A little look at life together.
Getting to know the Great Pyrenees
The Great Pyrenees is a large, heavily coated livestock guardian with a calm-looking but independently protective working style. Think about secure boundaries, barking, and introductions as well as caring for the thick coat.
An everyday routine
Plan a daily mix of walks, play, and rest. The amount that works for a particular dog depends on age, fitness, experience, and temperament.
Coat care to plan for
Set aside time each week for coat care, checking through the hair rather than only brushing the surface. Shedding periods or longer furnishings may need extra attention.
Before deciding, meet the individual dog and ask about their history, handling preferences, and current routine. Breed tendencies are a starting point, not a promise about personality.
Great Pyrenees questions
Do Great Pyrenees bark a lot?
Yes, and often at night. The breed barks like other livestock guardians, with the instinct strongest after dark, and the amount varies from dog to dog. Most Pyrs living in towns or suburbs need to be kept indoors at night.
How big does a full-grown Great Pyrenees get?
Males usually stand 27 to 32 inches tall and weigh 100 pounds and up, and females stand 25 to 29 inches and weigh 85 pounds and up. At the low end, a 27 inch male weighs about 100 pounds and a 25 inch female about 85.
Do Great Pyrenees shed?
Yes. They have a long outer coat over a dense, woolly undercoat, and white hair on the furniture and on your clothes comes with the breed. Some dogs shed once a year and others seem to shed constantly. The coat itself resists dirt and tangles, so about 30 minutes a week of grooming and checking the dog over is enough to keep it in good shape.
How long do Great Pyrenees live?
Life expectancy is usually 10 to 12 years. That is a breed-wide figure, not a prediction for one dog.
Why does my Great Pyrenees have extra toes on the back legs?
Those are double dewclaws, and they are a normal part of the breed. Double dewclaws on each rear leg and a single dewclaw on each front leg are typical, and missing rear double dewclaws count as a fault in the show ring. Ask your vet or groomer to show you how to keep those nails trimmed.
Are Great Pyrenees easy to train?
Not in the usual sense. They are intelligent but bred to work without direction, so they tend to greet standard obedience work with indifference and slow responses. The breed is not a good match for anyone who wants an off-leash companion or a dog that follows every command, and a Pyr needs a well-fenced area and a leash outside it.
Are Great Pyrenees always white?
Mostly, but not always entirely. The coat is white or white with markings of gray, badger, reddish brown or shades of tan, which can appear on the ears, head and tail or as a few body spots. Markings that cover more than a third of the body count as a fault in the show ring.
What were Great Pyrenees bred for?
Guarding flocks. They were developed centuries ago in the Pyrenees Mountains, between France and Spain, to watch sheep and deter wolves, bears and thieves. That meant working alone and guarding by instinct, which explains the calm, independent and protective dog people live with today.
