The Pyrenean Mountain breed is characterized by being a very good guardian and with an enormous strength and endurance.

It is a dominant dog, so it is not of good pleasure the company of other animals, its function is that of guardian. It is protective with all those whom he considers of his family.

It is important to this dog to give very long walks in case you live in aclosed space, as it must expend all its energy.

With regard to the care of the dog, it is important to brush it often, as it moults several times.

It is a robust breed of dog, which can weigh about 60 kilograms.

The Pyrenean mountain dog, also known in Spanish as Montaña de los Pirineos and Gran Pirineo (Great Pyrenees inEnglish), is a large and majestic breed of dog, traditionally used to protect livestock in pastures (especially sheep) and as a guard dog.

Not to be confused with the Pyrenean Mastiff, similar in name and characteristics but constituting an entirely different breed of dog.

To fight wolves and bears, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog was equipped with aA collar lined with steel spikes. Made of wrought iron, it was about ten centimetres wide, three rows of long spikes and closed with a thick buckle.

Character - Coexistence - Behaviour - Education

The Pyrenean Mountain Dog is calm and discreet during the day and vigilant and alert at night. It is distrustful of strangers, dominant and a little stubborn,It does not usually get along well with other dogs.

The Great Pyrenees is a loyal and courageous dog, an excellent guardian and a strong protector of all those it considers to be part of its family. There are documented cases of dogs of this breed attacking brown bears and fighting them to the death to defend their owners.

They are very independent dogs, tremendouslypatient with children and other animals and virtually incapable of causing harm to their owners or any of their property. However, all their love and care can turn into fierce determination when it comes to defending anything they feel they have been put in charge of. They are the ultimate watchdog, especially against any kind of predator or animal pest. Because of theirIt is a proactive guardian, and instead of hovering in the area to be guarded, it prowls around in a concentric pattern, occasionally retracing its steps. This is an excellent characteristic for a shepherd dog that is alone in the middle of the forest, but it is also an excellent choice for a shepherd dog in the middle of the forest.field, because it allows him to detect potential dangers long before they get within threatening distance.But in any other environment, that means he will never stay inside the property, regardless of the space it covers.Whatever the size of the garden or land, it has to be kept completely fenced off if the dog is to be kept inside.

Also, it must be doneSo-called "invisible fences" using ultrasound rarely work; these are dogs of great strength and endurance. They soon become accustomed to high levels of discomfort and even pain, so any barrier that is not solid cannot stop a Great Pyrenees determined to cross it.

For the same reason, they can never be taken by theThey are very curious about anything new, so as soon as they set foot on the street, if they are loose, they will usually disappear from sight and return home after several hours or even days. This, combined with their natural independence, gives rise to another typical problem: they find it difficult to accept commands.

They all have a natural inclination to let themselves be led into the street.If the unleashed dog feels he must explore around the corner to make sure there is no danger lurking, he will head for it at a determined trot while his owner stands hoarsely shouting at him that he is not to be killed, but even the best trained dogs tend to ignore any command that goes against their own judgment.He is definitely not a dog suitable for obedience contests.

His cautious nature can also provoke incidents with strangers, be they people or animals.

Without being an aggressive dog, he is very protective.He will not allow any stranger to enter his area or go near anything he considers under his protection.

He will beginbarking warning barks, will follow with increasingly guttural growls as the distance shortens, and will only go to extremes if the intruder has ignored him until then, which is not easy considering the power of his bark. And despite their natural distrust, it has been found that they are totally adaptable to "new" people with extremeDue to its strong character, the Pyrenean Mountain needs the owner to treat it with a firm hand and teach it from a young age to obey commands, especially the call command.Obedience training and socialization are essential for puppies, as they grow in size and strength very quickly.Bad habits, such as jumping on people or pulling on theleash when walking, they should be removed as soon as possible.

Care and health

They are dogs that have a tendency to be overweight, so they need plenty of exercise and long walks; if you do not have a large garden or a large expanse of land, daily walks should add up to at least an hour.

The Pyrenean Mountain Dog does not adapt too well to the life ofIt does not support being locked up and needs space and exercise every day to avoid behavioral disorders.

It is a dog that moults frequently, and needs at least a weekly brushing to keep it in good condition and avoid dermatitis.

Generally, the Pyrenean Mountain is in good health although due to its size can suffer from torsion ofSome dogs may also suffer from patellar luxation.

This breed of dog rarely exceeds 10-11 years of age.

History

It is likely that the Pyrenean Mountain Dog is descended from the Tibetan Dogo, introduced to Europe during the Asian invasions.The first written evidence of the existence of this breed of dog dates fromlate 14th century, they explain that the dog was used to guard the castles of Foix, Orthez and Carcassonne. For centuries, this dog has been used in the French Pyrenees area as a guard dog, a pack dog and, above all, to protect herds from wolves and bears.

It is also one of the oldest documented breeds of dog, used for nearly a millennium by theBasque shepherds, especially in the southern part of France, the northern slopes of the Pyrenees, from which it took its name.

Due to its size and stature, it was the official dog of the French court until its disappearance during the French Revolution. Today this breed of dog has far exceeded its usual geographical range, and is especially valued in Australia and the United States, where it has become a popular breed of dog.United States of America as a sheepdog and guard dog on large expanses of pasture.

General appearance

The Pyrenean Mountain is a sturdy, strongly built dog with a broad, deep chest.The head is not too large compared to the body and the muzzle is broad, fairly long and tends to taper at the end.It has rather small eyes with theThe ears, small and triangular, are attached to the head at the level of the eyes. It has a long bushy tail.

It is a molosser type dog, although with more stylized features and less rounded than usual in the type.

Adult males in this breed of dog weigh between 50 and 60 kg and are usually between 70 and 80 cm tall.Females are somewhat smaller, weighing between 40 and 50 kg and 65 to 75 cm tall.

The dog's coat is very thick, mainly white with grey or cream-coloured patches on the face, legs and sometimes body. Only one in four has a completely white coat. Its long AND flat, soft and very thick coat is longest on the tail, thighs andneck.

Another distinguishing feature of this breed of dog, is the presence of six toes on the hind legs instead of the usual five, a trait supposedly sought by the original breeders to improve traction on snowy terrain.