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Great Pyrenees
Also known as the Pyrenean
Mountain Dog, this breed is enormous and very powerful; this
is the largest of the flock guardian breeds.
History:
Unfortunately, there is only
speculation about the exact origin of the Great Pyrenees. They
may be descended from Anatolian, Kuvasz, or Maremma Sheepdogs,
or even the Tibetan Mastiff. This is an ancient French breed
that was used to protect flocks in the Pyrenean Mountains from
marauding bears and wolf packs. In the fifteenth century they
became popular as guards, and during the reign of Louis XIV in
the seventeenth century they became particularly fashionable
for the nobility, after Louis XIV used one as a watch-dog at
the Louvre.
After the Revolution in 1789,
the breed's popularity declined rapidly and they became
scarce. In the early twentieth century two Frenchmen, Bernard
Senac-Lagrange and M Dretzen, revived interest and are
credited with the salvation of the breed. During the Second
World War, Pyrenean Mountain Dogs were credited with helping
Allied airmen escape over the mountains to safety.
Physical
characteristics:
The Great Pyrenees is a
massive breed with the distinguishing characteristic of double
rear dew-claws. A popular story is that these dew-claws were
used by the dog when scaling mountains and walls, but it is
doubtful that they would be capable of holding the dog's
enormous weight. Height: 25 - 32 in (63 - 81 cm). Weight: 90 -
125 lb (41 - 57 kg).
This dog has an abundant wooly
coat that is very weather-resistant and is made up of a coarse
outer coat and a thick undercoat of fine hairs. These dogs are
predominantly white, but can have badger, wolf-gray or pale
yellow patches, usually on the face and ears. The head is
large and domed, and the muzzle is deep and strong. The eyes
are amber-brown and are surrounded by dark eye-rims. The ears
are medium-sized, triangular in shape, and are set on at the
level of the eyes. The body is solid with a deep, broad chest
and a straight, muscular and wide back. The tail is long, and
at rest is carried low, but when the dog is excited, it raises
up to curl over the back.
Behavior:
This very large dog has little
to fear from most things in life, and so it behaves with
gentleness and great confidence. Most people react to this
dog's gentle nature by giving it lots of attention and
affection. In this way, the dog remains very sociable with
people. A strong attachment to its family makes the Great
Pyrenees an excellent protector of family and property. Its
immense size and deep bark act as a real deterrent to would-be
intruders. The Great Pyrenees is a very sociable animal and
greatly enjoys the company of other dogs.
This breed has a very thick
water-proof coat and to successfully keep it clean, rather
than washing, it is usually better to brush it thoroughly with
powder.
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