Pyr Rescue

[jupiters_gal]

In addition to the Saint rescue, i had also contacted the Pyr rescue group in our area. Well, they move fast! We have a home visit schedueled for Wednesday! The contact will be bringing a Pyr to our house, and we all get to interact and i guess she will be inspecting the property.

In the meantime i am doing as much research as i can on the breed. I've been enamored with them since i heard a story of a Pyr nursing a baby tiger. I do have some reservations about the breed, mostly wondering about the amount of barking, and excatly how independent they are. i like independence.but also i do want a dog that likes to be w/ it's family.

There are no Saints right now that fit for us :( but they get new ones all the time, and who knows, maybe we'll fall in love w/ a Pyr!

[AllAmericanPUP]

Do you live out in the country? or in town?

Pyrs bark alot most of the time. and they usually like to be outside.
I have a half great pyr half black lab, and she barks often just like a pyr..
they really need a job to do, like guarding a flock..
of course there are exceptions to the "rule"..you can find pyrs that dont bark and prefer to be inside..

[imported_Matty]

[quote]The mature, sedate Great Pyrenees which you have seen did not just materialize suddenly. It grew from a cuddly, lovable ball of fluff which at 8-12 weeks of age is most captivating. From puppyhood to adulthood is a great distance and a considerable time. As a breed they are remarkably healthy and long lived. They have few major genetic problems and usually live to be 10-12 years old.

Pyrs combine a great intelligence with a deep devotion to family and home, and a natural-born instinct to guard and protect. While trustworthy, affectionate, gentle and tractable, they can become, when and if the need arises, protective guardians of their family and their territory. Thus, they command respect as watch dogs as well as admiration as pets.

Adult Pyrs are placid by nature and calm in the house, enjoying quiet periods in which to rest and sleep. But they are a large breed and as such are not always suited to life in a small apartment or urban setting with little yard space and lots of activity around. They want their life to be consistent and predictable.

The addition of a dog to your family is a major decision and deserves a great deal of time and thought. A Great Pyrenees is placid by nature, so despite their size, they are excellent house dogs. Yes, an adult Pyr is a beautiful, calm dog, but there are other considerations-have you thought of these?

Considerations
Are you physically able to handle a very large dog? Basically gentle, they are strong, and during the phases of puppyhood can be a real challenge.

Does dog hair around the house bother you? If so, forget the Pyrenees. While with routine grooming they are not much different than any other breed, they do shed and there are white hairs in Pyr homes and on Pyr people.

A Pyr needs love and attention on a daily basis. Are you and your family able to provide this? A lonesome Pyr is a bored dog, and a bored dog can become destructive.

Great Pyrenees are at heart guard dogs and members of the great family of livestock guardian dogs. As such, they share with them certain strong characteristics. Pyrs were bred to be left alone with the sheep up in the mountain valleys. They are a guard dog by instinct, not by training. Their basic personality is different from most breeds, since most breeds were bred to take commands from people, while Pyrs were bred to work on their own.

A Great Pyrenees is an intelligent, sometimes willful animal. They have minds of their own and are not easily obedience trained. Things that you consider important may not be the same things your Pyrenees considers important. Many are almost cat-like, in their independence.

If you require a dog who will be a great "off-leash" companion for your outdoor activities, if you want a dog who will follow your every command, or if you want a competition obedience dog, the Pyrenees is probably not for you.

Do you have room for a Pyr? They are large and must be confined in a well fenced area, or they will exercise their powerful instinct to establish and patrol a large territory. When out of the fence they must be kept on lead at all times.

Like all livestock guardian breeds, Great Pyrenees are barkers, especially at night. The amount of barking varies from individual to individual, but the instinct is there and in some cases can cause major problems. Most Great Pyrenees in urban or suburban settings must be kept indoors at night.

The Great Pyrenees is a guard dog and as such cannot be expected to welcome uninvited intrusions onto your property. They will accept anyone whom you invite into your home. They are not "attack" dogs, but can be very intimidating to the surprised visitor. It is an owner's obligation to maintain a Great Pyrenees so that his guarding instincts can be exercised in a responsible way.[/quote]

[jupiters_gal]

I live in the burbs :) i have a fenced in back yard (6 ft fence) also i am home all day, and live in a great neighborhood for walks. With any rescue we get, we will be doing 6wks of doggy school, first me, and then my husband will do a course w/ the dog also.

I hadnt read anywhere that they wanted to be outside all the time, i do not want a dog that stays outside. any dog we get will be a member of our family, the same as my children.The dog will however get many chances to go out in the yard throughout the day.and walks of course.

I think my family will make a great "flock" for a rescue Pyr! i cant wait for my home visit on Wed. Has anyone here ever had a home visit from a rescue or shelter?

[Guest Anonymous]

I am a foster home for Anatolians...another Livestock guardian breed. I have had one out of my 5 fosters that liked being outside but he was also a former guardian who decided that people were better than animals.

My current foster dog Beaux loves the couch...loves the bed...oh heck I'll be honest...he HATES being away from us.

Every pyr is different...the Pyr/ASD mixes I've fostered were nothing more than big old couch potato's...of course they took up most of the couch.

[AllAmericanPUP]

[quote]The Great Pyrenees is a capable and imposing guardian, devoted to its family, and somewhat wary of strangers - human or canine. They are often used to guard livestock. When not provoked, it is calm, well- mannered, and somewhat serious. Courageous, very loyal and obedient. Gentle and affectionate with those he loves. Devoted to family even if self-sacrifice is required. It is very gentle with its family and children. It does best with children when it is raised with them from puppyhood. It has an independent, somewhat stubborn nature, and may try to dominate a less secure owner. A serious worker, but very independent. Be patient when training the Great Pyrenees, as it may be slightly difficult. It is important to socialize and train this breed properly to insure good citizenship. Male dogs can be aggressive with other animals. The Great Pyrenees is good with non-canine animals, and usually loves cats. These dogs do not reach maturity until they are about 2 years old. Some are not good off the leash and may wander away. The Great Pyrenees tends to bark a lot and some tend to drool and slobber.[/quote]

[mouseatthebusstop]

good luck I hope it works out

[jupiters_gal]

thats from a pyrenees rescue site. lots of good info, but breed specific.

[pyrless]

HERE I AM, HERE I AM, not paying much attention lately!!!!!! :roll:
You've got a lot of good information here. Some things I can add from my own experience with the breed and which you should consider:
They love the outdoors, yes, but do ultimately prefer to be with their families and should [i]not[/i] live outside unless their "family" is their flock of sheep.
They dig. This isn't a breed that digs out of boredom or any kind of typical behavior issue. They like it. They can dig themselves into a crater in your yard, so if you value your landscaping, consider another breed.
They drool. Some more than others. If you were considering a Saint, I'm assuming this isn't a problem for you, but you will need to keep slobber rags handy!
You will have to trim nails, especially the back double dew claws, every 2 weeks.
This is [i]not[/i] an offleash-lifestyle dog. They will, "disaPyr".
They will blow coat once a year and you will have to vacuum and brush twice a day for about a month. You get enough undercoat to fill a garbage bag.
They have a relatively slow metabolism for their size, an adult Pyr only needs about 4 cups of food a day. Also, their coat gives the impression of more mass than is really there, so when your vet administers anasthesia, heartworm medication, etc. make sure the dog has been actually weighed.
The barking. Some bark more than others, but a "quiet" Pyr still barks. I have taught mine one bark in the house, but trying to get her to stop barking outside has been futile. They hear [b]everything.[/b] and will bark accordingly (squirrel farting, etc. Sasha even barks at low-flying aircraft, I am not kidding!). Remember this is a serious livestock guardian dog and once he has decided you are his flock and your home his territory he will protect it.
Same-sex aggression is VERY COMMON in this breed, even with the females. You can't have two Pyrs of the same sex in the same home, neutered or not, without keeping them apart. Problems also arise with other large, guardian type dogs, ie German Shepherds, Malamutes and the like. Most are good with small animals, Sasha loves my cat, BUT she attacked our Pomeranian twice and we have to keep them separated.
They tend to be protective of their food, [i]from other dogs only[/i], not people.
This is a serious, large, slow-moving dog. They are devoted and loyal but will not jump up and lick your face every time you walk into a room. They will not always listen the first time you ask them to do something. They don't fall over themselves to please you. They come when called, unless there is something more interesting than you , which is 90 percent of the time! :D You can't train them by jerking them around on a chain. You must be calm and assertive at all times. (They [i]will[/i] pat you for attention, however. :D) This dog also has serious power. One Pyr can hurt a wolf or a bear, two can kill a wolf or a bear.
I am telling you all this to give you a balanced picture. If it turns out you"speak Pyr", you will never want another breed. They are Zen dogs. I am just trying to get across that this is not always, nor should it be, a cuddly white teddy bear of a dog. If I may ask, which rescue are you working with? You can get some great information from the GPCA website, and the Heart of Ohio Great Pyrenees Rescue website.
Sorry so long, everyone. Good luck to you. Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions, either post here or pm.
:D

[jupiters_gal]

Thanks so much for replying! I am working with NEPR . I have what is basically a 20 ft around sandbox in my backyard, so if the Pyr wants to dig, i can live with that. I want a dog that is inside w/ my family, and outside when we are outside, playing in the yard. The barking does concern me a bit, but i have been reading about, GoodBark,BadBark and that made alot of sense to me.I dont mind the time investment of investigating every single bark. I am a stay at home mom, so i have the time and the interest. And i vacuum almost every day anyways.

Pyrs "cat like independence" is a large part of what attracts us to them.We are a family that values independence. And also their protective nature.I want a dog that feels like it has a purpose, i live in a nice neighborhood, i dont need the protection, but def admire that instinct...this is a big house and there will plenty of room to "patrol"

Of the 3 breeds that we are looking at, Pyrs, Saints and Newfies, Pyrs seem the the most challenging, which is a good thing. Im really torn about Newfies thogh, i had heard it would be impossible to get a rescue Newf, but I ended up contacting the Newfie rescue kind of by accident, and was invited to come to their open house at the end of the month, but thats if we dont fall in love w/ a Pyr first. :D

As far as agression towards other large breed dogs, I understand every dog is an individual, but I want to be able to take my Pyr places, The Park, river walk , the state forest...these are all places i bring my children in the nice weather, can Pyrs be that kind of companion?

Well, im babbling at this point...but any more insight would be greatly appreciated. If anyone could compare the 3 breeds im looking at, that would be great, i've been doing tons of research, and my brain gets a little squirrely at a certain point!

[pyrless]

It sounds to me like your home is prepared for a Pyr! I should have been clearer about the same-sex aggression thing. This mainly occurs when the dogs are living together. I am sure that it [i]can [/i]occur outside of that situation, as it can with any breed, and that is largely a factor of the individual dog, like you said. It is more likely to occur over resources; toys, attention, the chicken you just dropped... :D But to answer your question, yes, the Pyr can be the kind of companion you described, as long as you keep them on leash. If you can control them on leash and with verbal commands, which will take some time, regardless of whether the Pyr comes rescued with this knowledge, they will take time to see [i]you [/i] as their leader, you will be fine. They are naturally gentle with children, of course the children must be taught to behave around the dog, as with any breed. The good thing about the Pyr bark is that it is mellow and low, not that yappy high pitched bark that sets your teeth on edge. (i also have a norwegian elkhound who is a nightmare barker!) I live right in the middle of Cleveland and have found this to be manageable.
Yes, of the three breeds you are looking into, they are the most challenging. It is worth every second.
All I can tell you about Newfs is that they adore water, so you will have to let them swim, so you will have a 140 lb. wet dog to deal with! Pyrs are considerably smaller than both Newfs and Saints, too. Please keep me updated on your progress! Another site you may want to check out is LaBrise, they are breeders of the true French pyr and she has a lot of valuable info and links on her site.

[JackieMaya]

My sister is on her second Great Pyrenese. The one she had before (about 25 years ago) was just a pet, but the one she has now lives out with and guards her flock of sheep in Texas. My sister is allergic to dogs, so all her dogs are outside dogs (with shelters). Her Pyr is extremely friendly to people, and I don't think he barks more than any other dog (UNLESS there's a coyote or dog pack out there). She doesn't let him out with her other dogs.

I love the giant breeds. I especially like Newfies. Another giant breed I really like is the Tibetan Mastiff. They're just gorgeous dogs.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[jupiters_gal]

Well, we had the homevisit today, and it went great! Now we get to go meet the dogs they have for adoption. They are thinking this dog, Jupiter would be a great match for us, which is funny b/c my sons middle name is Jupiter, and my ruling planet and my son ruling planet is Jupiter (hence my id) funny babbling i know...

here he is : [url]http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=2&pet=2817638&adTarget=468doggeneral&SessionID=41dc6da40d28788e-app3&display=&preview=&row=0&tmpl=&stat=[/url]

i hope that works :icon_rock:

[behle]

How exciting! I'm happy the home visit went well. I checked out his pictures. What a big beautiful furry fellow! :D I also thought the writeup on him sounded great!

You are most certainly excused for babbling (which you are not doing anyway)! Getting a new addition like him would make any family excited!!!

[JackieMaya]

Jupiter is just gorgeous! I'm glad the home visit went well, and good luck in getting him!

[pyrless]

ooohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! what a gorgeous boy! you see what i mean? there is [b]nothing[/b] like a Pyr! :wink: (me being unbiased, of course!) I am so happy for you!