[PyrNet-L] size

["ARIEGE" <ARIEGE@xtra.co.nz>]

I don't know Cindy, I guess it would be upto the individual dog as to how
active they want to be also taking age into consideration and that applies
to the owners as well! Back in the early sixties our Simba spent all his
summer with us at the beach. He towed a small rubber raft through the surf
(we made him a rope harness) with us kids on board for the whole of the
summer. When we went back to school he would laze around the house until we
all came home again. We also took him for very long walks and he never
seemed to tire of all this activity during the holidays. Lived til 14 and
was fed on horse meat and biscuit plus table scraps. To me as a young girl
he was "huge" but I look at the photos today and he was not the size of
Simba the 2nd who lives with one of my cousin's and runs on a farm with a
German Shepherd from daybreak til dusk, a big heavy dog but very agile.He
has a few sheep of his own to potter amongst. Maybe our outlook on size
changes as we get a bit older.There are smaller Pyrs here than what I've had
say 10years ago and I don't have a problem with that as long as they are
well balanced and sound and reach a reasonable height and weight but we all
know that we own a late maturing breed and not to expect too much at the
beginning. Agree on the bone density Barb and we should be looking at strong
bone not heavy bone. I look at other peoples' Pyreneans at shows and at home
and sometimes I wonder why I've been afflicted with dogs who can't keep four
feet on the ground, who leap around like large frogs. who can't keep still
and often wonder if I would prefer the quieter ones?Still trying to work it
out? Does the active nature run in certain bloodlines or households even??
Jan
Jan Chaplin Ariege-Roussillon Pyreneans
visit PMDC Site at http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Zoo/6339/