Re: [PyrNet-L] size

["Tracy Bassett" <espinay@dynamite.com.au>]

Dog Food companies here have "Large Breed
>Puppy Foods" which could be any sized Breed from a Labrador up and my Chow
>friends also feed it because of the bone and growth of a Chow.
>Jan Chaplin

A 'Large Breed' for Agility Trial purposes here is 55 centimeters and up.
My Dally, at 56cm is classified as a large dog.  She is not a large Dally
(middle of the standard used here) and I have always found it amusing to
have her referred to as large both in this respect and generally.  I guess
it all depends on your point of view.  Pyrs to me are 'normal' height for a
Dog.  My Dally to me is a small dog. Others see my 'Halley', who is small
for a Pyr (I think she is tiny) and comment on how HUGE she is.  They don't
believe me when I tell them she is small (and have heart failure when they
see another Pyr beside her :-D )

Have just read through a few of the Breed Standards used here to make a
comparison:

Saint Bernard  'Minimum Height'  -  Dogs 70cm and Bitches 65cm
Pyr 'Minimum Height' - Dogs 70cm and Bitches 65cm
Newfoundland ' Fair Average Height' - Dogs 71cm and Bitches 66cm

Are Saints and Newfs classified as a 'Giant Breed'?  If so, and 'Giant' is
gauged by height alone, I would probably classify Pyrs as 'Giant' too.

Tracy Bassett
espinay@dynamite.com.au
Canberra, Australia