7 things to know before bringing home a Pyrenean Shepherd

The Pyrenean Shepherd, sometimes referred to as Pyr Shep, is a herding breed that originates in France and can be either rough-faced or smooth-faced, depending on the type of coat it has. It has a slim frame, almond-shaped eyes, and upright ears. These agile and perceptive dogs have a long tradition of protecting cattle from predators. It was assisted by its larger sibling, the Great Pyrenees, who also served as a watchdog against predators. Pyr Shep dog is brilliant and has a high level of activity. These attributes make the Pyr Shep a desirable pet, but they also mean that caring for one requires a significant effort. Do you plan to bring a Pyrenean Shepherd home? Here’s a complete list of things to bear in mind before making this one big decision!

The Pyrenean Shepherd is a herding breed.

Always keep in mind that the Pyr Shep is bred to herd. That means it is wary of new people and experiences. The Pyr Shep isn't the best choice if you want a dog who gets along with everyone and is adaptable to new situations.

It’s the type of dog who just wants to be around one person or one family. If it has been well-adjusted socially, they may be able to meet strangers with a polite smile and a nod of the head, but he will never make friends with them. And every time there's a change, they’ll tell you it doesn't approve by giving you a warning bark.

Although not the most well-liked of today's purebreds, these bright and curious canines have much to offer in the professional dog world. Pyr Sheps were initially bred to herd livestock.

Unlike their big, fluffy relatives, Pyrenean Shepherds are bred specifically for speed and thrive at agility competitions. Pyr Sheps are lovely companion animals because of their loyalty and willingness to please their owners.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is a healthy breed.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is a robust breed that has a high probability of living a long life. Dedicated breeders do genetic testing on every stock to minimize the risk of certain conditions appearing in the breed's offspring and, ideally, to remove them entirely.

It is possible for any dog, just as it is possible for any human to inherit a particular illness, for a dog to suffer hereditary health problems. Pyrenean Shepherds experience a few different health issues, including hip dysplasia, epilepsy, luxating patellas, patent ductus arteriosus, progressive retinal atrophy, luxating patellas, and patent ductus arteriosus.

It is impossible to diagnose all of these diseases in a young puppy, and it is often difficult to determine whether or not an animal will be healthy and free of these disorders.

Keep in mind that once you've brought a new puppy into your home, you can shield it from one of the most prevalent health issues, which is obesity. One of the simplest things that can be done to lengthen the lifespan of a Pyr Shep is to ensure that it maintains a healthy weight.

This breed needs to be brushed weekly.

The coat of the Pyr Shep must be brushed once a week to prevent mats and tangles and maintain it looking its best. Its double coat, which consists of a fluffy undercoat and a protective outer coat comprised of straight and short to somewhat long hair, is what gives him his shabby appearance.

Its undercoat is softer than its protective outer coat. The coarse outer coat could lose quite a lot of hair, while the soft undercoat might get tangled up quite quickly. You have the option of leaving the coat uncorded and keeping it combed out as it grows, or you can cord it. The grooming procedure includes vital steps like cleaning his ears and cutting his nails.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is a high-energy and active dog.

The Pyr Shep is a high-energy dog that is ever watchful and ready to leap into action. Many modern-day Pyr Sheps are not given a chance to herd animals, the original purpose for which they were born, so these dogs are always eager to channel their boundless energy into other, more exciting pursuits. The breed's mental, emotional, and physical well-being depends on regular exercise and a purposeful lifestyle.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is an excellent dog for active families because of its vital energy and cheerful nature. To satisfy its desire for mental stimulation, this herding breed needs more than just a few walks per day.

Spending time outside with you and engaging in activities like canine sports, advanced training, or herding lesson practice can make your Pyrenean Shepherd very happy.

The Pyrenean Shepherd dog breed is known for its high levels of activity and vitality. As a working herding dog, this breed may cover several kilometers daily. Even though it doesn't strictly require this amount, it can nonetheless sprint equivalent distances.

You should be prepared to give your Pyrenean Shepherd at least an hour of daily exercise. It needs at least 90 minutes of daily activity. Its favorite activities are agility lessons and free play. You should give it as strenuous of an activity as you can manage.

A Pyr Shep's health and happiness can be considerably enhanced by engaging in agility training and other sports. Still, they can also thrive on long walks and a steady diet of energetic games done in the garden.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is intelligent and trainable.

The Pyr Shep is brilliant, active, and amenable to training. They strongly bond with their owners and always aim to please them. Unlike some other herding breeds, Pyr Sheps are trained to herd with their entire bodies rather than just their eyes.

They have an innate understanding of their owner's wants and needs, making them receptive to positive, reward-based teaching techniques like clicker training. Any canine sport, from agility to rally to obedience to dock diving to freestyle work, is open to this breed with open arms.

The intelligence and trainability of Pyrenean Shepherds are one of their many endearing qualities. They may not be the easiest to train, but they learn the rules of games quickly and have a lot of fun doing it. Always use rewards like food, attention, and playtime to motivate your pet to behave positively through positive reinforcement training.

Puppies are old enough to start learning basic commands at about eight weeks of age, and this training should continue for the rest of the dog's life.

They make a good watchdog because they bark a lot and are always looking for trouble, but they should never be aggressive. Training them from a young age and maintaining that training will be necessary if you wish to reduce the barking.

This breed needs high-quality dog food.

The Pyrenean Shepherd should thrive on veterinary-approved, high-quality dog food, whether purchased commercially or cooked at home. Dogs of all ages require different nutritional needs. Keeping an eye on your dog's calorie intake and weight is essential because certain canines are predisposed to being overweight.

While treats can be a valuable tool in training, excessive doling out can lead to weight gain. Find out what kinds of people's food can be fed to your dog and what to avoid. If you are worried about your dog's nutrition or weight, it is best to consult a veterinarian. The availability of potable water is a necessity.

High-quality dog food, tailored to the Pyrenean Shepherd's age, weight, and activity level, is ideal for the canine athlete. Although Pyr Sheps do not have any specialized food allergies, owners should still use caution when feeding their pet a new diet and take their dog to the clinic if they experience any gastrointestinal trouble.

Due to their high activity levels, dogs of this breed are less likely to develop obesity than those of lower-energy varieties. Pyr Dog owners should still keep an eye on their active Sheps to make sure they don't acquire too much weight from the extra treats.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is smaller compared to other herding breeds.

As the name suggests, the Pyrenean Shepherd can be found in its natural habitat, the rough French Pyrenees. This guy has a rough coat on the outside and a flawless face on the inside. It's a little dog, weighing only 15–30 pounds, but its enthusiasm and character are huge.

While the Pyrenean Shepherd's small stature, handsome look, and fierce commitment to its family make it a popular pet but is not the best choice for a dog owner who lacks experience, dedication, or motivation. The combination of its high levels of energy, intelligence, and desire for attention makes it a potential behavioral disaster if not properly stimulated, trained, and engaged.

The Pyrenean Shepherd needs both physical and mental activities.

Suppose your dog doesn't get at least an hour of exercise or do something physically or mentally challenging daily, like agility, flyball, herding, obedience, rally, or tracking. In that case, the energetic and mischievous Pyrenean Shepherd will make its fun by barking too much, digging, and causing other kinds of damage.

It may be able to adjust to apartment or condo living provided you give it the care and exercise it requires.

Daily exercise for the Pyrenean Shepherd should be supplemented with training time, including challenging mental activities. In addition to being eager to learn new tricks, this breed takes excellent delight in interactive playtime at home.

The Pyrenean Shepherd needs a great deal of socialization.

It takes the Pyr Shep around three years to reach adulthood. Because of how fast it bonds with its family, rehoming it can be challenging. If you can't see yourself caring for your Pyr Shep for at least 15 years, don't get one.

As soon as you bring your new puppy home, you should begin training it. It can learn anything at a young age of 7 or 8 weeks. Start socializing as early as possible, ideally by enrolling in a puppy kindergarten program between 10 and 12 weeks.

You can get a head start by teaching it basic commands and introducing it to friends and family right away. You might also host a get-together for folks to meet at your place. Socialize it with the children of your friends and neighbors repeatedly if you want it to be friendly with children.

Communicate with the breeder and explain what you expect from a dog, then ask for help choosing a puppy. Once breeders learn about your lifestyle and personality, they can make recommendations based on the puppies' likely compatibility with yours. Look for a Pyr Shep that has been well socialized from an early age and whose parents have good attitudes.

This breed makes an excellent watchdog.

Its origin as a herder made it a natural watchdog and a great addition to any security team since it keeps everyone on their toes. On the other hand, you must instruct it on the appropriate times to bark and refrain from doing so at different times.

The Pyr Shep can be good with children if raised with them from an early age.

The Pyr Shep is a great dog for families with kids since it can learn to keep up with their high energy and is a great playmate. But their rapid actions can make the dog anxious if it isn't accustomed to them.

And while it may have a soft spot for the kids in its own family, it probably won't want to spend much time with the kids next door. It's important to remember that it’s a herding breed and might snap or chase after kids.

When it comes to kids, it just depends on how much the Pyr Shep is socialized with them from an early age. If you want this dog to get along with kids, you'll need to start socializing with them as puppies. Even then, it will do best with older kids who know how to act around dogs.

This breed likes to be in charge.

This dog is relaxed with other animals being around, but it likes to be the top dog. You can't take it to the dog park or the neighborhood expecting it to make friends with the other pups around.

The Pyr Shep has a low score in cat friendliness and an even lower score for dog friendliness. But if they are family, it is more likely to get along with cats and other dogs. It has a natural tendency toward being in charge and will almost certainly attempt to assume that role.

While not typically renowned for it, Pyrenean Shepherds occasionally show a desire to chase smaller animals despite their relatively low prey drive compared to other herding breeds.

The Pyrenean Shepherd has excellent endurance.

The Pyr Shep has excellent stamina due to its ancestry as a mountain herding dog. Long treks and challenging hikes will not tire it out if it is otherwise healthy.

You can let it run around off-leash while you toss a disc or ball for him to chase. Remember that your dog might not be friendly with other dogs; therefore, you should be vigilant at all times.

They can run super fast.

The small Pyrenean Shepherd can run super fast. The Pyrenean Shepherd is bred to control a flock. To herd all of the sheep and other livestock, they must cover at least 20 miles daily on foot. They are perfectly capable of keeping up with you when you run or hike. Also, they are pretty handy, allowing them to easily complete obstacle courses.

To sum up, these dogs are incredibly agile, graceful, and intelligent despite their slender builds. The Pyrenean Shepherd's devotion to his family is matched only by its enthusiasm for its job; thus, owners of this breed of dog should be ready to engage in dog sports with their pets or provide them with a herding task.

These pups have the potential to become loving family pets that get along great with everyone in the family, even the kids! Playtime should be supervised, as it should be with any child or canine.

Although Pyr Sheps can adjust to apartment life, you should still take them for frequent walks because of their vital energy and exercise needs. They are also great athletes and can be trained for various dog sports, including agility. This type of dog is perfect if you want a companion who will keep you active all the time. Enjoy!