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Re: [pyrnet] French vs. American Heads in the Great Pyrenees



Answers from OUR family:

1. How much land do you have or do you recommend for perspective puppy parents???
We have 2 Pyrs... we live in a suburban area with a typical backyard.  They get daily walks and occasional trips to the dog park.  

2. Does it make a difference if the pyr is not the only dog in the family?  My rescues were VERY possesive of me and my resources.  

We have 2 Pyrs for a reason (1 male, 1 female -- same age, not siblings, raised together).  Pyrs are 'happiest' with Pyrs for companions because they play the same way and work as partners.  I think your rescues may have been very possessive not because they were Pyrs but because they were rescues.  Mine are inseparable and devoted to each other.  No aggression even over ice cream.  :)

3.  Do you recommend this dog if they will not be used as a LGD?

Absolutely.  Guarding our family (and keeping the neighborhood safe from bears and butterflies) is as much a job as guarding a flock. .. or so they seem to think.

4. What is the ideal size of the home of a pyr owner??

As long as it has doors for them to lay in front of.... and a roof to get in out of the weather ... and "their people" inside...  size isn't all that important.

Kat
Scout and Gypsy
http://gallery.me.com/johnoeffinger#100059&view=carouseljs&bgcolor=black&sel=0



On Mar 29, 2011, at 10:20 PM, Jennifer Hair wrote:

okay... this strand has been most interesting.  I haven't posted in years but now I have some questions of my own.  I rescued pyrs when I lived in a different area about 2 years ago.  All the guys that I fostered had been abused and had serious issues. Of course these guys were accidents created by unaltered farm dogs who were let to roam free. Even with these poorly breed examples I fell in love with the breed. So I'm so glad to hear so many people mention temperment.  
On that note I have some questions for everyone...
1.  How much land do you have or do you recommend for perspective puppy parents??? 
2. Does it make a difference if the pyr is not the only dog in the family?  My rescues were VERY possesive of me and my resources.  
3.  Do you recommend this dog if they will not be used as a LGD?
4. What is the ideal size of the home of a pyr owner??  I had a 1200 sq ft house.  I had 2 of my own dogs and always had one foster.  Sometimes that got a little cramped.  We would have "scuffles"... usually between the foster pyr and my own pyr mix.  

I'd really like to get another pyr.  My Bailey passed away about 2 1/2 years ago, and I miss him.  I've got 2 goldens right now and live in a 1200 sq ft home.  My yard is good sized but is not huge. I want to make sure that I have the exact right conditions before bringing another dog into the family.  :)
 
Jennifer 
"Dogs and cats are just children dressed up in fur coats."



From: Lisa <eventidepyr@aol.com>
To:
 pyrnet-l@pyrnet.org
Sent:
 Mon, March 28, 2011 12:26:21 PM
Subject:
 Re: [pyrnet] French vs. American Heads in the Great Pyrenees

R has a prettier head than that pic shows. 
 

Bea Stephens <
beastephens@gmail.com> wrote:

>I'm partial to M. Beautiful.
>On Mar 28, 2011 4:09 AM, "Andréa deCarlo" <
staad03@moravian.edu> wrote:
>> Hi, all!
>>
>> So I'm trying to decide where I should get my first Pyr to show, and
>> what I'm looking for in a dog, and I'm definitely having a lot of
>> trouble. I'm located in the US, and will compete in the AKC.
>>
>> I've included in this (
 http://i54.tinypic.com/jubqle.jpg ) image shots
>> of a few Pyrs I really like. I am in no way intending to open a public
>> discussion of any of these dogs' perceived faults! I admire all these
>> dogs, and have great respect for their breeders and owners. Though I
>> suppose they are still recognizable, I have labeled the dogs with
>> letters rather than names.
>>

>> Let me make a few initial comments (which you can disagree with) on
>> each.... and please remember that although I have seen dozens of photos
>> (and it some cases, video footage) of these dogs at various angles, I
>> have yet to see any in person.
>>
>> R - R is a beautiful dog, and has ranked incredibly well in the AKC. I
>> have owned a dog from R's breeder before, and loved everything about
>> her. R's breeder produced many dogs who I think look a lot like R.
>>
>> M - M is from the same breeder as R, but I think is a bit different from
>> most of the dogs there. M's head is, from what I've been told, more of
>> a "French style" head. Other dogs I will discuss have this to a greater
>> degree, but M has an incredible and lovely balance between the "French"
>> and "American" type Pyrs. I would be so proud to own a dog like this,
>> but I have not seen him--or others like him--in the ring very often.
>>
>> P - I would say that P fits more into the "American" type category than
>> M. One gripe I have with a lot of the dogs I see here in the US is how
>> loose-lipped they can be--though it seems as though this has improved
>> over the past 20 years or so. P does not have this problem, and I
>> cannot find a single thing about this dog's head or _expression_ that I do
>> not like. P has been, and continues to be, successful in the ring.
>>
>> H - H is not from the United States, and certainly looks different from
>> many of the Pyrs here in the US. One gripe I have with a lot of US dogs
>> is how loose-lipped they can be... though it seems as though this has
>> improved over the past 20 years or so? H's head does not remind me of
>> the dogs that have been most successful in the US as of lately, but
>> reminds me SO much of photos I have seen of the early American Pyrs.
>>
>> T - T is very similar to H, I think. Cutie.
>>
>> I cannot tell how much of the perceived difference in these dogs is due
>> to their coat, but I have heard enough others confirm that there is a
>> distinct "French" and "American" type that I know there must be some
>> structural differences.
>>
>>
>> So, to the question(s) and such! I am incredibly impressed with P, and
>> would love to have a pup resembling P. But I can't decide. I also
>> think H is a beautiful dog, but find myself nervous that getting a dog
>> like her as my first show dog would not go well in the AKC? I would
>> love to hear your opinions and experiences/thoughts on whether more of a
>> French-type dog would be able to be successful in the US... I think the
>> smartest thing for me to do would be to search for a dog like P, and
>> then if I am still so inclined, to incorporate dogs like H, T, and M
>> into my lines when the perfect opportunity/dog arises.
>>
>> I'd really really like to hear your opinions.
>>
>>
>> Andréa
>>
>>
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Kathy Oeffinger
512-669-4128