Re: [PyrNet-L] Why you chose Pyrs as your breed contest

[Stephanie W <srwhitney@earthlink.net>]

I consciously discovered Pyrs when I was researching the kind of dog I
wanted 14 years ago, just after I got the poodle/sheltie mix pound
puppies as graduation gifts for my sons, (although I remember having a
white fluffy stuffed dog as a child.)  I wanted a dog large enough to
protect but calm and gentle also.  I fell in love with the beauty of
Pyrs from a calendar picture that I saw and started reading about them.
I read the first Strang book and was sure that I wanted a Pyr.  I
remember a story in the book that impressed me about 5 Pyrs and a well
(can't remember the story, but the picture sticks in my mind.)

 Then I began reading warnings that Pyrs weren't for timid owners (me)
and had second thoughts.  I looked into Newfies, thinking they were much
the same.  The Newfie breeder I spoke to warned that Pyrs were terribly
aggressive, so I got a Newfie.  Pyrs still haunted me.  We had four dogs
at the time.

Years went by.  The dogs we had were aging and I began thinking about
Pyrs again.  I joined the first Pyr list on the internet to find out
more.  At the same time, I first heard about Wolfhounds, so I joined
that list too and found that both breeds had elements of what I was
looking for.  The Wolfhound people portrayed the breed as saints.  The
Pyr people warned that they could be hard to handle.  I chickened out
again and got a Wolfhound.  My Wolfhound reached the terrible teens and
started to try to dominate everyone, including me.  The Wolfhound people
said, "Oh, no.  Wolfhounds are never dominant or hard to handle!"  Ha,
Ha!  I read the Alpha Bootcamp article and took him to obedience classes
and started to get the situation under control.  I wondered how much
harder to handle a Pyr could be, thought that at 51, if.I didn't get the
breed I had dreamed about all my life soon, I never would, and decided
to be careful to get a Pyr with the best temperment possible.  I "spoke"
to Mitzi and then to Mary Milliken, and Anais became a part of my life.

At 10 months old, Anais has never been harder to handle than others I
have had and is the love of my life.  I am so glad that I overcame my
hesitation and got the breed that I have always dreamed of!

Stephanie & Anais & Ciaran (IW) and Smedley 14 1/2 year old
poole/sheltie? mix