Re: [pyrnet] Estagel and Estat d'Argeles Of Basquaerie, etc.

[JGentzel@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/2/2002 8:38:40 AM Eastern Standard Time, Mitzi@mitzis.net writes:

> Try to describe it, Joe. I'm curious.


It is an affinity with people, especially their owners, but their dogs seems to actually court the attention of strangers once they are reasonably comfortable that they are friendly and supposed to be there.  It is more evident in the males, but the females have it as well.  They seem to make contact with you at some subliminal level.  It is not a foo foo type dog response as one knows they are in charge of their territory.  Its  almost like they invite you into their special world and you are honored to be chosen.  Several years ago a group went from North America, about 20 breeders.  We visited some of the top breeders in the region of the Pyrenees Mountains.   Every place we went we were greeted with the wonderful temperament dogs, but at the last stop at the sisters of Ermites (may not have the name correct from memory) cloistered high in the Pyrenees Mountains on the Eastern end of the Pyrenees just a few miles from Spain, we met a great dog, Juson du Pic de Viscos, whose breeder Benoit Cockenpot we had already visited near Argeles Gazost.  We had to walk from the gate down a long path (road?), about a mile.  Twenty of us, two in wheelchairs, we trudged up to the compound of the cloistered order of Nuns who breed Pyrs under the kennel name de Gabizos.  

Sister met us at the gate accompanied by one of the largest dogs any of us had ever seen, Juson du Pic de Viscos.  Juson went up to each person individually and greeted them, I am sure satisfying himself that we were all no danger.  Once he was through with the introductions, he merrily accompanied us along our paths to the kennel area, etc.  My then 10 or 11 year old son was along.  Coming back from the kennel, my son sat on a bridge over a stream that had a drop of a few feet to the water, dangling his legs.  Juson walked in front of my son, who was sitting with his legs dangling off the bridge.  He forced my son backward to his back by placing his body weight against his chest, but did not hurt him at all (Juson weighed maybe 140 pounds, my son maybe 80-90 pounds).  Although startled he was never in fear, but did get up and move away from the edge of the bridge.  Juson was fine at that point, and went about his business with the group.  While I did not see it, the ones who did see it were struck by the dogs level of concern and then taking the situation in hand and providing a cure to the problem he perceived.  These were very experienced breeders not likely to dream up some off the wall fanciful tale.  Juson was our guide and protector even at his home.  We all knew we were in good hands with him.  

This year sitting ringside at the French National specialty, Neou de Neouvielle was just behind me with his owner Arrielle.  I really did not know Neou and have admired his litterbrother Noustamic for many years.  Neou choose me to make friends.  His presence was something special and I was helpless to his charms and regal temperament.  I am pretty crusty about such things (have bred for 30 years keeping over 30 Pyrs for much of the past 20 years in residence, so I am not easily seduced), but I was putty in his hands and he knew it.  It was a remarkable hour spent with Neou and of course I am now a huge fan of his, how could I resist?  

What is it?  A presence, a confidence, a connection with its humans.  They are also real dogs, as I said, nothing foo foo about them.  Phenotypically we can see a lot of poor rears, fronts, flawed gait, but never doubt these dogs can do their job.  That dreamy contemplative look is piercing and somehow the dog connects with us by its gaze and presence.  

After all these words I still feel like I did not describe it very well.  Maybe someone else familiar with the dogs in France can give it a stab.

Joe