Re: [pyrnet] This Pyr almost looks like a red roan?

[Tracy Bassett <espinay@bigpond.com>]

<<why do Pyrs seem to be thoroughly pigmented in these areas?  Is that 
simply due to selectively breeding for fully-pigmented lips and nose? >>

Yes.  Pigment is important and the standard stresses that.  Incomplete 
pigment can sometimes be a problem particularly on nose and eyerims.  
Breeders will try and select for strong pigment (one of the reasons that 
breeding all white to all white is not done for multiple generations - 
you can risk losing good pigment. )

I still don't have a good understanding of roaning, and if that's what's 
going on with that dog, why would it pop up so infrequently.

I will say again - the dog does NOT have roaning.  What you are probably 
mistaking is a combination of 'dirty' coat (remember most European dogs 
are not washed or groomed for a show - they can be pulled straight out 
of the yard or paddock) and a 'creamier' tone of coat which some 
Pyreneans can have.  That combined with the artificial indoor lighting 
which is creating more shadows.

<<I guess it does seem like (and correct me if I'm wrong) that Pyrs here 
in the US tend to have less pigment (in terms of coat color) than their 
counterparts across the pond, and maybe that's why I haven't seen it? >>

White or lightly marked has been 'popular' in US all breeds show rings 
in past years though there are still a lot of marked dogs out there (for 
example, FAME is quite well marked) and there have been some heavy 
marked dogs too (some as heavily marked as Admiral Benbow).  Europe and 
the UK has seen more heavily marked dogs though.  Partly a factor of 
foundation stock.  Less of the heavily marked dogs were imported to the 
US in the early years.  The darker marked dogs are generally appreciated 
by breeders and specialist judges for their good pigment though, even in 
the US.

Tracy Bassett
Espinay Pyrenean Mountain Dogs
 "Putting te Breed before breeding"
Gunning NSW Australia
mobile: 0412167278
email: info@espinay.com
web: www.espinay.com





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