process.

We’d put her in the bath and turn on the water to find the fleas. Then wash her down and use a fine tooth comb to remove all the fleas from her. There were so many that we had to have a “dipping bucket.”

Our dipping bucket was a big water cup where we’d put the fleas we removed to keep them from jumping—there were too many to get down the drain each time.

Once we got as many as we could find, we’d take her outside to dry off, continuing to search for and remove fleas. During that time, we’d change clothes and start a load of laundry to make sure they didn’t end up in the house.

Then, back in the tub she’d go.

Rinse and repeat. It was an exhausting process.

The transition to a service dog

The longer I had Kiska and the more we bonded, I realized her potential to help me in ways I had never considered.

I have a lot of physical and mental health issues, but Kiska first showed her potential at helping me with fainting due to POTS. If my blood pressure or heart rate started to drop, she’d be all over me and getting me to sit down.

The first time it happened, I thought it was a coincidence.

Then it happened again. And again. And again.

At only a few months old, she was already changing my life, and I knew she had found her forever home with us (even though I had been adamant about not having more than one female).

Related: What’s Next for Kiska?

Kiska had gotten most of my POTS symptoms under control, but I was still struggling with gluten cross contamination (I have Celiac disease).

I started hearing about gluten detection dogs and wondered if she could learn. I figured we’d give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen?

Check out these gluten detection dogs in action (Kiska is featured in the video as well)!

I couldn’t believe how quickly she was learning and how willing she was to work for me—especially for a Great Pyrenees! Anytime I asked, “Do you want to work?” she’d come running over to me.

Related: 10 Tips for Training Great Pyrenees

Kiska helps me stay safe and eat well, and I always want to do the same for her.

When I was contacted by Dr. Marty about collaborating, I first had to make sure their food was up to my standards. Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend is:

  • freeze-dried raw dog food
  • all-natural
  • developed by America’s foremost integrative veterinarian, Dr. Marty
  • free from chemicals and fillers
  • made in the USA and Canada
  • backed by a 90-day money back guarantee

Nature’s Blend ingredients: Turkey, Beef, Salmon, Duck, Flax, Beef Liver, Turkey Hearts, Turkey Liver, Sweet Potato, Eggs, Pea Flour, Carrots, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin Seeds, Spinach, Ginger, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols

Related: Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food from Dr. Marty

As I was perusing the site, I noticed something that made me love the company even more—they are a sponsor for Freedom Service Dogs of America.

Freedom Service Dogs of America

Freedom Service Dogs unlocks the potential of shelter dogs. They deliberately work to do something I stumbled upon with Kiska. She had more potential than I knew—and so do other rescue dogs.

At Freedom Service Dogs, we unleash the potential of dogs by transforming them into custom-trained, life-changing assistance dogs for people in need. The clients we serve live with disabilities like autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, and more. We also serve veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

– Freedom Service Dogs

Since being founded, Freedom Service Dogs of America has rescued over 1,000 shelter dogs.

Not every shelter dog is going to make a good service dog, but don’t worry—Freedom Service Dogs will adopt out the pups that are more the “just hang out on the couch” type to loving families.

These hero dog deserve to be fed the best, so I love that Dr. Marty is helping provide that for them.

Kiska had potential beyond what I ever thought possible. Freedom Service Dogs and Dr. Marty are helping find that potential in the dogs that are too often overlooked.

Give your hero dog the chance to try Dr. Marty’s Nature’s Blend today.

I love the food from Dr. Marty, but the company they sponsor, Freedom Service Dogs, makes me adore the company even more. And there's a very special reason why.

Disclaimer: We were compensated to share Dr. Marty on It’s Dog or Nothing. Don’t worry–we only share products we use and believe in.

6 Reasons NOT to Get a Great Pyrenees

81 Comments

Great Pyrenees are beautiful, majestic dogs, but they're not for everyone. If you want a pyr, consider these six things first.

When we get Great Pyrenees in rescue, there are a few recurring reasons for surrender—all of which are breed traits.

As livestock guardian dogs, they don’t behave like most breeds. They bark, they dig, they roam, and they’re very independent.

I love Great Pyrenees—that’s no secret. But, I don’t promote them as a dog for most people. To be honest, as much as I want all dogs to find a home, most people just won’t be happy with a pyr.

If you want a Great Pyrenees, consider these six things first.

[Read more…] about 6 Reasons NOT to Get a Great Pyrenees

11 Great Pyrenees You Need to Snuggle Like Right Now

Leave a Comment

Any time I see the floofs laying on the ground, I automatically want to go over and snuggle with them. I’m not sure if it’s their floof or their ridiculously sweet faces, but I can’t resist the temptation.

I also can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a Great Pyrenees on social media that I just needed to snuggle.

There aren’t enough fingers or toes for that one—I’m sure you can understand.

We rounded up the top 11 Great Pyrenees you need to snuggle like right now (because if we included them all, the list would never end!).

So much squish. SO. MUCH. SQUISH.

Those eyes, that face. I’m melting.

Related: 10 Great Pyrenees Photos to Start Your Week Right

I can’t be the only one can’t get enough of their floofy booties 😉

Stop focusing on the walk and let me snorgle you!

I’m pretty sure those eyes could get anything they ever wanted.

I. Can’t. Don’t. Wow. I don’t even have words for the level of adorableness.

Related: 19 Pyrs Who Absolutely Do Not Want to Come Inside

You know the nap time need is real when the tongue is out 😉

I can’t decide which I love more. The perked ear, the goofy grin, or those happy eyes.

“Look deep into my eyes and tell me you don’t want to snuggle me.”

I’m always up for a snuggle with a floof with Einstein head 😉

Anyone else see this as nap time pyrfection?

Do you have a Great Pyrenees that you think everyone needs to snuggle? Of course you do! Head over to our Facebook page and share your floof with us 🙂

Are you in need of some pyr snuggles? Who isn't! Here are 11 Great Pyrenees you need to snuggle like right now.

WINPRO Blood Protein Supplements for Dogs

1 Comment

WINPRO Blood Protein Supplements are nature's best weapon against inflammation. They can help with immunity, focus, mobility, training, and allergies. We tested Focus for Mauja's anxiety and Allergy for Kiska's skin issues.

I’m going to be honest. When I first heard about blood protein supplements for dogs, I was a bit turned off.

Blood protein.

Just the name gave me a weird feeling. But I started doing some research, and realized just how widely back blood protein supplements are.

So when I was contacted by WINPRO to try their blood protein supplements, I was intrigued.

WINPRO Blood Protein Supplements are:

  • created specifically for dogs
  • produced in the USA
  • fast-acting
  • proven to reduce inflammation

There are five different WINPRO formulas to help with a variety of needs:

We had the chance to try WINPRO Focus for Mauja’s anxiety issues, and WINPRO Allergy for Kiska’s skin issues.

WINPRO Focus for Calming

Watch how Mauja responded to WINPRO Focus

If you’ve been around awhile, you know that Mauja has some anxiety issues. We’ve been working on them since she was about 8 months old.

We don’t know exactly the cause, but we think we moved from California to Montana during a fear period. She would go out with us a lot in Cali, but the first place we went to in Montana resulted in this:

Great Pyrenees | It's Dog or Nothing

We’ve worked diligently with her since, but haven’t made much progress. She’s currently taking Prozac and several CBD supplements to help calm her mind while we work on triggering situations.

Unfortunately, we have to switch up products a lot because they stop working for her after a few weeks. So, I was really excited to learn about WINPRO Focus.

WINPRO Focus contains a blend of animal blood proteins and other key ingredients to help reduce anxiety, improve mental calmness, and maintain mental alertness.

WINPRO Focus helps:

  • reduce anxiety
  • promote mental calmness
  • promote attentiveness—without the Benadryl effect
  • improve behavior and responsiveness

Mauja has responded extremely well to WINPRO Focus. I even took her to work the other day! That’s something we couldn’t have done before—thanks to WINPRO.

WINPRO Allergy for Healthy Skin & Coat

Watch how Kiska responds to WINPRO Allergy

Itching, and scratching, and licking—oh my!

Allergies are definitely an issue in this house, especially for Miss Kiska. Girl is allergic to so many things.

So far, we know she’s allergic to grains, chicken, turkey, and pork. And I’m sure there’s still triggers we haven’t figured out yet.

Trying to feed her is always a challenge, and our cabinets are always stocked with Benadryl.

(That may be because I am also allergic to everything)

There have been many days where Kiska and I have passed out for hours mid-day because we needed a Benadryl dose to avoid scratching our skin off.

WINPRO Allergy has been a game changer for Kiska.

WINPRO Allergy helps:

  • reduce itching and scratching
  • provide relief for issues relating to allergies
  • promote healthy skin and coat
  • ease negative effects of environmental toxins
  • support seasonal and ongoing allergies

Kiska has been on WINPRO Allergy for over a month, and her allergy issues have improved so much.

When we go to pet stores, employees often want to give her treats. I either have to politely decline (which leads to disappointment), or I have to ask a million questions to make sure she won’t be miserable for the next several days.

Now, I don’t worry if someone offers her a treat. She can tolerate small amounts of her trigger foods without an issue.

It has taken so much of the stress away, and I’m sure she feels much better!

Use code “FLOOF15” for 15% off your first order!

Do you think your dog would benefit from a WINPRO product?

WINPRO Blood Protein Supplements are nature's best weapon against inflammation. They can help with immunity, focus, mobility, training, and allergies. We tested Focus for Mauja's anxiety and Allergy for Kiska's skin issues.

Disclaimer: It’s Dog or Nothing was compensated for sharing WINPRO products. Don’t worry—we’ll always share our honest opinion to give you the best information possible.