Pyrenean Shepherd Facts You Should Know (with Pictures).

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Pyrenean Shepherd Breed Overview

The Pyrenean Shepherd is a small-sized dog.

The adult Pyrenean Shepherd stands 15 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder.

The Pyrenean Shepherd belongs to the Herding Dogs group.

Dogs in the Herding Dogs group, like the Pyrenean Shepherd, were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer.

Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable.

Herding dogs have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior.

Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.

The fact that Pyrenean Shepherds belong to the Herding Dogs group is one of the reasons why Pyrenean Shepherds have the personality and temperament that they have.

The temperament of the Pyrenean Shepherd is generally described as:

  • Bossy
  • Clever
  • Dedicated
  • Energetic
  • Trainable
  • Watchful

History of the Pyrenean Shepherd Breed. Where Pyrenean Shepherds came from

Pyrenean Shepherds are a small to medium sized breed of dog that originated in the Pyrenees mountains.

They are a versatile breed that is used for herding, hunting, and as a companion animal.

Pyrenean Shepherds are alert and intelligent dogs with a strong work ethic.

They are quick learners and thrive on being given tasks to do.

Pyrenean Shepherds are loyal and devoted to their families and make excellent companions.

Pyrenean Shepherds were first brought to the United States in the early 1900s.

They quickly became popular as working dogs on farms and ranches.

Pyrenean Shepherds are still used today for herding and driving livestock.

They are also popular as agility dogs, obedience dogs, and therapy dogs.

Pyrenean Shepherds come in two varieties, rough-coated and smooth-coated.

The rough-coated variety is the more common of the two.

They have medium sized heads with tapered muzzles, almond shaped eyes, and erect ears.

Pyrenean Shepherds have thick double coats that can be either short or long.

The most common coat colors are black, black and tan, gray, blue merle, or white.

Pyrenean Shepherds are an active breed that needs plenty of exercise.

They enjoy hiking, running, playing fetch, and other outdoor activities.

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What the Pyrenean Shepherd Looks Like

Pyrenean Shepherds are medium-sized dogs with a strong, athletic build.

They have a thick coat of fur that is tawny or reddish-brown in color, with black markings on the face and legs.

Pyrenean Shepherds are known for their high level of energy and their independent nature.

They are intelligent and trainable, but can also be headstrong and stubborn.

Pyrenean Shepherds are active dogs who need plenty of exercise.

They excel at agility and obedience sports, and enjoy hiking and running.

Pyrenean Shepherds make loyal, devoted companions, but they may not be the best choice for first-time dog owners.

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Best Pyrenean Shepherd Breeders

Pyrenean Shepherd Breeders in the United States

We have researched reputable Pyrenean Shepherd breeders that you can buy a puppy.

Go to this page for our complete list of reputable Pyrenean Shepherd breeders in various states in the United States.

On this page, you will see how much these breeders sell their puppies for, and how many puppies they have available.

A few of these breeders are listed below.

  1. Le Berger Bien-Aime

    Puppy Price: Check with breeder

  2. La Brise

    Puppy Price: Check with breeder

Pyrenean Shepherd Growth

Pyrenean Shepherd Growth

New Pyrenean Shepherd owners need to know about the growth of their Pyrenean Shepherds. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.

Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Pyrenean Shepherd will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Pyrenean Shepherd early.

See our calculator for predicting how big your Pyrenean Shepherd puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Pyrenean Shepherd at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Pyrenean Shepherd

How Long Pyrenean Shepherds Live

The lifespan of the Pyrenean Shepherd is typically from 15 to 17 years.

Pyrenean Shepherds live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.

Pyrenean Shepherd Litter Size

Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 2 different Pyrenean Shepherd birth litters.

From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Pyrenean Shepherds can have is 3 puppies. Also, the Pyrenean Shepherd can have as few as 3 puppies per litter and as many as 3 puppies per litter.

The number of puppies that the Pyrenean Shepherd will have depends on factors such as the age of the Pyrenean Shepherd, the method of pregnancy, etc.

Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Pyrenean Shepherd will have and how the litter size of the Pyrenean Shepherd compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.

How Fast Pyrenean Shepherds Can Run

How fast a dog breed can run is a good measure of how athletic the dog breed is.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) regularly conducts dog running competitions. The AKC records the running speed of competing dogs in these competitions. These competitions are open to all dog breeds.

Based on our analysis of the speeds of 44 different Pyrenean Shepherds, the average speed of the Pyrenean Shepherd is 23.4 mph (37.7 kmph).

The fastest speed on AKC record that the Pyrenean Shepherd ran in a race is 27.82 mph (44.8 kmph) and the minimum speed on record in a race for a Pyrenean Shepherd is 15.05 mph (24.2 kmph).

Click here to see how the speed of the Pyrenean Shepherd compares to the speed of other dogs and other mammals such as cats, horses, humans, etc.

How fast Pyrenean Shepherd can run compared to other mammals

Good Names for Pyrenean Shepherds

Here are some really good names that are typical for the Pyrenean Shepherd ranked by popularity:

  • Boone

How Popular are Pyrenean Shepherds with New Dog Owners?

Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds.

The graph below shows the popularity trend of the Pyrenean Shepherd.

The popularity of the Pyrenean Shepherd averaged over the years is Number 179 out of about 200 dog breeds.

Do not get a dog breed just because it is a popular dog breed. And do not reject a dog breed just because it is an unpopular breed.

Health Problems in Pyrenean Shepherds and How to Prevent Them

Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

The Pyrenean Shepherd is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.

From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.

Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

If you want a Pyrenean Shepherd puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Pyrenean Shepherd breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Pyrenean Shepherds for:

  1. Cardiac Evaluation
  2. DNA Repository
  3. Eye Examination
  4. Hip Dysplasia
  5. Patellar Luxation

You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Pyrenean Shepherds here.

How to Take Care of Pyrenean Shepherd

How to feed your Pyrenean Shepherd.

To take good care of your Pyrenean Shepherd, you need to make sure that you groom your Pyrenean Shepherd regularly.

Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Pyrenean Shepherd regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Pyrenean Shepherd`s preventative care.

Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Pyrenean Shepherd daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Pyrenean Shepherd.

Also, you need to feed your Pyrenean Shepherd high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Pyrenean Shepherd from getting overweight or underweight.

See our recommendations on what to feed the Pyrenean Shepherd and how much food to feed the Pyrenean Shepherd at different life stages.

Finally, you need to make sure that your Pyrenean Shepherd has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Pyrenean Shepherd needs to drink at different ages.

How much water your Pyrenean Shepherd needs.

Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Pyrenean Shepherds

If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Pyrenean Shepherd.

We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Pyrenean Shepherd:

  • Cairn Terrier (73 percent match with Pyrenean Shepherd). Learn more about the Cairn Terrier here.
  • Lakeland Terrier (73 percent match with Pyrenean Shepherd). Learn more about the Lakeland Terrier here.
  • Pomsky (73 percent match with Pyrenean Shepherd). Learn more about the Pomsky here.

Other Things to Know About Pyrenean Shepherds

Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Pyrenean Shepherd that you need to know about the Pyrenean Shepherd breed:

  • Pyrenean Shepherds do not like to be left alone.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds do not get along well with other dogs.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are not very friendly towards strangers.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds have the tendency to develop certain health problems.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are not easy to train.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds can tolerate cold weather.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are highly intelligent.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds adapt well to apartment living.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are very playful.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds weigh 25 to 30 pounds when fully grown.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds are 15 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.
  • Pyrenean Shepherds have a lifespan of 15 to 17 years.