Frequently Asked Questions

1.    Who should own a Great Pyrenees?

            Not everyone should own a Great Pyrenees.  In the case of families they should consider the following.  Pyrs are large.  They shed a lot of white fur.  They bark loudly and often, sometimes at what we think is nothing.  They guard continuously and are driven by these instincts.  They appear to be stubborn and self willed.  Likely, they are simply following their instincts.  They can be dangerous if they do not like someone or perceive them as a threat.  They need to be fenced and contained as they will expand their area of guarding to include sometime miles of property if not limited.  This is not always appreciated by neighbors.  They are generally great with children, but children must be taught to respect and use good sense with Pyrs.  Some Pyrs are "harder" and less tolerant and maybe should not be in families with children, especially children who are not well disciplined in their behavior. 

2.    How big do Great Pyrenees get?

    They are big because they had to ward of large predators like wolves, bears, and large cats from the sheep.  This translates to dogs being as much as 32 inches at the shoulders and bitches being as much as 29 inches at the shoulders.  Dogs can weight 120 to 130 pounds, but the average probably weights 100-110 pounds.  Bitches can weight 110 to 115 pounds, but the average probably weight 85-90 pounds.  Under all that coat they should be rather lean, but hard muscled dogs.  Not fat, fleshy dogs.  Show me a 140 pound dog that is 29 inches and I will show you a fat dog.  Certainly a fat dog is not what you want for work for many reasons. Power is the product of speed and strength.  Power is the word for Great Pyrenees i.e. a combination of strength and speed.

3.    Where are you located?

    We are just outside of Jefferson, Georgia.  We are 14 miles north of Athens, Georgia on US Hwy 129.  We are 7 miles south of I-85 at exit 137.  That puts us about 65 miles north of Atlanta. 

4.    Working Great Pyrenees, what exactly are they?

    The very essence of the breed is derived because Great Pyrenees developed its unique abilities and instincts in the relative isolation of the Pyrenees Mountains in France for about 5000 years.  These abilities and instincts are present only because the breed was required to work as a guardian of the sheep of the Pyrenean Shepherds as far back as 5000 years.  Unfortunately, some contemporary breeders know little or nothing about the working attributes of the breed, which means basically they may not understand what makes the Great Pyrenees unique.  This situation has existed here in North America for many years and some very prominent kennels are simply not knowledgeable of this aspect of the breed.  For this reason one sees a large diversity of breed type and temperaments.  This is not always very good for the breed and in some hands the phonotypical type and temperament of the breed has been altered.  Worse is the typical working breeder who has no clue about the history of the breed and the unique breed type that makes the Great Pyrenees, arguably, the best livestock guard dog of the livestock guardian dog group.  The show breeders care a lot about genetic health generally and pedigrees.  The working breeders care how well Great Pyrenees work, but mistakenly believe they have something unique in a dog that will guard their livestock.  Truth is, many breeds guard equally well and most Pyrs work in an acceptable fashion.  Many working breeders care nothing about the unique phonotypical aspects of the breed, which is basically what makes the Great Pyrenees so unique and sets it off from the rest of the livestock guardian breeds.  It is desirable to keep the "work" in the Great Pyrenees and even though at present this is not a big problem, that might change if there is little or no regard for this in our breeding programs.  We do not know what the future will bring if we have little regard for this basic working aspect of the breed.  The ignorance of some show breeders is leading to their disparaging the working breeders who are aware and trying to be mindful of good genetics, and making provisions and establishing safeguards around the typical problems that leads to the big rescue problem in the breed.   There are a few breeders who have a working understanding with both worlds and greatly value those few good working breeders who are interested in the breed welfare.

5.    What genetic problems are common in the breed?

    The Great Pyrenees is not saddled with a lot of serious genetic problems.  But having said that, there are areas of great concern for the genetic health of the breed.  There are "pockets" of problems in certain breeding lines.  Your breeder is your best safeguard against the likelihood of having genetic problems.  Breeders who subscribe to a code of ethics such as the one adopted by the Great Pyrenees Club of America and those affiliated with GSPIA should be able to produce puppies with good health.  The greatest health problems in numbers of the breed are hip dysplasia, luxating patella, and epilepsy.  Juvenile (late onset) cataracts, entropian, dwarfism, sub-aortic stenosis, and thyroid problems are less common but of great concern and should be screened for same with all breeding stock and carefully analyzed genetically for familial incidence of any of these problems in every breeding.  There are other health problems as well.  Temperament is a genetic characteristic and should be evaluated as shy, nervous dogs are genetically not correct and should not be bred.  Same is true for a nasty aggressive Great Pyrenees under normal non guarding circumstances. 

Buyer beware.  You must do your homework in all the above areas or you will pay the cost in money and emotional expense.  Ask the questions and listen carefully to the answers.  Verify information given.  For example: are the dogs X-rayed for hip dysplasia?  Answer: yes, they are clear.  Next question.  Where can I verify that status?  The OFA has a web site that will allow you to do that.  Ask about siblings, and both parents.  This is genetics, a science, not a crap shoot, although probability does play a role.  Probability and a good honest ethical experienced breeder will most likely greatly increase your chances of getting a good sound healthy Great Pyrenees. 

6.    What is Good Shepherd Pet Indemnity Alliance?

    Good Shepherd Pet Indemnity Alliance or GSPIA is a not for profit corporation established to set up a safety net for your pet, should it ever become lost, stolen, or abandoned.  GSPIA registers each animal in its data base and requires that all animals who are registered in the program are identified with its own microchip.  GSPIA provides a fund that will assist with medical care, transportation, and rehoming expenses if necessary.  GSPIA has Affiliates who subscribe to a very high level of ethical conduct that ensures you off good sound genetics and fair dealing.  All pets bred or sold by an GSPIA Affiliate is guaranteed for its lifetime against genetic problems or they will be replaced.  GSPIA Affiliates are always available to help you with the smallest to the largest problems you may encounter.  Pets fostered and rehomed by GSPIA are not guaranteed unconditionally, but have the safety net of the fund and are registered in the data base for identification purposes always available to assist with its handling.   All GSPIA Affiliates have a uniform contract that ensures your rights and entitlement to a good Pet.  GSPIA Affiliates have entered into an agreement with GSPIA agreeing to abide by high ethical standards and agreeing to always keep the welfare of the dogs as its top priority.

7.    What is ?

    stands for Canine Health Information Center.  It is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).  Each breed selects the health problems they feel need special attention in breeding and the collaboration between the entities above will collect and publish the results to tests that will indicate the status of these genetic problems in the dogs.  In Great Pyrenees a dog must pass three areas to qualify for .  Two areas are mandatory i.e. they must pass these two, plus at least one other.  The two mandatory areas are hip and knees.  There are other areas that breeders can select, hopefully, representative of areas that they feel are important to their breeding lines. 

8.    So what does mean to me, an owner or potential buyer?

    You know that a certified dog or bitch has been tested and its results made public for some potentially severe genetic problems.  It tells you that the breeder/owner of that Pyr cares enough to go to the expense and effort to certify its breeding stock.  It is a top hallmark of quality in health in the breed.  Nothing is perfect, but is a huge step in the right direction.