Great Pyrenees?

Question

Thinking... I may want this dog for our family...I have a big fenced yard 1/2 acre ...a 3 year old...and live in the High Desert..it does get warm in summer...we have shelter & would allow dog inside...is this the right fit for us? Help!

Answer 1

It might be. The coat requires a bit of care. They are big and can be drooly. They can sometimes have temperment issues. They were bred as guarding flock dogs, so they have that kind of temperment and need training and socialization.

Go to the AKC website and see the breed description.
Also be sure you get a puppy from a GOOD breeder. They have health problems and the breeding stock should be screened!!!

Do not get a Newfie. They would not like the desert. They are black and so more heat intolerant, and they like water!!! They SWIM.

Answer 2

Huge dogs, very sweet and calm, good with kids and other animals. Because of their size, you need to train them young, they don't live very long and they can have problems with hip dysplasia. They will do fine in the high desert - as long as they always have fresh water and shade. I'd bring any dog into the air conditioned house if it gets over 90 degrees though. DON'T shave them down - they need that coat for insulation from the sun, heat and insects.

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money. The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.

Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions - spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.

These so-called "breeders" have now figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Answer 3

Only you know if that is the right dog for you. I have heard they can become "overly" protective of a family, so you may want to check with a local club or rescue group that deal specifically with Great Pyrenees as to the temperment you can expect. Since you are up to a large dog - I have a recommendation, check into a Newfoundland. I had one, and one day I will again, best dog ever, and every newfie owner I know will tell you the very same thing. The love their family with their whole being.

Answer 4

Pyrs have a thick heavy coat - I can not assume one being blissful in Florida with that warmness. They're blissful open air and within the snow. I do know a character who breeds them, they've a farm in Ontario Canada and the dogs are outdoor so much of the time on acreage. Eight-10 miles every week? Hell, they must have 5 miles a day. They're a working canine and wish greater than a informal walk. And yes, they need a organization, however loving hand. These aren't timid dogs even though they are extra "maternal" guardians rather than "paternal" - which a GSD or Doberman is. Pyrs defend their flock - however with socialization, can and do get along well with different puppies. I'd go together with the pleasant Dane. Edit: I stand corrected through Nedra E - i guess the double coat on the Pyr is just like the GSD and since they're white they do pleasant. My black GSD relatively suffers in the warmness but my different closely covered GSD is nice - and he's lighter colored.

Answer 5

These dogs were bred to herd and gaurd flocks. So they need job. They tend to be independant thinking dogs (read harder to train) than some other breeds. It was needed for the job they do.
Look at www.akc.org and find the breed club and they will have a place where you can call or e-mail with breeders or someone who can answer your questions.
They can also provide info about the health concerns and how the heat affects these guys.
They may also be affiliated with a recue for them. You may be able to get a dog trhu the rescue program.
Good luck in your search. I really like Great Pyrenees but I hate the drool factor and I can not take the hair either. I have hunters but all short haired.

Answer 6

I have one and he is THE most amazing dog I have ever had!!! (I raised and showed Basset Hounds before.) However, they need to be socialized, as do all dogs. They can get quite dominating, so you must be the alpha dog, it helps them from feeling like they MUST protect EVERYTHING. Also, they have now been put on the "vicious dog list" and so you must have them graduate from a good obedience class and pass their "Good Citizenship Test". In this way you can show that they are obedient and self-controlled. Finally, I work with the Pyr Rescue and there are many great dogs, full-blood pyres who need a good home - I would suggest that you get an adolescent from a rescue. (As puppies they can be quite a handful.) And Pyres do best on a raw food diet, this is because of their history, being alone in the mountains meant that their digestive systems is still quite acclimated toward raw food sources. My Pyr male, who is still a puppy - he just turned a year, eats 2.5 pounds of chicken necks a day along with green beans, an egg, and an apple - this is his daily diet. He also eats a pizza on Tuesdays from Domino's, on Sundays he has McDonald's, and he adores Dairy Queen for ice cream. This breed makes wonderful companions and NOW I would not have another breed of dog. Good luck.

Answer 7

Go to the AKC.org websight and look the breed up. It will tell you all about it and provide links to some websites all about the Pyrenees and nothing else. The pyrenees club website will inform you as to all the positives and negatives about the breed. Once you find out all the negatives and health issues you can make a much more informed decision about the breed and it's suitability for you and your family and location.

Answer 8

Great Pyrenees are extremely huge! And have hair thicker than an Alaskan Malmute. These dogs are very sensitive to heat, so let that be a warning. They are major diggers, and over playful, but wouldn't hurt a soul. Maybe you should get a less hair covered dog for the desert. But it is up to you. Good luck.

Answer 9

yes you may want to watch out for the three year old they love to lean so it depends if you have someone real old in your house hold that cant walk real well. im twelve years old and i have a great pyreneesif you get a little wading pool he should be ok in the summerit is best to get one as a puppy they cost about 200 dollars. the three year old sould be ok 1/2 an acre should be ok if you have any more questions i willbe happy to answer them e-mail me at [e-mail]

Answer 10

They are big sweet dogs that will need a lot of care for the coat and will need to be let inside if it is hot outside.