The Pyrenean Mountain Dog, known as the Great Pyrenees in the United States, is a large, breed of dog that was used traditionally for protecting livestock (especially sheep) in pasture. Joleanor Jurassica owned by Miss L. Holmes. ... Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... © The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... This Chihuahua mix and Great Dane show the wide range of dog breed sizes. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... Species See text. ... Pastureland Pasture is land with lush herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of ungulates as part of a farm or ranch. ...

It is a very old breed, and has been used for millennia by the Basque people, who inhabit parts of the region in and around the Pyrenees Mountains of southern France. More recently, it served as the official dog of the royal French court (whose prominence began circa the Middle Ages, and lasted until the middle of the nineteenth century). During World War II the dogs were used to haul artillery over the Pyreneean Mountain range to and from Spain and France. A millennium (pl. ... Languages Basque - few monoglots Spanish - 1,525,000 monoglots French - 150,000 monoglots Basque-Spanish - 600,000 speakers Basque-French - 76,000 speakers [4] other native languages Religions Traditionally Roman Catholic The Basques (Basque: Euskaldunak) are an indigenous people[5] who inhabit parts of northwestern Spain and southwestern France. ... Pic de Bugatetin the Néouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Males weigh in at about 100-160 pounds (45-73 kilograms), while females are approximately 85-115 pounds (39-52 kilograms). Their fur is often white with shades of grey or tan around the face, ears and sometimes on the body; these dogs are called "blaireau". Only one in four will have a pure white coat. However, most dogs of this breed, when young, are colored gray with tan spots. Technically speaking, white is a color, but it is also the combination of all the colors of the visible light spectrum. ... Grey or gray (see spelling differences) is a color between white and black. ... Tan is a brownish, tawny coluor. ...

The Great Pyrenees is readily identifiable by a double dewclaw on each of its hind legs. These are considered breed standard, more than two dewclaws is not a fault just undesirable and should not be removed by veterinarians. The dogs front dewclaw grows on the side of the foot, above the other four toes but below the rear heelpad. ...

Temperament and Qualities

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Great Pyrenees guarding sheep

• Loyal and protective of its territory, the Great Pyrenees makes for a great family dog. However, there are several reasons owning a dog of this breed may be ill-advised, including the following:

• A fenced yard is a must with this breed. Unfenced, they will roam. A typical area for a Pyr to consider his domain is anywhere from 5 to 15 square miles.

• Owners can expect copious amounts of white fur — down hair and coat — in their homes and on their dark clothing. Seasonal "blowing of coat" — in which the Pyr sheds vast amount of undercoat — occur at least twice a year. Weekly grooming is a must to avoid mats, and nails — particularly the dewclaws — must be regularly trimmed. Actual bathing is seldom needed because the undercoat sheds out when dirty so all that is needed is a quick weekly brushing.

• Neighbours may be annoyed and complain about the deep, booming bark — if the dog is left outside continuously or left inside without a companion too long. These dogs also have a tendency to bark when they sense a predator nearby. A predator to a Pyr can range from another dog to coyotes, bears, foxes, weasels, mountain lions, etc.

• They cannot be trusted off-leash, as their guardian dog nature will cause them to investigate anything and everything they find interesting, and to not trust their owners to make the final decisions. Great Pyrenees were bred to guard without instruction from humans and will decide for you what is in your best interest.

• A mature Great Pyrenees may be somewhat standoffish and wary of strangers. They are extremely protective of their family members - human or animal - and will never trust or like anyone who they think is a potential danger or threat to their family. Some will show discomfort by pushing against the stranger,or by nudging the owner. That said, they do warm up to friendly and kind people, especially children and women, fairly quickly.

• Interested owners should be wary of comparing the temperament of Golden Retrievers with this breed of dog. Prospective owners are advised to familiarize themselves with characteristics of Livestock guardian dogs (LGD) — which are known for their independent nature. While the Pyr will defend its owner to the death, it will see no reason to slavishly obey commands. They can be trained, but they will quickly become bored with repetition of commands. They do respond well to positive reinforcement.

• Best suited for those living on property with a large yard, as it enjoys walks and attention — especially from children and other animals.

• Obedience training and socialization at a young age are a must, as this breed grows large and strong very quickly and is best suited for someone capable of handling a large dog. Bad habits, such as jumping, pulling on lead and table surfing should be nipped in the bud - any bad puppy habits will be ten times worse when the dog weighs 100 pounds!

• Pyrs readily take to crate training, which should be started during puppyhood, but if they will be mostly outside it is unnecessary.

• The Pyr is an excellent guardian — large enough to be a deterrent to smaller predators, such as coyotes and foxes, and a match for larger wildlife, such as cougars and bears, in fact a single male Pyr is supposed to be able to hold off a bear long enough to allow a shepherd to move the herd away.

• Pyrs also have a strange tendency to have their mouths open frequently.

Image File history File links Information. ... Wikibooks logo Wikibooks, previously called Wikimedia Free Textbook Project and Wikimedia-Textbooks, is a wiki for the creation of books. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2112x2816, 1301 KB) Summary i took this photo and release all rights to wikipedia Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2112x2816, 1301 KB) Summary i took this photo and release all rights to wikipedia Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... In ethology, sociobiology and behavioral ecology, the term territory refers to any geographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics (and, occasionally, animals of other species). ... Companion dog usually describes a dog that does not work, providing only companionship as a pet, rather than usefulness by doing specific tasks. ... Down hairs, also called the undercoat or ground hairs, are the very fine, fluffy hairs closest to the skin on some mammals. ... A dogs coat is its fur. ... The dogs front dewclaw grows on the side of the foot, above the other four toes but below the rear heelpad. ... Barking is the one of the noises most commonly produced by dogs. ... For temperament in dog fancy, see conformation point. ... The Golden Retriever is a popular breed of dog, originally developed to retrieve downed fowl during hunting. ... Kazakh shepherd, his and his dogs primary job is to guard the sheep from predators Livestock Guarding Dogs (LGDs) is the name used by biologists for dogs bred to guard livestock such as sheep. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... photo of a backyard A yard is an enclosed area of land, usually tied to a building. ... Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. ... “Children” redirects here. ... Obedience Training usually refers to the training of a dog and the term is most commonly used in that context. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Crate training is the process of teaching a dog to go into its crate on command and to be comfortable there while enclosed. ... A guard dog or watch dog is a dog employed to guard against, or watch for, unwanted or unexpected animals or people. ... Binomial name Say, 1823 Coyote range The coyote (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog) also prairie wolf [2]) is a member of the Canidae (dog) family and a close relative of the Gray Wolf. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Various species of deer are commonly seen wildlife across the Americas and Eurasia. ... For other uses, see Cougar (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Miscellaneous

Two adult Pyrenean Mountain Dogs

• In the U.S., this breed is known as Great Pyrenees. In the UK, they are called Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.
• They are related to several other large white European Livestock guardian dogs (LGD), including the Italian Maremma Sheepdog, Kuvasz (Hungary), Anatolian Shepherd (Turkey) and Polish Tatra or Polski Owczarek Podhalański, among others.
• In the anime/manga Azumanga Daioh, Chiyo Mihama's pet Tadakichi-san (Mr. Tadakichi) is a Great Pyrenees.
• In the anime/manga Full Metal Alchemist, Shou and Nina Tucker's dog Alexander is most likely a Great Pyrenees.
• In the novel, Belle et Sébastien, Belle is a Great Pyrenees.
• The 2004 film Finding Neverland used a Great Pyrenees to represent J.M. Barrie's Landseer Newfoundland.
• The Spanish designer Javier Mariscal was inspired by this dog breed for the design of the 1992 Summer Olympics mascot "Cobi".
• In Hanazakarino Kimitachihe, the male lead had a Great Pyreness for a pet.
• The Japanese series Ginga Densetsu Weed features a Great Pyrenees named Hiro.

2 Female Great Pyrenees Dogs Taken in April 2003 by Norman Wallace email:info<at>kipperconsulting. ... 2 Female Great Pyrenees Dogs Taken in April 2003 by Norman Wallace email:info<at>kipperconsulting. ... Kazakh shepherd, his and his dogs primary job is to guard the sheep from predators Livestock Guarding Dogs (LGDs) is the name used by biologists for dogs bred to guard livestock such as sheep. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Kuvasz (pronounced KOO-vahss; plural Kuvaszok, pronounced KOO-vah-sock) is a dog breed of ancient Hungarian origin. ... Country of origin Anatolia (Turkey) Classification Breed standards (external links) FCI, AKC, ANKC, CKC KC(UK), NZKC, UKC The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is an ancient breed of dog developed in Anatolia (central Turkey) for guarding flocks of sheep from wolves, bears, and jackals. ... The Polish Tatra Sheepdog is a breed of dog introduced into the Tatra Mountain region of Southern Poland by Wallachian shepherds, probably in the 14th Century, and used to guard and herd sheep. ... Serialized in Dengeki Daioh Original run February 1999 – June 2002 No. ... Fullmetal Alchemist DVD cover by FUNimation Fullmetal Alchemist (&#37628;&#12398;&#37676;&#37329;&#34899;&#24107;, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi in the original Japanese) is a 51-episode anime TV series which ran in Japan from October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004. ... Belle et Sébastien, is a series of French novels by Cécile Aubry and is about the mountain-based adventures of a young boy and his dog, a Great Pyrenees in a small village in the Pyrenees, a mountain range in France. ... Finding Neverland is a Academy Award-winning film that released in 2004, starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. ... Sir James Matthew Barrie, Baronet, Scottish author Sir James Matthew Barrie, Baronet (May 9, 1860 - June 19, 1937), more commonly known as J. M. Barrie, was a Scottish novelist and dramatist. ... Designer is a broad term for a person who designs any of a variety of things. ... Javier Mariscal (born 1950 in Valencia) is an internationally-known multi-faceted designer who hails from Spain. ... The 92 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Millie, once mascot of the City of Brampton, is now the Brampton Arts Councils representative. ... Hanazakarino Kimitachihe (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), also known as Hana-Kimi, is a Taiwanese drama produced by and first aired on CTS and GTV. The show was later re-broadcasted on Singapores Channel U as well as Hong Kongs TVB network. ... Ginga Densetsu Weed (銀牙伝説ウィード Ginga Densetsu Uiido) is a Japanese manga series begun by Yoshihiro Takahashi in 1999. ...

See also:

• Polish Tatra Sheepdog

The Polish Tatra Sheepdog is a breed of dog introduced into the Tatra Mountain region of Southern Poland by Wallachian shepherds, probably in the 14th Century, and used to guard and herd sheep. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Pyrenean Mountain Dog

• Great Pyrenees Library : interesting and useful articles on breeding, behavior, livestock guardians, Great Pyrenees rescue and medical information
• GreatPyr.com : Great Pyrenees Information & Resources. Photo Gallery, Forums, Breed Information and Much More!
• Texas Great Pyrenees Rescue, Inc: Visit this site to learn about adoption events, fostering and volunteering opportunities, and available dogs in the State of Texas.
• Great Pyrenees Connection: Great Pyrenees breed information, photographs, history of the breed in France and the Netherlands, links to international Great Pyrenees breeders and Great Pyrenees clubs
• Great Pyrenees Rescue of Northern California: Information on the Breed and on Males and Females available for adoption in Northern California and Northern Nevada
• Great Pyrenees Dogs: Good info about this breed as a family pet.
• SPIN-Saving Pyrs In Need : Based in North Texas , SPIN is a non profit group that rescues Great Pyrenees and fosters them until we find them new homes.
• Great Pyrenees Club of America
• The Pyrenean Mountain Dog Movie: A movie about the characteristics of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, showing the essential elements of the standard and featuring some of the best examples of the breed, filmed in the Pyrenees autumn 2005.